Duke softball ends opening tournament with third straight win

The Blue Devils overcame a season-opening loss to Oklahoma comfortably, as a low-scoring 2-0 win over Long Beach State on Saturday meant they left the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge with a 3-1 record.

Duke softball won its third game in two days on Saturday night with a 2-0 victory over Long Beach State in a game that featured just six combined hits.

The Blue Devils swept Iowa State and Nebraska in a doubleheader on Friday behind the power of their bats, but it was the Duke pitching that won them the game against LBSU.

Duke jumped out to an early lead in the opening inning when senior Claire Davidson singled in D’Auna Jennings, a likely result for both offensive stars this weekend. The run was the seventh batted in by Davidson already in the young season, the most on the team over the weekend, and the senior ended the week with a .417 batting average.

Jennings batted .267 for the weekend but absolutely took advantage when she reached base. She ended the weekend with five runs scored, tied for the most on the team.

The lone run ended up being all of the early offense for both teams. Dani Drogemuller got the start in the circle for the Blue Devils and allowed just three baserunners in three innings. (two walks and one hit).

Sophomore Cassidy Curd took over for Drogemuller in the fourth and continued to hold Long Beach State scoreless. Curd needed to work hard to keep that team shutout intact, however, as she delivered a clutch strikeout to end the fourth inning with three runners on base.

Duke found a second run in the top of the fifth courtesy of a sacrifice bunt by Ana Gold, and the Blue Devils defense again came up huge in the fifth inning. With Jala Wright now in the circle and a runner on first base, the Duke infield turned a weak ground ball to second into a double play to end the inning.

The four stranded runners between those two frames turned out to be LBSU’s best chance at pulling even for the evening, and the two quiet innings that followed helped Duke coast to a 2-0 victory.

Drogemuller, Curd, and Wright combined to allow just one hit and six walks against seven strikeouts for the evening. Wright in particular shined during the entire opening tournament, pitching for 10.2 innings and allowing three hits and one earned run while striking out 13 batters.

The Blue Devils take the field again at Duke Softball Stadium on Wednesday for a home game against North Dakota State with sights set on a fourth straight win.