Duke Falls Short to Clemson, 4-1

Saturday, March 27

Clemson, S.C.

12 p.m.

Duke University

26-2, 0

Clemson

21-4, 0

Duke

Clemson

Duke Falls Short to Clemson, 4-1

3/27/2021 4:21:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery

CLEMSON, S.C. – Following four runs in the first two innings, the 11th-ranked Duke softball team couldn't overcome No. 20 Clemson's early lead as the Blue Devils fell, 4-1, on Saturday afternoon at McWhorter Stadium.

The 4-1 setback was the Blue Devils' second loss of the season (26-2, 14-2 ACC) and snapped the team's 20-game winning streak. Duke's 20-game streak was a program record and the longest active streak in the ACC. It was also the first setback in the circle for senior Peyton St. George (11-1). Clemson improved to 21-4 and 13-4 as Valerie Cagle recorded the win (13-3).

Senior Jameson Kavel and sophomore Gisele Tapia led Duke at the plate as each garnered a pair of hits, including a double and triple, respectively. Kavel scored the lone run for the Blue Devils on an RBI single up the middle from classmate Rachel Crabtree.

Junior Caroline Jacobsen doubled in the first inning, joining Crabtree on base who was hit by a pitch, but two groundouts ended Duke's early scoring opportunity. Clemson used a single and two-run home run to jump ahead 2-0 in the bottom half of the frame.

Tapia opened the second inning with her second triple of the 2021 campaign, ripping a shot to right field, but the next three Blue Devils went down in order. In the next half inning, the Tigers took a 4-0 lead off a two-run double.

Kavel sent the 10th double of her senior year to right center in the fifth and was brought home on a base hit from Crabtree, cutting Clemson's lead to 4-1. Junior Deja Davis and Tapia singled in the sixth, but Duke would strand its final two baserunners of the contest.

St. George pitched six complete innings in which she let up four runs and three walks while tallying seven strikeouts. With seven Ks, she passed her single-season strikeout record of 96 in 2018 as she now owns 98 this season.

Duke looks to bounce back tomorrow and win the series as the Blue Devils and Tigers close out the weekend at 4 p.m. Sunday's showdown will be televised on ACC Network.

#GoDuke