Blue Devils Open Series with 4-1 Setback

Friday, April 2

Durham, N.C.

5 p.m.

Duke University

26-4, 0

Virginia Tech

21-5, 0

Virginia Tech

Duke

Blue Devils Open Series with 4-1 Setback

4/2/2021 8:50:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery

DURHAM, N.C. – No. 12 Duke was dealt a 4-1 setback to No. 19 Virginia Tech on Friday evening in its first of four games in the ACC series at the Duke Softball Stadium.

The Blue Devils (26-4, 14-3 ACC) gave up a pair of runs in the second and seven frames, while only tacking one on the board as senior Peyton St. George was credited with the loss (11-2). For the Hokies (21-5, 14-5), junior Keely Rochard earned the win in the circle to improve to 17-2 for the 2021 season.

Duke saw hits from junior Caroline Jacobsen, senior Rachel Crabtree, junior Deja Davis and sophomore Kamryn Jackson while senior Jameson Kavel drew a game-high two walks.

Virginia Tech used two extra-base hits and a sacrifice fly to plate its first runs of the game to take a 2-0 lead.

The Blue Devils scored its lone run in the fourth inning as junior Kristina Foreman reached on a leadoff hit-by-pitch. Jacobsen hit a hard grounder to third, advancing Foreman to second. With credit to her speed, sophomore Gisele Tapia scored Foreman from second on a sacrifice fly to right field. In the next at bat, Davis reached on an infield single to the pitcher and Crabtree took first as she was hit by a pitch. Both runners would advance on a wild pitch, but a strikeout would end the Blue Devils' scoring opportunity (2-1).

Following two scoreless frames, the Hokies added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh off three hits to record the final tallies of the contest at 4-1.

Duke looked to rally in the seventh as freshman Francesca Frelick took a free base on a hit by a pitch. Jackson, who entered to pinch hit, singled up the middle. A wild pitch advanced both runners into scoring position, but Rochard retired the next three batters for the win.

St. George threw a complete game in the circle, letting up six hits and four earned runs while picking up four strikeouts in the outing.

The Blue Devils and Hokies return to action tomorrow with a Saturday doubleheader, beginning at 5 p.m. The first game of the evening will be available to watch on ACC Network while the second game will be on ACC Network Extra.

#GoDuke