No. 5 Blue Devils Defeat NC State, 4-3, in Series Opener

Friday, April 26

Raleigh, N.C.

6 p.m.

Duke University

42-6, 0

NC State

27-21, 0

Duke

NC STATE

No. 5 Blue Devils Defeat NC State, 4-3, in Series Opener

4/27/2024 12:05:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

RALEIGH, N.C. – Fifth-ranked Duke softball defeated NC State, 4-3, in the conference series opener Friday night at Dail Softball Stadium.

The Blue Devils improve to 18-4 in ACC play this season and 42-6 overall, while NC State falls to 27-21 overall and 3-16 in conference action.

Senior Claire Davidson and sophomore Aminah Vega guided the offense, finishing 2-for-3 at the plate with one RBI each. Senior Francesca Frelick went 1-for-2 on the night and drove in two of Duke's four runs.

In the circle, senior Jala Wright earned the start and the win, tossing 6.0 innings and allowing just one earned run across five hits with six strikeouts. Sophomore Cassidy Curd picked up the save after entering the game in the bottom of the seventh and retiring the final batter in just three pitches to leave the game-winning runs stranded.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Frelick put the Blue Devils on the board in the top of the second with a sacrifice fly to left field to bring in junior Ana Gold, who opened the frame with a single up the middle.
The Lexington, Mass., native added in another run in the top of the fourth with a solo blast over the left center field wall to make it a 2-0 ballgame.
NC State answered in the home half with a solo home run off the bat of Amanda Hasler to cut the gap to one.
Vega pushed Duke ahead again in the fifth with an RBI-single to score Davidson, who reached on a lead-off double to left center.
Davidson stretched the Blue Devils' lead to 4-1 with a solo home run straight out of center field in the top of the seventh.
NC State attempted a two-out rally in the bottom of the seventh but came up short as Curd retired the final out and left the winning runs stranded.

NOTES

Wright's six strikeouts during the contest pushed her past the 400-career strikeout milestone. The senior now has 404 to her name in 382.0 career innings of work.
Curd picked up the third save of her Blue Devil career.
Davidson and Frelick blasted their 16th and fifth long balls of the season, respectively.

UP NEXT
The Blue Devils and Wolfpack continue the three-game series on Saturday. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. and will be broadcast on ACC Network.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils softball, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeSOFTBALL"

Duke Centennial
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