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Softball
Big First Inning Lifts Duke Over Virginia
April 28, 2018
DURHAM, N.C. – Duke (28-23, 12-11 ACC) scored six times in the first inning to jumpstart a 9-1 victory in five innings over Virginia (12-38, 3-20 ACC) on Saturday (April 28) afternoon.
The Cavaliers were limited to just four hits on the day, as Savana Avilla (Phoenix, Ariz.) drove home Virginia’s lone run of the game. Avilla’s single marked her first RBI as a Cavalier.
Duke struck for six quick runs in the first, capitalizing on a pair of walks, a hit batter and an error along the way. A bases-loaded walk pushed the first run of the day across the plate before a sacrifice fly made it 2-0 Blue Devils. Jill Ferraro lined a single up the middle to make it 3-0, chasing Erika Osherow (Darien, Conn.) from the circle.
With Tabby Dabney (Mechanicsville, Va.) on in relief, a two-out error led to three more unearned runs in the inning. An RBI-single from Dominique Salinas scored the sixth run of the inning before the Cavaliers caught her in no-man’s land between first and second for the final out.
Ferraro helped Duke extend its lead in the third, doubling beneath a diving Kate Covington (McLean, Va.) to score the seventh run of the day.
The Cavaliers broke through in the fourth as Olivia Gott (Weston, Fla.) singled to open the inning. After two fielder’s choices put two outs on the board, Osherow singled through the right side to put runners at the corners. Avilla dropped a single into left center to plate Danni Ingraham (Laguna Niguel, Calif.).
Duke responded with a pair of runs on four hits in the fourth, both coming with two outs. The two runs gave the Blue Devils a 9-1 edge heading into the fifth.
Osherow (6-16) took the loss for Virginia, working 1 1/3 inning on the day. Dabney tossed 2 2/3 innings and allowed a pair of runs, one earned, in relief.
Amelia Wiercioch (10-10) worked 3 2/3 innings to earn the win for the Blue Devils.
UP NEXT
Virginia and Duke close the series with a 1 p.m. first pitch on Sunday (April 29). The contest marks the final ACC game of the season for the Cavaliers.