No. 11 Duke Downs No. 16 Nebraska, Howard to Open Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic Friday

Friday, February 21

Cathedral City, Calif.

4 p.m. EST

Duke University

9-3

Nebraska

9-4

Duke

Nebraska

No. 11 Duke Downs No. 16 Nebraska, Howard to Open Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic Friday

2/22/2025 3:06:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. - No. 11 Duke softball opened action in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic on Friday with a thrilling 3-0 win over No. 16 Nebraska in eight innings before collecting a 13-1 run-rule victory over Howard at Big League Dreams Sports Park in Cathedral City, Calif.

Senior Ana Gold powered the offense, finishing 3-for-5 on the day with one home run, one triple and six RBI. Junior D'Auna Jennings also went 3-for-5 during the two games with three runs scored. Graduate student Thessa Malau'ulu registered a pair of hits while accounting for six of Duke's 16 total runs.

Junior Cassidy Curd was stellar against the Cornhuskers in the opening game, tossing 8.0 scoreless innings while surrendering just five hits. The Port St. Lucie, Fla., native fanned nine during the contest to push her past the 350-career strikeout milestone. Junior Sophie Garner-MacKinnon earned the start and the win against the Bison after allowing one run off two hits with three strikeouts in 3.0 innings of work. Freshman Hailey Shuler also saw action in the circle during the second game, working 2.0 innings of relief.

HOW IT HAPPENED VS. NO. 16 NEBRASKA

Nebraska's Jordy Bahl was quick to spark the offense in the opening frame, sending a one-out triple to the right field wall. However, Jennings was strong on defense, grabbing a fly out in center field and sending the throw home to tag Bahl at the plate for the double play to end the inning.
The game remained a pitcher's duel between Curd and Bahl as both sides combined to allow just four hits over the next six innings to keep the game scoreless and force extra innings.
Playing with international tie breaker rules that places a runner on second to begin extra innings, the Blue Devils finally broke through in the top of the eighth when freshman Brooklinn Thomas reached on a fielder's choice to score classmate Gabriella Mike. Mike was placed on second before advancing to third on a passed ball.
Two batters later, Gold sent a two-out single deep into left field to bring in Thomas and sophomore Amiah Burgess, who reached on a walk, to push Duke ahead, 3-0.
Curd sat the final three batters down in order on three straight strikeouts to seal the victory in the bottom of the eighth.

HOW IT HAPPENED VS. HOWARD

Howard's Lauryn Jones opened the scoring in the top of the first using a single and two passed balls to advance to third. Jones then came home on a ground out to put the Bison in front, 1-0.
Duke's offense erupted in the home half, sparked by Gold's two-run blast to center field. Her long ball brought in Jennings, who led off with a base hit up the middle. The Blue Devils kept the momentum going, adding six additional runs on four hits, including a two-RBI triple from Malau'ulu to give Duke the 8-1 advantage.
Malau'ulu extended the Blue Devils' lead again in the bottom of the second with an infield single to the shortstop and advancing on a Bison error to score redshirt junior Jada Baker and sophomore Linh Le, who reached on a double and walk, respectively. She moved to third on a passed ball before coming home on a sacrifice fly from Gold to round out the three-run frame.
Gold accounted for Duke's final two runs in the bottom of the fourth, sending a triple into right-center field to plate Jennings and then scoring on a wild pitch two batters later.

NOTES

Curd tossed the 12th complete game of her Blue Devil career.
With nine strikeouts in the opening game, Curd now owns 356 career strikeouts to her name.
Malau'ulu recorded the first triple of her career against Howard.
Gold tallied her 40th career home run during the nightcap.
The Blue Devils are 5-1 in run rule games this season, outscoring their opponents, 49-14.
Duke is now 18-11 all-time in extra-inning games.

UP NEXT

Duke faces BYU and Minnesota on the second day of action in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. First pitch with the Cougars is set for 12:30 p.m., while the Blue Devils battle the Gophers at 3 p.m.

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

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