Over the weekend, No. 3 Duke traveled down to Tallahassee, Fla., to take on Florida State. The Blue Devils entered the series on a 20-game win streak, with their only loss coming against then-No. 1 Oklahoma in their season opener.
Unfortunately for Duke fans, all good things must come to an end. While the visitors took the Friday and Sunday games, the Seminoles took down the Blue Devils 4-2 Saturday, led by Makenna Reid’s seven-inning, no-run performance. Reid’s gem was a result of Duke not being able to get runners on base, with head coach Marissa Young’s team only able to notch three hits and one walk against Reid. The Blue Devils’ only runs came against Allison Royalty in her relief effort. In the sixth inning, Royalty came on to attempt to close out a then-4-0 game, and Duke jumped on her.
Francesca Frelick walked on four straight balls, D’Auna Jennings bunted for a single and Reid was forced back into the game. Unfortunately for the Blue Devils, she returned as dominant as before, and while Duke brought home both Frelick and Jennings, they crossed the plate on a single and sacrifice fly, respectively, hardly the backbreakers that continue a comeback.
Despite the cold performance Saturday, Duke’s bats were alive for the bookends of the series. The Blue Devils (22-2, 5-1 in the ACC) tallied 10 runs Friday and nine Sunday, allowing five both days.
Throughout the season, Duke has been able to string together big innings off cascading offense and chaos on the basepaths. In the top of the fifth inning Friday, the Blue Devils were up 4-0, and had an opportunity to slam the door on the Seminoles (18-8, 1-2). Jennings led off with a single, as the .418 hitter has done so often this season, and advanced to second on a single from Ana Gold. Claire Davidson singled to second baseman Devyn Flaherty, who had to hurry if she wanted to nab the speedy Jennings as the lead runner. In the chaos, Flaherty made an error, allowing Jennings to score and Davidson and Gold to advance to second and third, respectively. To slam the coffin, sophomore Aminah Vega singled, then advanced to second on a passed ball, bringing both home.
Another high-profile example of Duke’s proficiency on the basepaths was its tie-breaking run Sunday in extra innings. Frelick singled to start the frame, and Young called on Jala Wright to take her place on the basepaths. She advanced to second on a Jada Baker groundout, and what followed can only be characterized as madness. Gisele Tapia had a swinging-bunt single, then advanced towards second when the catcher turned her back. She danced around between the two bases, eventually drew a throw to second and slid in safely. All the while, the Seminoles’ fielders lost track of Wright, as she bolted home to take the lead.
Vega made clutch plays on defense as well, tallying the third out for the sixth and seventh innings on great catches in Sunday’s close game. Her putout to end the sixth was especially impressive, a full-extension web gem.
After Vega’s heroics and Wright’s wizardry on the basepaths, Duke broke the lead open 9-5 in the top of the eighth and didn’t let it go, taking the game and series win. Davidson’s homer put the game out of reach for Florida State, and concluded her stellar weekend with a poetic touch, with two-run homers to start the game on Friday and end it on Sunday.
Over the course of the weekend, Duke handed Ashtyn Danley her first and second losses of the season, knocking her around for seven earned runs over the two games. On the flip side, Wright notched her ninth and 10th wins of the season, bringing her record to a sterling 10-0 mark, alongside a minuscule 0.39 ERA.
The other stars of the weekend beyond Wright and Davidson were the sophomore duo of Jennings and Vega. At the plate over the course of the series, Vega brought home six runs on four hits alongside a flawless set of nine putouts and assists, each. Jennings scored four runs on four hits, continuing an excellent season.
Next up, the Blue Devils welcome UNC Wilmington to town for two games Wednesday.
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