DURHAM, N.C. – The North Carolina Central University softball team was limited to five singles in a pair of shutout losses to nationally-ranked Duke University on Wednesday afternoon.
 
The Blue Devils won both games in five innings by scores of 12-0 and 8-0. Duke (15-3 Overall) has won 12 straight games and is ranked in all major top-25 polls, including as high as eighth nationally by Softball America.
 
Junior Ivory Jones, junior Imara Harrell, sophomore Jaidyn Hamby, freshman Takia Nichols and freshman Makiya Graves accounted for NCCU's five singles.
 
Duke scored seven runs in the second inning of the opener on the way to tallying a dozen runs. The Blue Devils then scored a pair of runs in four different frames in the nightcap to complete the sweep.
 
Sophomore Ana Gold led the victors with five hits, including a home run, six RBI and five four runs scored.
 
Jones had NCCU's only hit of the first game with a base knock through the left side of the infield with two outs in the top of the first. Two Duke pitchers then retired the next 13 Eagle batters to complete the combined shutout.
 
The maroon and gray had a pair of runners on base in both the first and second innings of the second game, but they were all left stranded in another scoreless contest for the visitors. Graves reached base twice for the Eagles, singling in the first and drawing a walk in the third.
 
NC Central (0-13) will next play four games at the Camel Stampede hosted by Campbell University on Friday-Saturday, March 3-4.
 
For more information on NCCU Athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com, or download the NCCU Eagles Athletics app.