CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – No. 15 Duke softball (23-5, 6-2 ACC) defeated North Carolina (10-18, 1-4 ACC), 7-5, on Saturday afternoon and leads the weekend series, 2-0.
Sophomore Ana Gold led the way with her bat, finishing the day 2-for-4 with three RBI and two home runs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Gold led off the top of the second inning with a solo blast over the right center wall to open the Blue Devils’ scoring.
- Three batters later, redshirt-freshman Jada Baker brought in junior Kelly Torres, who reached on a walk, with a hard shot to left field. Baker picked up three extra bases on a throwing error from the Tar Heels’ leftfielder and beat the tag at home to make it 3-2.
- North Carolina tied the game up at 3-3 in the bottom half with a solo home run from Isabela Emerling.
- The next three innings went scoreless until Duke plated two more runs off two hits in the top of the sixth for a 5-3 lead.
- Another long ball from Gold extended the Blue Devils’ edge to 7-3 heading into the final frame.
- The Tar Heels responded with a two-run home run off freshman pitcher Sophie Garner-MacKinnon before Duke could put the final out away.
- MacKinnon worked 5.0 innings after replacing junior Claire Davidson in the second, striking out two while allowing one walk and three hits.
NOTES
- Gold has registered at least two home runs in all three ACC series this season and leads the conference with 10 on the year.
- Garner-Mackinnon threw a career-high 5.0 innings and earned her second win inside the…
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