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Softball

No. 24/T20 Hokies sweep Duke, win Sunday 2-1

Game 38 Box Score (PDF)


DURHAM, N.C. – A three-hitter from pitcher Carrie Eberle and clutch hits by shortstop Caitlyn Nolan and catcher Mackenzie Lawter pushed No. 24/T20 Virginia Tech softball to a 2-1 win over Duke on Sunday, marking a series sweep.

The sweep on the road in league play has been a common theme for Tech (33-5, 13-2 ACC) this season, doing so in all three of its ACC road series (NC State, Pitt and Duke). It marks the first time in school history that a team has done so, topping the previous best of two road ACC series sweeps by the 2007 and 2008 teams.

Eberle (19-2) pitched a complete game for the second straight day versus the Blue Devils (19-22, 8-7), facing 30 batters and striking out five and not allowing an earned run. The 19 wins move her to being tied for fourth nationally.

QUOTING PITCHER CARRIE EBERLE

On buckling down when runners were on base:
"Well, I kind of got myself into a little trouble today because they weren't swinging at what they were swinging at yesterday," Eberle said. "I knew that they didn't have too much success against me yesterday, so if I just got the ball up a little bit and kept throwing strikes I would be all right. It worked out."

On getting the sweep on the road and the team's confidence level going into this upcoming week:
"I think it's great because to sweep anyone at their home place is hard," Eberle said. "And to win the third game that way, in a dog fight, lets us know we can play in tight games and come out on top, which is going to be huge this week when we play JMU and UVA."

HOW IT HAPPENED

The game started on a weird note, as first baseman Jayme Bailey hit a fly ball that went to right center and what looked like a home run over the fence, the ball came back into play confusing those inside the Duke Softball Stadium. With Bailey jogging around the bases, the ball was thrown back in and Bailey arrived at third base with a puzzling look on her face after being held up.

Following an umpire meeting, the call was then motioned a home run. And then after one more meeting, looking at the rule book regarding ground rules, it was switched back to a triple. After the pause in action, outfielder Emma Strouth couldn't plate Bailey so the game was still scoreless heading into the bottom of the first.

Duke put some pressure on in the bottom half, getting the bases loaded after a single, hit by pitch and a walk. But Eberle got a grounder back to her to get the third out and keep the score tied at 0-0.

Crooked numbers would find the scoreboard in the second frame, as Nolan, in a 1-0 count, ripped a solo home run to left center to give the Hokies the lead. The Blue Devils answered with a leadoff double and then a pass ball moved the runner to third. With two outs, Duke scored on an unearned run to tie it up at 1-all.

Nolan got a single to left in the fourth, then moved to second off a grounder. Lawter stepped up to the plate with two outs and Nolan on second, and on the first pitch, knocked Nolan in with an RBI single to give Tech back the lead.

The bottom half again was a little dicey for the Hokies, with Duke getting a runner on third with two outs. But again, Eberle got a clutch out with a fielder's choice to maintain the one-run lead.

The next two innings the junior made the Blue Devils go 1-2-3, sealing the victory.

NOTES

- Eberle now has six games this year when she gives up three hits or less (minimum four innings). Tech is a perfect 6-0 in those games.

- Nolan's solo shot was her 13th of the season, extending her team-leading total for home runs. Her 13 bombs make her tied for third in the ACC.

- Nolan and Bailey both finished with two hits on the day. Bailey's double and triple mark her third career game of owning two extra-base hits.

- Tech once again scored first, scoring first in all three games of the series. It improves to 32-2 when scoring first. 

- Though Tech's offense never got going to the standard it typical does (7.5 runs per game), with being held to two runs for only the second time this season, it found a way to win the low-scoring ball game, and improves to 4-0 in one-run contests.

TWEET OF THE GAME
 



UP NEXT

- The Hokies will head back to Blacksburg for arguably their biggest week of the season, taking on No. 20/18 JMU (27-6, 8-1 CAA) on Wednesday at Tech Softball Park, and then playing host to in-state rival Virginia (16-21, 5-1) over the weekend.