No. 16 Duke Suffers 4-3 Loss at No. 9 Florida State

Sunday, April 11

Tallahassee, Fla.

3 p.m.

Duke University

27-9, 0

Florida State

27-6, 0

Duke

Florida State

No. 16 Duke Suffers 4-3 Loss at No. 9 Florida State

4/11/2021 6:42:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Tied at 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh, No. 16 Duke fell short to No. 9 Florida State as the Seminoles executed a successful squeeze bunt for a 4-3 walk-off win Sunday afternoon on JoAnne Graf Field at the Seminoles Softball Complex.

Led by junior Deja Davis with a 3-for-3 performance, the Blue Devils (27-9, 15-9 ACC) came back from a three-run deficit with an RBI single from Davis in the fifth but ultimately couldn't hold off the Seminoles (27-6, 15-2). Due to inclement weather, the series was shortened to three games and Duke dropped its second ACC series of the 2021 campaign.

Davis opened the contest with a leadoff single to center field. She collected her eighth stolen base of the year and advanced to third on a fly out. Looking to get on the board early, Duke attempted a squeeze play, but Davis was tagged out.

Making the fifth start of her rookie campaign, freshman Claire Davidson faced four batters in which she let up a pair of hits and walks, including an RBI double. Head coach Marissa Young made an early pitching change, bringing in junior Shelby Walters. Florida State then hit a two-run single to take a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first frame.

In the third, Davidson sent a ball to shallow left field for a leadoff single. Duke's next two batters were retired, but Davis kept the inning alive with her second hit of the day to left field. Senior Jameson Kavel then dropped a ball just out of reach of the second baseman in right field for an RBI single as Davidson scored and Davis crossed home plate with help from a Florida State error (3-2).

Following a Florida State single and walk, senior Peyton St. George took over for Walters in the fourth with two outs on the board. Three pitches were all it took for St. George to pick up her first strikeout swinging to end the inning.

Keeping the inning alive with two outs in the fifth, freshman Kelly Torres pinch hit and doubled to the wall in left center. Florida State made a pitching change, but Davis tied up the ballgame at 3-3 with an RBI single through the right side.

Duke went down in order in the seventh. Florida State's Sydney Sherrill reached on a leadoff walk and picked up two stolen bases in the bottom half. With aggressive base running, she safely touched home plate on a squeeze bunt to win it for the Seminoles (4-3).

The Blue Devils utilized their pitching staff with Davidson starting while Walters and St. George entered in relief. Walters threw 3.2 frames in which she fanned two batters before St. George went 2.2 innings with two hits and four strikeouts in her fifth loss of the season (11-5).

Duke hits the road for the second consecutive weekend as the Blue Devils travel to Louisville for a four-game series, April 16-18.

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