Extra-Inning Thriller Sends Duke To NCAA Regional Championship Game

Saturday, May 17

Durham, N.C.

1:30 p.m.

Duke University

39-17

Georgia

33-20

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Georgia	2	2	0	0	3	0	1	8	12	2
Duke	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	2	7	0

Ana Gold at bat vs. Georgia NCAA Durham Regional

Extra-Inning Thriller Sends Duke To NCAA Regional Championship Game

5/18/2025 1:14:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Postgame Quotes (PDF)

DURHAM, N.C. – After falling to Georgia in their opening game, the Blue Devils used an explosive eight-run frame to defeat Coastal Carolina, 16-8, in eight innings Saturday night at Duke Softball Stadium.

With the win, the Blue Devils improve to 40-17 on the year and advance to the NCAA regional championship game for the fifth-straight year.

Graduate student Dani Drogemuller and junior Cassidy Curd split the circle during the two games. Drogemuller tossed 12.1 innings in her two appearances, working a complete game against Georgia and 5.1 innings of relief against Coastal Carolina. The Frankfort, Ill., native allowed 11 runs off 18 hits while fanning seven.

HOW IT HAPPENED VS. GEORGIA

A pair of two-out doubles knocked in the first two Georgia runs in the top of the first.
Back-to-back Bulldog home runs from Mua Williams and Dallis Goodnight extended Georgia's edge to 4-0 in the top of the second.
The Blue Devils answered in the home half after sophomore Amiah Burgess slipped a base hit through the left side to plate redshirt sophomore Kairi Rodriguez and make it a 4-1 ballgame. Rodriguez led off with an infield single before advancing on a passed ball and a single to left field.
The Bulldogs tacked on three additional runs off four hits to pull ahead, 7-1, in the top of the fifth.
Duke connected a pair of infield singles, a Georgia throwing error and a sacrifice bunt to push another run across the plate, making it a 7-2 game heading into the final two frames.
Georgia's Lyndi Rae Davis added a solo home run in the top of the seventh to put the game away, 8-2.

HOW IT HAPPENED VS. COASTAL CAROLINA

Junior Aminah Vega opened the scoring in the nightcap, sending a solo home run straight out of center field in the top of the first.
Coastal Carolina's McKennah Metzger blasted a solo shot to right center field to knot the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the second.
Duke pushed ahead again in the following frame, using two hits and a pair of Chanticleer errors to stretch a 3-1 lead.
The Chanticleers' sparked their offense again with a five-run frame in the third, highlighted by home runs from Delaney Keith, Georgia Hood and Maddy Jennings, to create a 6-3 gap.
The Blue Devils answered with a five-run frame of their own in the top of the fourth, using RBI-singles from redshirt junior Jada Baker and junior Aleyah Terrell and a bases-clearing double from graduate student Thessa Malau'ulu to regain the lead, 8-6.
Coastal Carolina continued to fight back, adding a pair of runs over the final two frames to even the score at 8-8 and force extra innings.
The Blue Devils' offense erupted in the top of the eighth, scoring eight runs off five hits and two errors to seal the victory, 16-8.

NOTES

Vega recorded her 12th home run of the season during the nightcap against Coastal Carolina.
Drogemuller moves her ledger to 18-9 on the year.
Malau'ulu has successfully reached base in a team-high 24 straight games.
Curd made her 35th appearance of the season after tossing the first 2.2 innings against the Chanticleers.
The Port St. Lucie, Fla., native collected a game-high four strikeouts to bring her season total to 148.
The Blue Devils are 21-11 all-time in extra-inning games, including 4-0 this season.
Duke's 16 runs against Coastal Carolina set a program single-game NCAA record.
The Blue Devils are now 15-11 in NCAA play.

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