Virginia Drops 7-2 Series Opener to Duke

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Three early errors placed Virginia (15-12, 4-3 ACC) in a big hole and the Cavaliers never recovered, as Duke (13-17, 4-3 ACC) claimed a 7-2 victory in the series opener at The Park on Friday (March 22).
 
Allyson Frei (Branchville, N.J.) took the loss, despite not allowing an earned run. Five of Duke’s seven runs on the day were of the unearned variety.
 
Peyton St. George (2-3) worked 3 2/3 innings in relief to earn the win for the Blue Devils.

KEY INNING
A walk and single put two aboard in the first for Duke before three Virginia errors allowed four runs to cross the plate. A wild throw on a sacrifice bunt attempt plated the first run before a groundout and two additional fielding errors helped Duke jump to a 4-0 lead.

TOUCHING HOME
• Duke scored four unearned runs in the first as Virginia committed three errors in the inning.
• The Blue Devils added another run in the fourth inning, using a pair of singles and a passed ball to build a 5-0 lead. Rachel Abboud had the two-out RBI single.
• Virginia pulled a pair of runs back in the fourth on three hits. Erika Osherow (Darien, Conn.) singled and scored on Olivia Gott’s (Weston, Fla.) double. Gott touched home on an RBI-single from Tori Gilbert (Mechanicsville, Va.).
• Duke added a sixth run in the sixth when Caroline Jacobsen homered off the left field foul pole.
• A two-out triple from Reilly Metzger in the seventh built Duke’s advantage to 7-2.

ON THE LINES
• Clare Zureich (Cary, N.C.) worked 3 1/3 innings in relief for Virginia, allowing two runs on three hits while striking out three.
• Frei did not allow an earned run in 3 2/3 innings of work and struck out a pair.
• Osherow led the Cavaliers at the plate with a 2-for-3 performance.
• Lacy Smith (Lancaster, Pa.) saw her school-record 16-game hitting streak snapped in the loss.
• The three errors were the most for Virginia since committing three against Kansas on Feb. 24.

UP NEXT
Virginia and Duke return to The Park for game two of the series at 1 p.m. on Saturday (March 23).