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vs Clemson
Jones Sets Home Run Record; No. 14 Duke Run-Rules Clemson Friday
4/24/2026 11:23:00 PM | Softball
DURHAM, N.C. – Graduate student Tyrina Jones set the program single-season home run record Friday night with her solo shot in the bottom of the sixth inning to help guide No. 14 Duke past Clemson, 10-2, in the conference series opener at Smith Family Stadium.
Jones, a native of Lake Worth, Florida, tallied her 20th long ball of the season to pass Ana Gold's single-season mark of 19 in 2023. Jones finished 1-for-3 at the plate with one walk and two runs scored.
Senior Cassidy Curd earned the win inside the circle and moved her season ledger to 16-2. The lefty fanned a game-high seven over 5.2 innings while allowing just two runs on four hits. Classmate KK Mathis entered in the top of the sixth and secured the third out on a groundout, leaving two baserunners stranded.
The Blue Devils earned their fourth straight run-rule victory and improved to 37-12 overall and 19-3 in ACC play. The Tigers move to 31-18 on the year with a 12-10 record in conference action.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Blue Devils and Tigers continue the three-game series Saturday with first pitch set for 12 p.m., on ESPN2. Duke will also recognize its seven graduating student-athletes in a senior day ceremony prior to the start of the game.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils softball, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeSOFTBALL"
#GoDuke
Jones, a native of Lake Worth, Florida, tallied her 20th long ball of the season to pass Ana Gold's single-season mark of 19 in 2023. Jones finished 1-for-3 at the plate with one walk and two runs scored.
Senior Cassidy Curd earned the win inside the circle and moved her season ledger to 16-2. The lefty fanned a game-high seven over 5.2 innings while allowing just two runs on four hits. Classmate KK Mathis entered in the top of the sixth and secured the third out on a groundout, leaving two baserunners stranded.
The Blue Devils earned their fourth straight run-rule victory and improved to 37-12 overall and 19-3 in ACC play. The Tigers move to 31-18 on the year with a 12-10 record in conference action.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Blue Devils quickly jumped ahead with a three-run opening frame. Senior Aminah Vega slipped a base hit into left field, moved up on a wild pitch and came home on an RBI-single from redshirt junior Jessica Oakland. A sacrifice fly from Mathis and a Clemson fielding error tacked on two additional runs for an early 3-0 advantage.
- Clemson answered in the second, connecting a pair of singles and a hit by pitch to push its first run across the plate.
- Mac Pavese sent out a solo blast in the top of the third to pull the Tigers within one, 3-2.
- Senior D'Auna Jennings' double to the left center field gap added an insurance run for the Blue Devils in the fourth. Her RBI-knock scored graduate student Jada Baker, pinch running for freshman Jayla Stafford after she drew a leadoff walk.
- Duke began to pull away in the bottom of the fifth as freshman Gabriella Shadek bounced a double off the right center field wall and Baker roped a base hit down the right field line to drive in a pair of runs and create a 6-2 edge.
- Oakland and Jones went back-to-back with their solo home runs in the bottom of the sixth. Sophomore Layla Lamar followed with a base hit up the middle before senior KK Mathis crushed a ball over the center field wall to secure the run-rule victory, 10-2.
- Mathis and Oakland recorded their eighth and 13th home runs of the season, respectively.
- Oakland now has six home runs in her last seven games.
- Curd picked up her 16th win of the season, which ranks tied for second in the ACC with Clemson's Sierra Maness and Stanford's Zoe Prystajko.
- Duke extends its winning streak to seven straight games, the longest since a nine-game stretch Feb. 28-March 14.
- The Blue Devils hit three home runs in the same inning for the third time this season and first since March 29 against No. 19 Stanford.
The Blue Devils and Tigers continue the three-game series Saturday with first pitch set for 12 p.m., on ESPN2. Duke will also recognize its seven graduating student-athletes in a senior day ceremony prior to the start of the game.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils softball, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeSOFTBALL"
#GoDuke
Players Mentioned
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