RALEIGH, N.C. – Fifth-ranked Duke softball defeated NC State, 4-3, in the conference series opener Friday night at Dail Softball Stadium.
The Blue Devils improve to 18-4 in ACC play this season and 42-6 overall, while NC State falls to 27-21 overall and 3-16 in conference action.
Senior Claire Davidson and sophomore Aminah Vega guided the offense, finishing 2-for-3 at the plate with one RBI each. Senior Francesca Frelick went 1-for-2 on the night and drove in two of Duke’s four runs.
In the circle, senior Jala Wright earned the start and the win, tossing 6.0 innings and allowing just one earned run across five hits with six strikeouts. Sophomore Cassidy Curd picked up the save after entering the game in the bottom of the seventh and retiring the final batter in just three pitches to leave the game-winning runs stranded.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Frelick put the Blue Devils on the board in the top of the second with a sacrifice fly to left field to bring in junior Ana Gold, who opened the frame with a single up the middle.
- The Lexington, Mass., native added in another run in the top of the fourth with a solo blast over the left center field wall to make it a 2-0 ballgame.
- NC State answered in the home half with a solo home run off the bat of Amanda Hasler to cut the gap to one.
- Vega pushed Duke ahead again in the fifth with an RBI-single to score Davidson, who reached on a lead-off double to left center.
- Davidson stretched the Blue Devils’ lead to 4-1 with a solo home run straight out of…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Duke University…