Curd’s Five-Inning Shutout Guides No. 2 Duke to Series Win Over North Carolina

Saturday, April 6

Durham, N.C.

1 p.m.

Duke University

32-3, 0

North Carolina

24-11, 0

UNC

Duke

Curd’s Five-Inning Shutout Guides No. 2 Duke to Series Win Over North Carolina

4/6/2024 7:07:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

DURHAM – Left-handed pitcher Cassidy Curd tossed a five-inning shutout to help guide No. 2 Duke past North Carolina, 8-0, clinching the series win on Saturday at Duke Softball Stadium.

The sophomore fanned a career-high 12 batters during the contest and allowed just three Tar Heels to reach base on a walk, single and a double.

The Blue Devils (32-2, 12-2 ACC) earned their third straight series win over the Tar Heels (24-12, 6-8 ACC) and ninth straight ACC series victory.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Blue Devils' offense was hot from the start, scoring six runs off four hits in the bottom of the first. The senior trio of Kelly Torres, Francesca Frelick and Sarah Goddard drove in the runs on a hit by pitch, two-RBI double and three-run long ball, respectively.
Torres extended Duke's lead in the bottom of the second with a sacrifice fly to left field to bring in senior Claire Davidson, who led off the frame with a double to left center field before advancing to third on a groundout.
Junior Ana Gold pushed Duke's eighth and final run across the plate in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI single to center field. Her knock scored sophomore Aleyah Terrell, who was pinch running for graduate student Gisele Tapia after she reached on a base hit down the right-field line.
Curd struck out the final three Tar Heels in the top of the fifth to seal the run-rule victory, 8-0.

NOTES

Duke's 16 shutouts on the year sit tied for second nationally with No. 1 Oklahoma and the pair trail No. 10 Florida, who leads the nation with 18.
The Blue Devils earned their ninth run-rule victory of the season.
Curd improved her season ledger to 7-2 after 17 appearances in the circle.
Goddard tallied her fifth career long ball.
Frelick, Gold and Torres tallied their 25th, 28th and 22nd RBI on the year, respectively.

UP NEXT
Duke and North Carolina conclude the three-game series Sunday night at Duke Softball Stadium. First pitch is slated for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on ACC Network with Mark Neely and Donna Papa on the call.

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

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