Francesca Frelick’s bloop infield single would score Amiah Burgess from second in the bottom of the tenth as top-seeded Duke knocked off fifth-seeded Clemson 4-3 in the semifinal round of the ACC Tournament in Durham on Friday.

Burgess was originally called out on the throw home but the call was overturned as replay appeared to show she got her hand in ahead of the tag by catcher Aby Vieira.

Duke also won a 10-inning affair against Boston College on Thursday in the quarterfinal round.

Lindsey Garcia’s solo shot in the seventh broke a 2-2 tie, as Duke starting pitcher Cassidy Curd had retired 17-of-18 until the one-out homer out to left. Curd would go 7.1 innings, limiting the Tigers to just four hits.

Duke then got two infield singles off reliever Millie Thompson to start the bottom of the seventh. A ground ball would move the runners to second and third with just one out. A sacrifice fly would tie it at 3-3, putting a runner at third with two down. Thompson would get a fly ball to end the inning, stranding the runner at third and sending the game into extra innings.

After allowing a leadoff double to start the eighth, Curd would give way to Lillie Walker, who retired the next three hitters, with two of those coming by way of strike out. Walker would allow just one hit over the final 2.2 innings, while striking out three.

After throwing a complete game in the win over Virginia on Thursday, Regan Spencer would come on to pitch in the eighth for Clemson. After allowing a leadoff double, she would get the next three hitters, stranding the runner at third.

In the bottom of the ninth, with a runner at first and one out, Duke’s Aminah Vega sent one deep out to left-center, but McKenzie Clark would go up over the wall and make the highlight catch, keeping the Tigers’ hopes alive.

Valerie Cagle got the start in the circle, limiting Duke to just two unearned runs in four innings of work.

Originally Thompson was supposed to get the start but head coach John Rittman made a late switch inserting Cagle in her place. Cagle struck out two, while allowing four hits.

Thompson would come on in relief to start the bottom of the fifth and hold the Blue Devils to just one run on three hits across four innings of work.

Duke hitters were just 3-of-17 with runners in scoring position against Cagle, Thompson and Spencer.

Maddie Moore’s 2-run blast in the top of the first, her tenth home-run of the season, gave the Tigers an early 2-0 lead.

The Blue Devils wouldn’t get their first hit until an infield single to lead off the third, but Cagle would end up stranding the runner at third, preserving the two run lead.

Duke would finally get on the board in the bottom of the fourth with a couple of unearned runs. The leadoff runner would reach on a throwing error, and then come around to score on a 2-out double by Jada Baker. A pinch hit single by Frelick would then tie the score at 2-2.

Duke would get another leadoff single in the bottom of the fifth but Thompson would retire the next three hitters, stranding the runner at third.

Clemson falls to 34-17 on the season, while Duke improves to 46-6.

Up Next: Clemson now awaits to hear where it will play in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday.

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