GREENSBORO, N.C. – No. 13 Duke softball (29-5, 11-2 ACC) used a nine-run fourth inning to drive past UNC Greensboro, cruising to an 11-1 victory in five innings on Wednesday night at UNCG Softball Stadium.
The Blue Devils poured on nine runs in the fourth inning to power past the Spartans (25-11, 6-0 SoCon).
Kamryn Jackson hit a grand slam, while
Jala Wright (7-1) held the Spartans in check in the circle, allowing just one hit over four scoreless frames.
After a quiet opening two frames with only one hit between the two teams, the Blue Devils jumped on Spartans starter Morgan Scott in the third.
Jameson Kavel stepped up and launched a 2-2 pitch deep over the left field wall, giving the Blue Devils a 1-0 lead.
Rachel Crabtree was first up in the fourth inning and set the sterling frame in motion with a single as part a streak of four straight hits for Duke.
Kelly Torres and
Kristina Foreman each notched RBI singles, with
Caroline Jacobsen adding a walk for a 3-0 lead with the bases loaded.
With the bases full, Jackson would step to the plate, working the count to 3-1. The Tampa, Fla., native picked her pitch and launched a grand slam over the left field wall, extending the lead to 7-0 and effectively putting the game out of reach, chasing Scott from game.
The pitching change wouldn't stop the Blue Devils offense, who got multiple more runners into scoring position. Up for the second time in the inning, Crabtree dumped a single into center field, scoring another runner to make it 8-0. Foreman closed out the inning with a two-run single, capping off the Blue Devils' best inning of the season.
Francesca Frelick added another RBI in the fifth inning, drawing her fourth hit-by-pitch of the season and second with the bases loaded, to extend the lead to 11-0. While the Spartans were able to get a run back,
Claire Davidson finished a fifth consecutive run-rule victory after relieving Wright in the circle.
The Blue Devils will return to action on Friday at 6 p.m., traveling to Charlottesville, Va., for a three-game set at Virginia. The entire weekend's games will be streamed on ACC Network Extra.
Notes:
- The Blue Devils recorded their largest single inning score of the season, tallying nine runs in the fourth.
- Duke has now tallied five straight wins by run rule, extending the longest streak in program history.
- With her third inning home run, Kavel extended her on-base streak to 18 consecutive games.
- After tallying a fourth inning single, Crabtree extended her on-base streak to 14 games.
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