This was an important series for 18th-ranked Duke. The squad came into Friday with a palpable concentration, and by Sunday had willed itself up to a 7-5 conference record after sweeping Louisville.

It was going to be a comeback for the ages. No. 13 Duke lost three games to No. 14 Florida State over the weekend, instigating a run-rule ending in the first and suffering a 9-2 loss in the third.

South View High School softball ... all a coach needs is a solid fielding core to fill in the spaces, and coming into this season, that was a key coaching goal for Dean and staff — putting ...