Tuesday, April 9
Greenville, N.C.
5:00 p.m.
East Carolina University
29-12
1
vs
10
Duke
34-3
1
2
3
4
5
6
R
H
E
Duke
3
0
1
3
0
3
10
9
1
East Carolina
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
7
1
Pirates Fall In Six Innings To No. 3 Duke, 10-1
April 09, 2024 | Softball
GREENVILLE, N.C. – Emma Jackson went 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI to lead ECU but the Pirates were unable to contain the Blue Devils' offense early on as East Carolina fell to No. 3 Duke 10-1 in six innings on Tuesday evening at Max R. Joyner Family Stadium.
Jackson was one of six players to notch a hit for the Pirates (29-12, 6-9 AAC) who were facing their highest-ever ranked opponent on their home field in the Blue Devils. Duke entered the game ranked third in the NFCA Coaches Poll and USA Softball and were No. 1 in Softball America's poll.Â
The Pirates quickly found themselves in a 3-0 hole after Duke loaded the bases, but ECU looked to counter in the bottom of the first after Jackson tallied a triple with only one out. ECU would hit a fly ball to center field that would result in a double play, getting Jackson out at home as the Pirates exited the inning with no runs on the board.
Duke would add another run in the third inning while ECU would strand runners on second and third as the Blue Devils held a 4-0 lead going into the fourth inning. The Blue Devils' Ana Gold would hit a three-run blast over the wall that would extend Duke's lead to 7-0 in the top of the fifth.
ECU would get on the board in the bottom of the fifth after Jackson hit a single to plate Malea Rolle but the Blue Devils would tack on three more runs in the top of the sixth to put the run-rule into play.
Taylor Apple (11-3) picked up the loss, allowing five hits and four earned runs in three innings.
Up Next
East Carolina will go on the road this weekend for an AAC series with Tulsa, beginning on Friday at 6 p.m. on ESPN+.
Jackson was one of six players to notch a hit for the Pirates (29-12, 6-9 AAC) who were facing their highest-ever ranked opponent on their home field in the Blue Devils. Duke entered the game ranked third in the NFCA Coaches Poll and USA Softball and were No. 1 in Softball America's poll.Â
The Pirates quickly found themselves in a 3-0 hole after Duke loaded the bases, but ECU looked to counter in the bottom of the first after Jackson tallied a triple with only one out. ECU would hit a fly ball to center field that would result in a double play, getting Jackson out at home as the Pirates exited the inning with no runs on the board.
Duke would add another run in the third inning while ECU would strand runners on second and third as the Blue Devils held a 4-0 lead going into the fourth inning. The Blue Devils' Ana Gold would hit a three-run blast over the wall that would extend Duke's lead to 7-0 in the top of the fifth.
ECU would get on the board in the bottom of the fifth after Jackson hit a single to plate Malea Rolle but the Blue Devils would tack on three more runs in the top of the sixth to put the run-rule into play.
Taylor Apple (11-3) picked up the loss, allowing five hits and four earned runs in three innings.
Up Next
East Carolina will go on the road this weekend for an AAC series with Tulsa, beginning on Friday at 6 p.m. on ESPN+.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Lillie Walker (9-1)
L: Apple, Taylor (11-3)
Batting:
HR: Ana Gold 1
RBI: Kelly Torres 1 ; Ana Gold 4 ; Francesca Frelick 2 ; Jada Baker 1
SH: Ana Gold 1
SF: Kelly Torres 1 ; Ana Gold 1
Base Running:
RUNS: D'Auna Jennings 1 ; Claire Davidson 2 ; Aminah Vega 2 ; Kelly Torres 2 ; Gisele Tapia 1 ; Kelsey Zampa 1 ; Ana Gold 1
SB: Aminah Vega 1 ; Kelly Torres 1 ; Kelsey Zampa 2 ; Aleyah Terrell 1
HBP: Aminah Vega 1
Batting:
2B: Sutton, Logan 1
3B: Jackson, Emma 1
RBI: Jackson, Emma 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rolle, Malea 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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