DURHAM– No. 15 Duke softball welcomes James Madison to Duke Softball Stadium on Wednesday for the first time in the program’s six-year history.
The Blue Devils (20-5, 4-2 ACC) are coming off a 2-1 series win over Louisville last weekend. After defeating the Cardinals, 9-6, on Friday night, Duke split the doubleheader on Saturday with a 5-3 win in the opening game before falling, 13-9, in the nightcap.
James Madison enters the contest with a 13-5 record after hosting the LD&B Insurance Invitational in Harrisonburg, Va. over the weekend. The Dukes are on a four-game winning streak after collecting three wins in their home tournament over Saint Joseph’s, Coppin State and Fairleigh Dickinson.
HOW TO FOLLOW
The game will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra with live stats available through StatBroadcast.
INSIDE THE SERIES
The matchup on Wednesday marks the Dukes’ first trip to Durham and fifth all-time meeting of the two teams. The Blue Devils tied the all-time series 2-2 after two convincing wins in last season’s doubleheader, defeating James Madison, 24-2 and 10-1, respectively.
LAST TIME OUT
The Blue Devils are coming off their second ACC series win after defeating Louisville, 2-1. Duke opened the three-game slate with a 9-6 win on Friday night before splitting the doubleheader on Saturday.
Freshman Aminah Vega led the team to a 5-3 victory in the first game of the doubleheader, clearing the bases with a three-RBI double to open the scoring in the bottom of the first. Vega tacked on the fifth and final Duke run with a long ball over the center field wall for her first career home run.
The Cardinals were first to strike in the nightcap, scoring three runs off three hits in the third inning. Duke answered right back in the bottom half, tying the game up, 3-3. Three more lead changes ensued before Louisville pulled away in the top of the seventh after two errors and a two-run home run plated four more runs for a 13-8 lead. Junior Francesca Frelick sent her second solo shot of the night out of center field to add to the Blue Devils’ score but it wasn’t enough to make up the difference, falling 13-9 in the end.
NEXT UP
The Blue Devils head to Chapel Hill to face North Carolina for a three-game weekend series beginning on Friday at 6 p.m. All three games will be available…
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