The No. 19 Clemson softball team dropped its opening series game at McWhorter Stadium on Friday night to the Duke Blue Devils, 13-9. The Blue Devils, one of Clemson’s top rivals, lay atop the ACC and are No. 3 in the nation.

The first two innings showcased both team’s defenses, as there was only one hit per team and no marks on the scoreboard. The Blue Devils then proved why they are one of the top-ranked teams in the country, as they put up five runs over the next two innings and shut out the Tigers defensively for a sizeable 5-0 lead headed into the bottom of the fifth.

Clemson came back with a vengeance, scoring a combined nine runs to come within striking distance of the Blue Devils. The Tigers broke open their scoring in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run home run hit by Alia Logoleo. Her seventh home run of the year sparked the Tigers’ run and created a chaotic atmosphere in a packed home environment.

Logoleo would continue to spread the wealth to her teammates, leading Clemson with its only home run of the day and a combined four RBIs that kept the Tigers in it down the stretch.

Despite this effort from the Tigers, they could not claw themselves back.

The Blue Devils’ grand slam and three-run home runs in the sixth and seventh innings, off of the bats of Aminah Vega and Claire Davidson, put the Blue Devils in a comfortable position heading into the final inning.

The Tigers went on to fall 3-4 to the Blue Devils in game two of the three-game series on Saturday.

The Tigers will have to create issues for the Blue Devils on the defensive end for a chance at redemption in the last game of the series on Sunday, April 14, at 6 p.m. in McWhorter Stadium.