East Carolina Defeats No. 23 Duke, 5-4, in Home Opener Tuesday

Tuesday, February 24

Durham, N.C.

5 p.m.

Duke University

9-8

East Carolina

10--7

East Carolina

Duke

East Carolina Defeats No. 23 Duke, 5-4, in Home Opener Tuesday

2/24/2026 8:29:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

DURHAM, N.C. – East Carolina (10-7) used a sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh inning to push the game-winning run across the plate, defeating No. 23 Duke (9-8) 5-4 in Tuesday's home opener at Smith Family Stadium.

Redshirt junior Jessica Oakland tallied her fourth multi-hit outing of the season as she led the Blue Devil offense, batting 2-for-3 on the night. Graduate student Tyrina Jones sent out her sixth home run on the year to drive in two of Duke's four runs.

Redshirt freshman Ava Bradshaw and junior Larissa Jacquez shared the circle against the Pirates. Bradshaw earned her fourth start of the season as she worked the first 4.0 innings. Jacquez entered in the top of the top of the fifth and tossed 3.0 innings of relief.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Jones put the Blue Devils on the board early with a two-run shot in the bottom of the first. The home run also brought in senior Aminah Vega from first after she dropped a base hit into center field.
The Pirates pushed a pair of runs across the plate in the third to level the score at 2-2.
East Carolina's Anna Sawyer sent a two-run home run to the top of the center field wall to put the Pirates in front, 4-2, in the top of the fifth.
The Blue Devils answered right back with a solo home run from graduate student Jada Baker to pull within one, 4-3.
An RBI-single from redshirt junior Kairi Rodriguez tied the game up for the second time, 4-4, scoring sophomore Layla Lamar from second. Lamar sparked the two-out rally with an infield single.
In the top of the seventh, ECU quickly moved two into scoring position using a leadoff single and a double down the left field line. The Pirates followed with a sacrifice fly to plate the go-ahead run and claim the victory, 5-4.

NOTES

Jones launched her 20th career home run in the opening frame.
With her seventh multi-RBI performance, Jones has now tallied a team-high 26 RBI on the season.
Baker recorded her second long ball of the year.
The Blue Devils tallied their seventh game with two or more home runs.
The Pirates picked up just their second win of the all-time series and the first win in Durham.

UP NEXT
Due to projected inclement weather, the schedule for the Duke Invitational has been modified. The Blue Devils will now open action Wednesday against Boston University in a 4 p.m. matchup on ACC Network Extra.

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