Duke softball faces Missouri in NCAA Super Regionals. Will Blue Devils pull an upset?
Duke is headed to the NCAA Super Regionals for the third consecutive season, and wants to prove it’s better than its No. 10 seed.
The Blue Devils face No. 7 seed Missouri on Friday in Game 1 of start the best-of-three series with a trip to the Women’s College World Series on the line.
In seven years as a program Duke has never advanced to the final eight in Oklahoma City but it remains the top goal. With the Tigers receiving host privileges — something the Blue Devils and their fans/ felt should’ve been awarded to them — they look to capitalize on the snub.
Duke head coach Marissa Young previously said the team can’t control “uncontrollables,” such as seeding and the selection committee. It can, however, control the way it competes.
Her squad made a statement last weekend when it hosted regionals, out-scoring opponents 24-2 en route to the regional final. It shutout South Carolina, 8-0, in six innings on Saturday and followed that up with an eight-run seventh frame against the Gamecocks on Sunday.
Nearly every player in the lineup reached base at least once, including pinch hitter Kelsey Zampa, and most of the batting order recorded a hit. Pinch runner Aleyah Terrell scored.
Duke softball wallops South Carolina, 10-1, advances to Super Regional round
Pitchers Jala Wright and Cassidy Curd combined for 26 strikeouts, 12 hits, three walks and no hit batters in the three-game stretch.
“We came to play. Duke is here whether the NCAA likes it or not, whether the other teams like it or not,” freshman Amiah Burgess said Sunday. “We’re here and we’re ready to beat you.”
Key matchup: Duke vs. Mizzou pitching battle
Both teams are coming off commanding pitching performances in their respective regionals, and success in the circle will further one program’s national championship hopes.
Duke leads Missouri in most statistical categories, including earned run average. It ranks No. 3 for season ERA (1.50) and No. 5 in NCAA Tournament ERA (0.70), and its three primary pitchers hold ERAs lower than 1.70.
Senior right-handed pitcher Wright leads the Blue Devils bullpen. She ranks No. 3 in the nation with a 1.09 ERA, which includes games through regionals. Wright did not allow an earned run last weekend.
Sophomore left-handed pitcher Curd ranks No. 12 nationally with a 1.44 ERA, and senior reserve Lillie Walker ranks No. 26 (1.61).
The Blue Devils also rank No. 6 in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.80) and No. 3 in total strikeouts (407).
By comparison, Missouri holds a 1.96 season ERA (No. 10) but boasted a 0.90 ERA (No. 8) in its five NCAA Tournament games.
Individually, none of the Tigers’ three primary pitchers have an ERA lower than 1.85, but senior Laurin Krings carried her team to the Super Regionals after a dominant performance over the weekend.
Krings, who has a 2.33 season ERA, threw three straight games and notched a 0.56 ERA. She threw 25 innings, allowed 15 hits, walked five and struck out 24 batters. In the winner-take-all final, Krings recorded 15 strikeouts in nine innings.
Mizzou ranks behind the Blue Devils in strikeout-to-walk ratio, averaging three Ks per walk given up.
How can Duke win?
There’s plenty of parity in the sport right now — just look at the performances from mid-majors during regionals — and the Blue Devils know that. But, the Blue Devils’ consistency and ability to make adjustments to pitchers are their biggest assets.
Teams like to score early, especially when facing an unfamiliar pitcher. A team’s ability to learn from each plate appearance separates the good from the great.
In most of Duke’s recent games, it didn’t score until at least the third inning or the second trip through its lineup. It scored eight runs in the top of the seventh inning against South Carolina in the Regional Final.
Young said the coaching staff is looking for her players to gain confidence with each at-bat.
“It’s not going to come easy, even though we tend to expect that,” Young said on Sunday. “What we’re looking for as a coaching staff is just that their at bats continue to get better and that we continue to make adjustments, so we can have those big scoring innings.”
The Blue Devils rank No. 12 in batting average (.331) and No. 7 in runs scored per game (6.88). Meanwhile, the Tigers rank No. 178 in batting average (.268) and No. 87 in scoring (4.81).
Duke’s pitching staff is good enough to hold Missouri at bay. If it can make proper adjustments at the plate, the numbers support a Blue Devils upset.
This is Duke’s third-straight Super Regionals appearance. It fell to Stanford last season and lost to UCLA the season prior.
“The experience is there. The fire under us is there,” senior Francesca Frelick said. “I think we have a really good shot, and I think we’re ready to go.”
How to watch Duke-Missouri softball
Friday, May 24: 1 p.m. ET on ESPN2
Saturday, May 25: Noon ET
Sunday, May 26: TBD (if necessary)
