For the first time in program history, the Blue Devils can break out the brooms.
With a trio of one-run victories, Duke swept Boston College to pick up 4-3, 6-5 and 1-0 wins on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Duke Softball Stadium. Following an opening weekend of ACC play in which the Blue Devils were thrice defeated by rival North Carolina, Duke responded to move back to .500 in conference play.
In the opener, the Blue Devils (16-10, 3-3 in the ACC) grabbed an early advantage thanks to an RBI single by Jill Ferraro, scoring Jameson Kavel after Duke had loaded the bases with no outs in the first frame. The next batter, Brianna Butler, grounded out to second but scored Rachel Abboud in the process to stake the Blue Devils to a 2-0 lead.
But the Eagles (9-15, 0-3) chipped away, getting one run back in the second, and even after Duke answered with a run of its own, Boston College continued to fight. The Eagles tied it at three apiece in the fifth inning on a two-run single, ending Blue Devil starter Amelia Wiercioch's day from the mound.
Two perfect innings of relief from Peyton St. George, however, set up the hosts for a chance to walk it off—and that they did.
A St. George double advanced Katherine Huey to third before Huey was replaced by pinch-runner Jazmine Moreno. Two batters later, Moreno raced home on a passed ball to seal the victory.
Saturday, Huey took to the circle as the Duke starter, but struggled in 3 1/3 innings of work as she surrendered five runs on six hits, though just one of those runs were earned. With her team behind, it was St. George coming up huge in relief for a second straight day—the freshman shut down the Eagles the rest of the way despite surrendering six hits.
As the Blue Devil defense kept Boston College quiet, Duke's bats went to work. After Haley Wymbs scored on a fielding error, Abboud—who finished the day a perfect 4-of-4—notched a two-run single to tie things at five.
A two-out RBI single in the bottom of the sixth from Raine Wilson then put the Blue Devils ahead for good, as St. George finished things off with a relatively stress-free seventh inning.
Following an offensive outburst in the series' second contest, Sunday's getaway game was a pitcher's duel. After five and a half scoreless innings, Duke finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth—back-to-back singles put runners on first and second before a Wilson fly out and a fielder's choice put two away.
But the only error of the day for either team proved costly, as Ferraro reached base and Kavel scored, putting the Blue Devils up 1-0. And once more, St. George slammed the door shut, allowing just a single as she got Duke the final three outs it needed for the sweep.
The Blue Devils will now venture south for a rescheduled midweek contest with No. 18 South Carolina Tuesday evening. Duke will then play another road game with East Carolina Wednesday night before returning home for a weekend series with Louisville.
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