Blue Devils Improve to 4-0 at Tiger Classic

Saturday, February 13

Baton Rouge, La.

11 a.m.

Duke University

3-0

McNeese

2-2

Duke

McNeese St.

Claire Davidson pitching at the Tiger Classic

Photo by: Chad Smith / Central Arkansas

Blue Devils Improve to 4-0 at Tiger Classic

2/13/2021 5:05:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery

BATON ROUGE, La. – Carrying momentum from yesterday's victories, No. 25 Duke collected a pair of wins against McNeese and Central Arkansas on day two of the Tiger Classic. The Blue Devils defeated the Cowgirls, 9-1, and edged the Bears, 7-5, on Saturday at Tiger Park.

Head coach Marissa Young's squad is off to its best start in program history at 4-0, continuing its 13-game win streak. McNeese and Central Arkansas fall to 2-2 and 0-2, respectively.

There were many firsts for the Blue Devil freshmen on Saturday as Kelly Torres made her first career start in the field and Claire Davidson made her first start in the circle. Freshmen Sarah Goddard and Julia Boyet also made their collegiate debut, both entering as pinch hitters.

No. 25 Duke 9, McNeese 1
Despite three early hits by McNeese, Duke only let up one run in the opening frame and after a few quiet innings, the Blue Devils' offensive ignited in the fourth. Sophomore Gisele Tapia and senior Rachel Crabtree reached base early on two McNeese errors before junior Kristina Foreman sent an RBI single up the middle to tie the contest (1-1). Senior Jameson Kavel used a bunt single to load the bases, but the Blue Devils' first chance to jump ahead was shut down on a fielder's choice.

The Blue Devils took the lead in the fourth and never looked back as senior Sydney Bolan and junior Caroline Jacobsen drew back-to-back walks to bring in two more runs, pushing out to a 3-1 advantage. With bases still loaded, Davis knocked a grand slam over the center field wall, expanding Duke's lead to 7-1. The grand slam was the first of Davis' career and second in school history.

Duke tacked on another run in the fifth as Kavel notched her second hit of the day with another RBI single, this one to right center (8-1). Junior Shelby Walters tallied three of her four strikeouts in the fifth before Davidson made her first career pitching appearance in the sixth.

Goddard did it all in her first game wearing a Duke uniform to put the finishing touches on the Blue Devil victory. Pinch hitting to lead off the seventh inning, Goddard tallied her first career hit with a single to shortstop, picked up a stolen base and scored Duke's final run to make it 9-1. McNeese looked for a late rally with two hits in the seventh, but Davidson closed out the game with a punchout – her second in the frame.

Walters worked through five innings to earn her first win in 2021 while Davidson dealt two innings in relief.

No. 25 Duke 7, Central Arkansas 5
The Blue Devils got off to a hot start in the opening frame as Tapia put Duke on the board with a solo home run to right center – the second of her career. In the next at bat, Crabtree singled through the left side before Foreman brought her home on a two-run long ball down the left field line (3-0). Duke drew three walks to load the bases but were unable to add to its lead.

Crabtree doubled in the top of the second for her second hit of the game and third double of the weekend. Foreman took a free base on a hit-by-pitch, but a groundout ended Duke's chance to expand its lead.

Following two strikeouts in the first inning, Davidson struck out the Bears' side in order in the second. Both teams had a quick three-up, three-down inning in the third before Central Arkansas broke up the no-hitter in the fourth with a base hit.

Duke made it 6-0 in the top of the fifth as graduate student Raine Wilson sent a two-run shot to center field before Jacobsen reached on a dropped fly ball, scoring Duke's sixth run of the matchup. The Bears used two hits to plate one run in the bottom half, cutting Duke's lead to 6-1.

With two outs on the board, Boyet made her first career appearance as a pinch hitter and singled up the middle in the sixth. Central Arkansas made it a close game in the next half inning, plating four runs with help from a three-run homer (6-4). Senior pitcher Brianna Butler entered in relief, retiring the next three batters, but the Bears scored another run on a sac fly foul ball to cut the lead down to one at 6-5.

The Blue Devils added an insurance run in the seventh with an RBI double from Jacobsen, scoring Kavel to cushion Duke's lead (7-5). The Bears managed to get two early baserunners in their final at bat, but Butler and Duke's defense retired the final three batters to hold onto the victory.

In the circle, Davidson notched her first career win with an impressive nine strikeouts through five innings, a program record for a pitcher making their first career start. Butler was credited with her first career save, pitching two frames in which she garnered two K's and only let up one hit.

Duke will close out its weekend in Baton Rouge tomorrow against Kansas. First pitch versus the Jayhawks is set for 11 a.m. ET at Tiger Park.

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