DURHAM, N.C. – Duke softball had a record-breaking day as the Blue Devils outscored their opponents 38-3 on the second day of the 2020 Big 10/ACC Challenge at the Duke Softball Stadium.
With two run-rule victories, Duke improved to 7-1 on the year with a 16-2 win over Indiana in the afternoon before an impressive 22-1 win against Rutgers in the night cap.
Duke broke team records for the most hits (18), doubles (6) total runs (22), runs per inning (10) and runs batted in (21) during a single game.
"Our girls have been working really hard and buying into the process," said head coach
Marissa Young. "Up and down our lineup, we've had everyone contributing. Once we get things going it just explodes and setting records at home is always fun. They're having fun and playing for each other."
Duke 16, Indiana 2 (5)
The Blue Devils plated four runs on three hits in the first inning, beginning with a double steal that resulted in sophomore
Kristina Foreman scoring to give Duke a 1-0 lead. A two-run triple by
Caroline Jacobsen made it a 3-0 game before freshman
Gisele Tapia sent an RBI double to center field (4-0).
Keeping the bats alive, junior
Rachel Crabtree doubled down the left field line while Jacobsen and Tapia both sent RBI singles up the middle to expand Duke's lead (7-0) in the second. The Hoosiers tacked on runs in both the third and fourth frames as each run was scored stealing home (7-2).
An explosive nine-running inning in the fifth initially broke the program record of runs during a single inning. Leading off, Tapia garnered her second double of the contest and
Kyla Morris entered to pinch run. Junior
Sydney Bolan picked up her first hit as a Blue Devil with an RBI single to center. Duke added another run on a wild pitch before
Jameson Kavel sent a two-run triple to right field (11-2). Between walks and fielding errors, the Blue Devils crossed home plate five more times to win 16-2 in five innings.
Junior
Peyton St. George dealt five complete innings in which she racked up eight strikeouts to earn her third win of the young 2020 campaign (3-1).
Duke 22, Rutgers 1 (5)
Carrying momentum into the evening game, Duke broke the record for runs scored in a single inning by tallying 10 in the first frame. Jacobsen brought in her teammates with a two-run single through the left side, followed by an RBI single from
Raine Wilson (3-0). With two runners on, freshman
Kamryn Jackson knocked her first collegiate home run out of the park, upping Duke's lead to 6-0.
Keeping the frame alive, junior
Kendyl Lange sent an RBI triple to left center before the Blue Devils hit three consecutive doubles as Kavel, Foreman and Crabtree each recorded one to plate the final runs of the first inning (10-0).
The Scarlet Knights used two hits in the top of the second to score its only run of the game (10-1). In back-to-back at-bats, Jackson her second home run of the game with a two-run shot over the fence in left field. Crabtree and Jacobsen each garnered a double as Duke finished the inning with a 15-1 advantage.
Tapia used a leadoff double to ignite the Blue Devils' seven-run third inning as Jackson, Morris,
Dominique Salinas all singled. Followed by a few RBI walks and hit by pitches, Duke scored its final seven runs to secure its 22-1 victory.
Utilizing its pitching staff, Duke used three pitches in the win. Sophomore
Shelby Walters got the start and went two complete innings with two strikeouts. Sophomores
Kylie Coffelt and
Angie Biele made their first career appearances in the circle as Biele was credited with the win. Biele threw two innings while recording a career-high three strikeouts.
QUICK FACTS
- By the second inning in the game against Rutgers, every Duke starter had at least one hit.
- In Jackson's 3-for-3 appearance vs. Rutgers, she set the single game RBI record with seven – previously set by Foreman at Virginia (3/24/19) with five.
- Duke's six doubles in the Rutgers game were the most in a single game since notching five in the inaugural season against Savannah State on Feb. 14, 2018.
- Most of Duke's previous records were set in the ACC series vs. Georgia Tech last season (March 29-30, 2019) including hits (15), runs (11) and RBI (10).
- The Blue Devils have hit multiple home runs in three games this season (vs. Rutgers, St. John's and UCF).
- Between the two games, Duke batted .519 as a team with 28 hits – nine doubles, three triples and two home runs – and 35 RBI.
The Blue Devils look to close out this year's Big 10/ACC Challenge tomorrow with a 4-0 record as Duke takes on the Scarlet Knights at 12:30 p.m.