DURHAM, N.C. – A seventh-inning rally came up just short on Friday (April 3) as No. 12 Virginia (31-5, 9-4 ACC) fell to No. 23 Duke (27-11, 12-2 ACC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Duke took advantage of a Virginia miscue in the first inning to get on the board. With runners at first and second, a throwing error on a steal attempt at third allowed the runner to score and gave the Blue Devils the 1-0 lead.
Virginia tied the game in the fourth with an RBI single to left from Madison Greene. With two outs and two strikes, the sophomore dropped one over the head of the shortstop in shallow left to score pinch runner Addison Reasor from third.
Bella Cabral doubled in the fifth to give the Cavaliers the 2-1 lead, scoring Macee Eaton from first.
Duke moved back in front in the home half with a two-RBI double with two outs in the inning. The Blue Devils then added a run in the sixth with a sac fly to take the lead to 4-2.
Virginia put together a rally in the seventh, cutting the lead to one on a double to the wall in right center from Eaton. Jaiden Griffith scored from second on the play, while Kassidy Hudson pulled up with injury after making it from first to third, but was injured on the play.
Julia Cuozzo (5-2) took the loss in relief, allowing three runs on three hits with three walks and a strikeout in 4.0 innings of work.
Mallory Wheeler (7-4) picked up the win in relief, working 2.1 innings and allowing two runs on six hits with a strikeout. Cassidy Curd picked up her sixth save of the season as she closed out the final 2.0 innings with one run allowed on one hit with two walks and two strikeouts.
FROM HEAD COACH JOANNA HARDIN
“It was a tough game. I think if you were watching or there, it’s tough to be that close and have it slip away. We had a couple of tough breaks and injuries at the end there that’s hard to swallow and deal with. I think our pitching staff threw well enough to get a win today, and offensively a couple of timely hits would have increased their run support. When you’re playing great teams at a competitive level, the margin for error is smaller. We had a couple of mistakes that gave them a couple of runs and you can’t do that against great teams. We have to clean it up and tomorrow is important to come out and show what we’re made of and that we’re the team we know we are. We just have to stick together as a team and finish out strong together.”
UP NEXT FOR THE HOOS
Virginia and Duke conclude the series on Saturday (April 4) at 1 p.m.
