Duke’s Historic Season Ends in Athens Regional Final

Sunday, May 23

Athens, Ga.

12 p.m.

Duke University

44-12

Georgia

32-21

Duke

Georgia

Duke’s Historic Season Ends in Athens Regional Final

5/23/2021 4:02:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

ATHENS, Ga. – In a thrilling back-and-forth affair, the Duke softball team's historic season came to an end as Georgia edged the Blue Devils, 10-9, Sunday afternoon on the final day of the Athens Regional.

The Blue Devils put together the best season in program history, winning the first ACC Championship in program history while also earning a national seed in their first NCAA postseason and finishing the year with a 44-12 record.

Duke saw its strongest offensive performance of the postseason, stringing together nine hits and nine runs. Sophomore Gisele Tapia and junior Kristina Foreman led the Blue Devils with two hits apiece as Tapia registered a team-high four RBIs.

"It was great to see them come alive today and compete," said head coach Marissa Young. "While the outcome isn't what we wanted, I don't walk away with any regrets. There are no 'would've, should've, could'ves – I felt like my team gave everything they had and left it all on the field. We came up short today, but I couldn't ask anything more of them."

Georgia plated the first run of the game in the opening frame with an RBI double to left center before a flyout would strand a pair of runners on second and third (1-0).

Duke jumped out in front in the top of the third, scoring three runs on a trio of hits. Freshman Kelly Torres sent a leadoff single to center field and for the second consecutive game, junior Kyla Morris came in clutch with a sacrifice bunt and reached safely on an error. Tapia ripped a shot to the pitcher for an RBI single and junior Caroline Jacobsen dropped in a ball just fair of the left field line for a two-run hit.

Following a hit-by-pitch and a walk, the Bulldogs took back the lead at 4-3 with a three-run home run in the home half, but Duke quickly responded in the fourth.

Sparked by a hit from Foreman, she and Torres were safe on a fielder's choice with help from a Georgia error. With two outs, Morris registered an RBI single through the left side to tie the ballgame and junior Deja Davis picked up a bunt single. Tapia crushed a three-run double off the wall in right field, giving the Blue Devils a 7-4 advantage.

Georgia added a pair of runs in bottom half, scoring on a single and wild pitch. Foreman got two runs back in the fifth, blasting a two-run shot for her 12th long ball of the year to expand the Blue Devils' lead to 9-6.

The Bulldogs used four hits to bring in three runs to knot the game at 9-9 in the fifth. Three straight hits would secure the Georgia win at 10-9.

Senior Peyton St. George (18-8) started and closed the game, pitching 4.1 innings in the loss while junior Shelby Walters threw 1.2 in relief.

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