Jackson’s Home Runs Lead No. 13 Blue Devils Past Virginia in Doubleheader

Saturday, April 9

Charlottesville, Va.

11 A.M.

Duke University

30-5, 12-2

Virginia

22-17, 8-5

Duke

Virginia

Photo by: Duke Athletics

Jackson’s Home Runs Lead No. 13 Blue Devils Past Virginia in Doubleheader

4/9/2022 9:06:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 BOX SCORE (GAME ONE)BOX SCORE (GAME TWO)

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Led by two home runs from Kamryn Jackson, No. 13 Duke softball (31-5, 13-2 ACC) earned a Saturday afternoon doubleheader sweep, defeating Virginia, 8-5 and 6-1, at Palmer Park.

The Blue Devils extended their winning streak to eight straight games with two wins over the Cavaliers (22-18, 8-6 ACC).

Game One – Duke Wins, 8-5
The Blue Devils were hot out of the gate, taking an early 5-0 lead on their ACC counterparts. The scoring began in the second inning, when Kelly Torres and Kristina Foreman each picked up singles, eventually setting up Jackson. Jackson battled to a full count, then laced a single up the middle to take a 1-0 lead. Jameson Kavel would clear the bases in the next at bat, picking up a two-RBI double to extend the lead to 3-0.

In the third inning, the Blue Devils used the speed of Ana Gold to add another run. Gold drew a walk, then stole second base, setting up Torres at the plate. Torres picked up an RBI single, going up the middle to score Gold from second. Torres wouldn't be on base for long, as Foreman took the first pitch she saw to left center field for an RBI double and a 5-0 lead.

The Cavaliers attempted a rally, adding two runs in the bottom of the third and another run in the bottom of the fourth to shave the lead to 5-3. Virginia took advantage of two Blue Devil errors, but starter Jala Wright remained unfazed, stranding a runner in scoring position in both innings.

Wright would go on to throw 5.2 innings, allowing two earned runs and striking out seven to improve to 8-1 on the season. Her offense continued to give her support, as Jackson crushed a two-run home run in the fifth inning to center field and Torres added an RBI groundout to counteract two more Cavalier runs, making it 8-5. Peyton St. George would come in to close out the game, striking out one batter and earning her third save of the season.

Game Two – Duke Wins, 6-1
Much like game one, the Blue Devils were quickly on the board, as Kavel led off the opening frame with a hit before Gold drove her in on an RBI double for a 1-0 lead. The run kicked off a stretch of several extra-base hits for the Blue Devils, who built their lead in the second inning.

After Caroline Jacobsen ripped a double in the second inning, Jackson drove her home with her second home run of the day, driving a ball into the wind out to left field for a 3-0 lead. Kavel followed up her blast with a walk and Deja Davis laced a double of her own to make it 4-0.

Davis would continue to make a big impact, adding to her double earlier in the game with an RBI triple in the fourth inning to extend the lead even further. The Cavaliers were able to respond with a run in the bottom half of the frame, but that was as close as they would get.

St. George continued to control the Cavaliers offense while in the circle, striking out eight batters over seven innings to improve to 16-2. She was able to get extra run support from Davis in the sixth, with an RBI single to make it 6-1.

The Blue Devils will be back in action for the series finale against the Cavaliers on Sunday at 12 p.m. The game will be streamed on ACC Network Extra.

Notes:

By winning game one, the Blue Devils recorded their 10th win against the Cavaliers, marking the second opponent that the Blue Devils have beaten 10 times.
With her leadoff single in game one and game two, Kavel extended her on-base streak to 20 consecutive games.
With her fifth inning walk in game one and sixth inning walk in game two, Rachel Crabtree extended her on-base streak to 16 consecutive games.
Jackson now has hit a home run in three consecutive games. She joins Jacobsen and Foreman as Blue Devils with a streak that long this season.
Davis finished game two at 3-for-3, falling a home run short of the cycle.

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