Vega’s Extra-Innings Grand Slam Lifts Duke to Series Victory Over NC State

Sunday, April 27

Raleigh, NC

1 p.m.

Duke University

37-15, 16-8

NC State

25-27, 6-18

Duke

NC State

Vega’s Extra-Innings Grand Slam Lifts Duke to Series Victory Over NC State

4/27/2025 8:15:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

RALEIGH, N.C. – Junior Aminah Vega's eighth-inning grand slam helped lift No. 21 Duke past NC State, 12-6, Sunday afternoon at Dail Softball Stadium.

With the win, the Blue Devils (37-15, 16-8 ACC) secured the conference series victory, 2-1, over the Wolfpack (25-27, 6-18 ACC).

Redshirt sophomore Kairi Rodriguez guided the Blue Devils' offense, finishing 2-for-3 at the plate with a pair of walks and two runs. Multi-hit outings from graduate student Thessa Malau'ulu, junior KK Mathis and Vega also played a big part in the offense as the trio combined to drive in nine of Duke's 12 runs.

After earning her third start of the series, graduate student Dani Drogemuller tossed her 10th complete game of the season. Drogemuller allowed six runs off 10 hits, while fanning a game-high four batters. The Frankfort, Ill., native finished with a total of 13 strikeouts in her 20.1 innings on the weekend.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Mathis crushed a three-run home run in the top of the first to put Duke ahead, 3-0. Her long ball brought in Malau'ulu and Rodriguez after the pair reached on a leadoff double and infield single, respectively.
The Blue Devils followed with another three-run frame in the second, stringing together three hits and a Wolfpack error to stretch a 6-0 gap.
NC State sparked its offense in the bottom of the third using a pair of RBI-doubles from Kendall Simmers and Tori Ensley and a two-out base hit from Alaina Smith to cut into Duke's edge, 6-4.
It remained a 6-4 game until the bottom of the seventh when NC State's Hannah Church sent a two-run shot out of right field to knot the score at 6-6 and force extra innings.
The Blue Devils kept the pressure on the Wolfpack defense in the top of the eighth, after freshman Hailey Shuler sparked a two-out rally with a base hit into right field. Her knock scored Rodriguez from third for the go-ahead run. Two batters later, Malau'ulu drew a bases-loaded walk to give Duke an 8-6 advantage. Vega followed with a grand slam over the right field wall to put the game away, 12-6.

NOTES

Vega blasted her second career grand slam and 11th home run of the season.
Mathis recorded her sixth home run on the year with the three-run shot in the top of the first. The long ball also marked her 150th career hit.
Gold reached the 200-career hits milestone with an infield single in the top of the sixth.
Shuler tallied her first career hit with the RBI-single in the top of the eighth.
The Blue Devils are 20-11 all-time in extra-inning games, including 3-0 this season.
Duke earned its fourth straight series victory over NC State and shifts the all-time series to a 15-3 advantage.

UP NEXT
The Blue Devils turn their attention to postseason play and are set to compete in the 2025 ACC Softball Championships May 7-10 at the Harrington Athletics Village in Brighton, Mass.

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