Tuesday, February 24
Durham, N.C.
5:00 p.m.
East Carolina University
10-7
5
at
4
Duke
9-8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
East Carolina
0
0
2
0
2
0
1
5
6
0
Duke
2
0
0
0
1
1
0
4
7
3
Pirates Take Down No. 18/23 Duke, 5-4
February 24, 2026 | Softball
Durham, N.C. – The East Carolina softball team pulled off its biggest win of the 2026 season, upsetting No. 18/23 Duke, 5-4, at Smith Softball Stadium on Tuesday evening.
Anna Sawyer led the Pirates (10-7) with two hits and two RBI including a two-run homer in the top of the fifth that put ECU ahead 4-2. Kanisha Anderson also added two hits and Jenna Krol recorded two RBI.
ECU snapped a seven-game losing streak to Duke and won at Duke for the first time.
After Duke went ahead 2-0 in the first inning, the Pirates tied the game in the top of the third thanks to some miscues from the Blue Devils. Sawyer's fifth inning blast put ECU in front but Duke answered to tie the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the sixth.
The Pirates responded to the game pressure in the top of the seventh as Anderson hit a single and Sawyer's double put Anderson in scoring position with no outs. Krol's sacrifice fly scored Anderson to put ECU in front 5-4 and get the Pirates the huge road win.
Sydney Rainford (2-1) picked up the complete game win with four strikeouts tossed.
Up Next
East Carolina hosts Campbell, St. John's and Rider in the Battle at the Max Feb. 27-Mar. 1.
Anna Sawyer led the Pirates (10-7) with two hits and two RBI including a two-run homer in the top of the fifth that put ECU ahead 4-2. Kanisha Anderson also added two hits and Jenna Krol recorded two RBI.
ECU snapped a seven-game losing streak to Duke and won at Duke for the first time.
After Duke went ahead 2-0 in the first inning, the Pirates tied the game in the top of the third thanks to some miscues from the Blue Devils. Sawyer's fifth inning blast put ECU in front but Duke answered to tie the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the sixth.
The Pirates responded to the game pressure in the top of the seventh as Anderson hit a single and Sawyer's double put Anderson in scoring position with no outs. Krol's sacrifice fly scored Anderson to put ECU in front 5-4 and get the Pirates the huge road win.
Sydney Rainford (2-1) picked up the complete game win with four strikeouts tossed.
Up Next
East Carolina hosts Campbell, St. John's and Rider in the Battle at the Max Feb. 27-Mar. 1.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Rainford, Sydney (2-1)
L: Jacquez, Larissa (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Sawyer, Anna 1 ; Anderson, Kanisha 1
HR: Sawyer, Anna 1
RBI: Sawyer, Anna 2 ; Krol, Jenna 2
SH: Evans, Hannah 1 ; Anderson, Kanisha 1 ; Geijer, Chloe 1
SF: Krol, Jenna 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Evans, Hannah 1 ; Sawyer, Anna 1 ; Martineau, Lillian 1 ; Anderson, Kanisha 2
Batting:
2B: Oakland, Jessica 1
HR: Jones, Tyrina 1 ; Baker, Jada 1
RBI: Jones, Tyrina 2 ; Baker, Jada 1 ; Rodriguez, Kairi 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jones, Tyrina 1 ; Vega, Aminah 1 ; Baker, Jada 1 ; Lamar, Layla 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballOF
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