No. 10 Duke Sweeps Doubleheader Against Georgia Tech Friday

Friday, April 21

Durham, N.C.

4 p.m.

Duke University

38-8, 14-5

Georgia Tech

24-22, 6-13

Georgia Tech

Duke

No. 10 Duke Sweeps Doubleheader Against Georgia Tech Friday

4/21/2023 11:59:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

DURHAM – The No. 10 Duke softball team swept a doubleheader Friday against visiting Georgia Tech, winning the opening game in a run rule, 11-3, before walking off in the nightcap with a thrilling, 4-3, victory to extend its winning streak to 11 games.

Freshman D'Auna Jennings provided the winning blow in the bottom of the seventh inning in game two, as the Blue Devils (39-8, 15-5) rallied from a 3-2 deficit entering the home half. Jennings was 4-for-7 at the plate for the day, including a 3-for-3 effort in game one.

The two teams combined for 10 home runs in the twinbill on a day the wind was blowing out to center at Duke Softball Stadium. Senior Gisele Tapia also totaled four hits, including a first-inning homer in the nightcap, while junior Kelly Torres homered in both contests.

Freshman Cassidy Curd and junior Jala Wright each tossed complete games in the circle in limiting the Yellow Jackets (24-23, 6-14) to just five hits and six runs combined.

GAME 1 HOW IT HAPPENED

Duke scored the game's final eight runs, including five in the bottom of the fifth, to win 11-3 after five innings.
With the Blue Devils leading 10-3 and one run shy of the run rule, freshman Aminah Vega ripped a bases-loaded single off the wall in center to score Jennings for the 11-3 victory.
Curd remains undefeated after tossing a five-inning complete game with four strikeouts, improving her ledger to 12-0.
Both teams traded home runs early as Georgia Tech struck first with a two-run shot out of left field in the top of the third inning.
Duke answered back with three runs in the third thanks to graduate student Deja Davis' two-run blast to tie the game at 2-2. Two batters later, sophomore Ana Gold gave Duke its first lead with a two-out solo blast to left field.
The Yellow Jackets tied the game at 3-3 with a solo shot in the fourth, but it was all Duke after that.
The Blue Devils broke it open in the bottom of the fourth, scoring three times on four hits to seize a 6-3 advantage.
Junior Claire Davidson led off the half inning by sending her fourth bomb of the season over the center field fence. Later in the inning, with the bases loaded, Tapia drove in two more runs after ripping a single past the shortstop to put the Blue Devils ahead, 6-3.
In the decisive fifth, Torres led off with a solo homer to left center, while Jennings and Davis added RBI ahead of Vegas' game-ending single.

GAME 1 NOTES

Duke pounded out a season-high 15 hits and hit a season-high four home runs during the contest.
Gold's 17th home run pulled her into a tie with Jameson Kavel (2022) for the program's single-season record.
Jennings extended her hitting streak to a career-best eight games by going 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs.
Davis drove in a game-high three runs.
Tapia also had three hits and drove in a pair.
Vega, Davidson and Baker each tallied a pair of hits.

GAME 2 HOW IT HAPPENED

Trailing 3-2 in the seventh, Duke got the winning rally started with a Torres single to right field.
Freshman Kairi Rodriguez drew a pinch hit walk before senior Kamryn Jackson ripped a double down the right-field line to tie the game, 3-3.
Jennings dealt the walk-off blow with her single that found the gap in right.
Wright earned the win in the circle after limiting Georgia Tech to two hits and three runs with seven strikeouts in seven innings.
Tapia's solo homer in the first inning gave Duke an early 1-0 lead.
Georgia Tech jumped ahead in the fourth with Sara Beth Allen's two-run shot to left field.
Torres launched a 3-1 offering from Georgia Tech's Blake Neleman with two outs in the fifth to pull the Blue Devils even at 2-2.
Grace Connelly put the Jackets back in front in the seventh when she rattled a line-drive homer off the left field foul pole for a 3-2 lead.

GAME 2 NOTES

Duke swept both games of a doubleheader for the fifth time this season, but first time in ACC play.
The Blue Devils' 11-game winning streak is their second longest this season after winning 12 straight in late February.
Torres homered in both games of the doubleheader, her fifth and sixth home run of the season.
Jennings extended her hitting streak to nine games, while Tapia's stretched to 12.
Wright improves her record to 11-4 on the year.

QUOTES
"We've typically struggled with doubleheaders, so really proud of the way they came out and competed in the second game. Obviously, it was tight and back-and-forth, and this group continues to show a lot of grit and keeps finding different ways to win. Every day it's somebody new stepping up. I'm really proud of the seniors today – obviously, Davis getting her home run, Kamryn Jackson stepping up in that big moment and Gisele Tapia had a really good day." – head coach Marissa Young

UP NEXT
Due to forecasted inclement weather in Durham on Saturday, the teams played a doubleheader Friday. The series concludes Sunday at Duke Softball Stadium at 12 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.

To stay up to date with Blue Devils softball, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeSOFTBALL"

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