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Yellow Jackets Downed by No. 10 Blue Devils in Doubleheader

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Game One Box Score Game Two Box Score Season Stats

DURHAM, N.C. – Despite coming within two outs of the eighth top-10 triumph in program history and a second ranked victory this season, Georgia Tech softball (24-23, 6-14 ACC) was unable to come away with a win over Duke (39-8, 15-5 ACC) in a doubleheader on the road on Friday at Duke Softball Stadium.

The Yellow Jackets dropped a pair, falling 11-3 (5) in game one before a go-ahead home run in the top of the seventh by sophomore second baseman Grace Connelly forced the Blue Devils to walk off game two, 4-3.

Home runs accounted for all six of Tech’s runs throughout the day as four Jackets went yard in senior catcher Emma Kauf, junior first baseman Abby Hughes, junior right fielder Sara Beth Allen and sophomore second baseman Grace Connelly.

In the circle, senior hurler Blake Neleman (9-9) pitched the bulk of the games, starting in both as she tossed 9.1 innings on the day and received the loss in game two. Tech’s leading dealer most notably contained the Blue Devil bats in game two, allowing just three hits and two runs through the first six innings. Fellow senior right hander Chandler Dennis (13-7) also saw an inning of action, taking the loss in game one. Sophomore slinger Sophia Voyles briefly took the rubber in game one as well.

Game One

Georgia Tech took the first lead of the contest, moving ahead 2-0 in the top of the third as a leadoff single by sophomore center fielder Ella Edgmon set up a two-run bomb by Kauf.

In the bottom of the frame, Duke responded with three runs by way of a two-run homer and a following solo shot to take the lead, 3-2.

The Yellow Jackets came right back in the top of the fourth, evening the tally at three apiece thanks to a solo dinger by Hughes.

The Blue Devils rolled on in the bottom half, opening with a leadoff home run and later adding a two-RBI single for a 6-3 advantage.

Duke erupted in the fifth with five more runs. The home squad opened a second straight inning by going yard before four more swings drove in the remaining five runs. With a Jackets miscue, a sac fly and a pair of RBI doubles, the Blue Devils closed out the game on top, 11-3 (5).

Game Two

Duke laced a solo shot in the bottom of the first for an early lead, but neither side managed to do any more damage for the next two innings.

In the top of the fourth, Tech turned the tables as Allen unleashed a two-run goner, flipping the Jackets in front, 2-1.

The Blue Devils knotted the score at two in the bottom of the fifth with their second solo jack of the game.

With both sides still locked heading into the seventh, Connelly followed up on her diving play earlier in the field with a go-ahead solo shot off the left-field foul pole to give Georgia Tech a 3-2 advantage.

Entering the bottom of the seventh down a run, Duke came to bat facing its final three outs. The leadoff Blue Devil was retired to bring the Yellow Jackets within two outs of victory, but a double and single in succession soon after drove in the tying and game-winning runs, resulting in a 4-3 win for the home side.

Game Notes

  • Kauf’s home run in game one marked her sixth of the season and 28th of her career.
  • Hughes launched her fifth round tripper of the season and her career with her solo shot in the first game.
  • Allen’s go-ahead, two-run blast in game two became her team-leading 12th big fly of the season and 13th donning the White and Gold.
  • Connelly’s go-ahead longball in the top of the seventh of game two represented her sixth of the season and the seventh of her career.
  • Going into game two on the day, Kauf had extended her hitting streak to seven games and lengthened her run of reaching base to 12 games.
  • Neleman allowed just three hits through six innings of work prior to the seventh inning of game two.

Up Next

Georgia Tech will wrap up its final ACC road series at No. 10 Duke with the series finale on Sunday at noon at Duke Softball Stadium in Durham, N.C. The game will be broadcast live on ACC Network Extra.

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