No. 12 Duke Powers Past No. 2 Florida, 8-1, Sunday Night

Sunday, February 16

Gainesville, Fla.

5 p.m.

Duke University

7-3

Florida

13-1

Duke

Florida

No. 12 Duke Powers Past No. 2 Florida, 8-1, Sunday Night

2/16/2025 10:34:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – No. 12 Duke softball closed the weekend in strong fashion, powering past No. 2 Florida, 8-1, in the final game of the Bubly Invitational at Katie Seashole Pressley Stadium on Sunday night.

The Blue Devils handed the Gators (13-1) their first loss of the year while improving to 7-3. The win also marked the Blue Devils' highest-ranked victory in program history.

Junior Cassidy Curd was strong in the circle, holding off the Florida offense, allowing just one run on four hits with a game-high six strikeouts. The Port St. Lucie, Fla., native tossed the 11th complete game of her career after working all 7.0 innings.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Blue Devils were quick to put pressure on the Gators' defense in the top of the second, scoring five unearned runs with two outs on four hits and two errors to jump ahead, 5-0. An error started the two-out rally with redshirt sophomore Jada Baker, graduate student Thessa Malau'ulu, junior Aminah Vega and redshirt sophomore Kairi Rodriguez delivering RBI hits to give Duke a lead it would not relinquish.
Florida's Mia Williams responded in the home half with a solo home run over the left center wall to make it a 5-1 game.
Baker opened the fourth with a stand-up double before coming home in the ensuing at bat on a base hit from Malau'ulu. Junior D'Auna Jennings followed with an RBI-triple to score Malau'ulu. Two batters later, Rodriguez brought in Jennings on a single to center field and extend the lead to 8-1.
The Gators attempted to close the gap in the bottom of the sixth, placing runners on the corners but Curd was able to put the third out away on a strikeout to escape the inning unscathed.
Curd sat down three of the final four batters in the bottom of the seventh, allowing one to reach on a walk, to secure the 8-1 victory.

NOTES

Baker notched the first triple of her career while Jennings tallied her fifth.
Curd earned her 48th career start inside the circle and improved her season ledger to 3-1.
Baker led the offense, batting 3-for-4 with one RBI and two runs scored.
Vega and Malau'ulu each finished 2-for-4 on the night with two RBIs.
Rodriguez recorded the third multi-RBI game of her Blue Devil career.

UP NEXT
Due to expected weather, Duke's doubleheader at East Carolina, originally scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 19, has been canceled. The Blue Devils make the trip out west to Cathedral City, Calif., for five games in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic Feb. 21-23.

To stay up to date with Blue Devils softball, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeSOFTBALL".

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