Duke Edged by Clemson Sunday; Splits Weekend Series

Sunday, March 28

Clemson, S.C.

4 p.m.

Duke University

26-3, 0

Clemson

22-4, 0

Duke

Clemson

Duke Edged by Clemson Sunday; Splits Weekend Series

3/28/2021 7:55:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery

CLEMSON, S.C. – No. 11 Duke split its four-game ACC weekend series with No. 20 Clemson as the Blue Devils dropped the finale, 4-2, on Sunday at McWhorter Stadium.

Despite a come-from-behind effort to tie the contest at 2-2 in the top of the fifth, the Blue Devils (26-3, 14-3 ACC) were unable to answer a pair of Tigers' (22-4, 14-4) runs in the bottom half to complete the full comeback.

Junior Shelby Walters was credited with the loss, her first of the season (10-1), after throwing 4.1 innings in which she let up four runs with only one being earned. Senior Peyton St. George pitched 1.2 frames in relief in which she allowed just two hits.

Sophomore Gisele Tapia led the Blue Devils with a 2-for-2 performance, while junior Caroline Jacobsen and freshman Sarah Goddard each registered a double.

Duke got on the board first in the third inning when Deja Davis dove into first base for an infield single to score Goddard, who led off the frame with her first career double. Goddard made an incredible baserunning maneuver on the play when she evaded the tag at home plate and slid in for the score.

Clemson jumped in front, 2-1, in the bottom half of the frame after scoring two unearned runs on a double down the left field line.

Following consecutive hits from graduate student Dominique Salinas and senior Jameson Kavel to start the fifth, Davis shifted the runners into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. During the next at bat, Jacobsen sent a sacrifice fly to left field to score Salinas and knot the ballgame at 2-2.

Clemson loaded the bases in the bottom half and the Blue Devils almost got themselves out of the jam, but a two-out single scored two runs to ultimately put the game away.

Duke had one final push in the top of the seventh when it brought the tying run up to the plate, but the home side retired the Blue Devils' next three batters to protect the 4-2 win. While stringing together eight hits in the contest, Duke left seven runners on base.

The Blue Devils return home next weekend for a four-game series against No. 19 Virginia Tech at the Duke Softball Stadium. Games two and four of the series will be nationally televised on ACC Network.

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