Duke Collects Two Run-Rule Shutouts

Saturday, February 27

Columbia, S.C.

10:30 a.m.

Duke University

9-1

Seton Hall

0-3

Seton Hall

Duke

Duke Collects Two Run-Rule Shutouts

2/27/2021 3:15:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The No. 16 Duke softball team notched two run-rule victories against Seton Hall (8-0) and Longwood (9-0) to open the Gamecock Invitational on Saturday at the Carolina Softball Stadium.

The Blue Devils (10-1, 4-1) hit four homers, including an inside-the-park home run, as junior Kristina Foreman, junior Deja Davis, senior Jameson Kavel and graduate student Raine Wilson each registered a long ball. Foreman, Davis and senior Rachel Crabtree all tallied three hits on the day, including Foreman who put together a 3-for-5 performance with five RBI.

Duke's pitching staff continued its dominance with junior Shelby Walters and senior Peyton St. George both tallying complete game shutout wins.

Duke 8, Seton Hall 0 (6)
The Blue Devils posted two early runs off back-to-back hits, including a single from Crabtree and a two-run double from Foreman in the first inning (2-0). Following a quiet second frame, Duke posed a threat with runners on second and third from a walk and double by sophomore Gisele Tapia. Foreman notched her third RBI with a sacrifice fly to shallow left field, bringing Davis across the plate to expand Duke's lead to 3-0 at the end of the third.

With the help of two Seton Hall errors and two fielder's choice, Duke tacked on another run from an RBI single up the middle by Davis (4-0). The Pirates drew two walks in the top of the fifth, but Duke picked up the final out of the frame with a force-out at third to end Seton Hall's scoring chance.

Crabtree began the bottom of the fifth with a leadoff walk and was quickly brought home on the next pitch as Foreman crushed her second home run of the season with a two-run shot to right center, improving her RBI total to five in the game (6-0). With no outs, Seton Hall made a pitching change, looking to sway the momentum but another walk and error plated Duke's seventh run (7-0). The Blue Devils were on the cusp of a run-rule victory, but Seton Hall held on for one more inning after getting out of a bases-loaded jam.

Duke won the game in six innings on a walk-off solo home run by Kavel, her first of the season, to secure the Blue Devils' 8-0 victory.

Walters earned her fourth win of 2021 with her one-hitter complete game. Walters hurled six innings in which she only allowed three baserunners while tallying two strikeouts in the shutout victory.

Duke 9, Longwood 0 (5)
Davis opened the contest with an inside-the-park home run to lead off Duke in the second game of the afternoon. Longwood sent a deep shot to center field in the bottom half, but Kavel was there to collect the final out of the inning to hold onto Duke's 1-0 advantage.

Wilson garnered the Blue Devils' second long ball of the contest in the second frame, crushing her second home run of the season to left field (2-0). Davis, Tapia and Crabtree hit three-straight singles to put more pressure on the Lancers, but Longwood turned a double play to end the threat.

In the fourth, freshman Kelly Torres doubled up the middle, scoring Wilson, before she picked up back-to-back stolen bases to plate Duke's fourth run (4-0).

Duke tallied five runs in the top of the fifth to ensure its second run-rule victory of the day. Tapia led with a walk before Crabtree and Foreman recorded back-to-back singles. Kavel walked home a run before Crabtree scored on a wild pitch. Following the third walk of the frame, Wilson sent a sac fly to center field and Torres brought home Duke's final runs with a two-run single through the right side (9-0).

St. George also notched a one-hitter, throwing five innings in the complete game shutout to improve to 3-0 on the season. St. George racked up eight strikeouts in the victory, marking her fourth game of the season in which she's tallied eight K's.

Notables

Foreman's five RBI in game one tied her single-game career high – last had five at Virginia on March 24, 2019.
Davis' inside-the-park home run was the second in program history as Amelia Wiercioch recorded the first at Notre Dame on April 14, 2018.
Torres recorded her first career stolen base and finished with two.

#GoDuke