Gold’s Home Runs Leads Duke Past Howard, 12-0, Friday

Friday, May 16

Durham, N.C.

12 p.m.

Duke University

39-16

Howard

31-19

HOWARD

Duke

Gold’s Home Runs Leads Duke Past Howard, 12-0, Friday

5/16/2025 5:04:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Postgame Quotes (PDF)Durham Regional Tournament Central

DURHAM, N.C. – Two home runs from senior Ana Gold led Duke to a 12-0 victory in five innings over Howard in the opening game of the Durham Regional Friday afternoon at Duke Softball Stadium.

Gold led the way on offense, batting a perfect 2-for-2 and collecting a season-high five RBI to tie the Duke single-game NCAA Tournament record. Gold's two home runs are the most in an NCAA Tournament game for a Blue Devil. Junior Aleyah Terrell added her second multi-hit game of the season, finishing 2-for-3 at the plate.

Left-handed pitcher Cassidy Curd tossed 5.0 scoreless innings while surrendering just two hits and fanning a game-high six batters. The Port St. Lucie, Fla., had her no-hit bid broken up in the final frame with a pair of base hits.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Duke was quick to load the bases in the opening frame using a pair of walks and a hit by pitch. An infield single from junior KK Mathis, sacrifice fly from classmate Aminah Vega and redshirt junior Jada Baker's three-run blast from pushed the Blue Devils ahead 5-0.
Another five-run frame in the bottom of the second made it 10-0 Duke. Back-to-back home runs from Gold and redshirt sophomore Kairi Rodriguez highlighted the frame.
Gold went yard again in the bottom of the third to extend the Blue Devils' edge to 12-0. Her long ball brought in freshman Brooklinn Thomas, pinch running for Vega after she reached on a hit by pitch.
Curd did not surrender a hit until a one-out bunt single in the top of the fifth. She worked around a two-out single to leave a pair stranded and preserve the shutout.

NOTES

Gold recorded the fifth multi-home run game of her career.
Her five RBI ties the Duke single-game NCAA record with Kristina Foreman vs. Georgia in 2022.
Rodriguez and Baker blasted their ninth and seventh home runs on the year, respectively.
Curd improves her ledger to 14-7 on the year.
Duke collected its 150th program win at Duke Softball Stadium.
The Blue Devils are now 14-10 in NCAA play.
Duke is now 12-3 in run-rule games this season.
The Blue Devils are now 3-1 in NCAA Tournament run-rule decisions.
Duke won its NCAA Tournament opener for the fourth consecutive year. The Blue Devils have not lost an NCAA regional game in Durham since a 5-3 setback to Georgia on May 22, 2022.