Duke upsets Missouri in Super Regionals, advances to first Women’s College World Series
Duke’s D’Auna Jennings wrapped her arms around right fielder Claire Davidson in the top of the ninth inning, her toe just barely grazing home plate. The sophomore center fielder launched her second career home run over the right field fence — and it came at a perfect time.
Jennings’ hit ignited a four-run rally and Duke held on to beat Missouri, 4-3, in game three of the Super Regional series to clinch the first-ever Women’s College World Series appearance in Blue Devils history.
Duke (52-7) will play three-time defending NCAA champion Oklahoma in the opening game of the WCWS in Oklahoma City. But that daunting task is of little consequence after the No. 10 seeded Blue Devils upset the No. 7 seeded Tigers (48-18).
Jennings’ hit, just the fourth of the game, gave Duke a 1-0 lead in the winner-take-all Super Regionals matchup against Missouri. Amiah Burgess, Ana Gold and Kelly Torres all recorded extra base hits, scoring an additional three runs.
Mizzou responded in the bottom of the inning a three-run homer to cut into the Duke lead, but the visitors held on for the victory. Jennings, appropriately, caught the fly ball for the final out.
The game was a traditional pitchers duel until the final frame. Left-hander Cassidy Curd started in the circle for Duke after her success in the first two games. Curd entered the rubber match with a 0.72 ERA in the NCAA Tournament and 0.63 ERA against Missouri.
The decision proved to be effective. Curd threw a career-high 8 ⅓ innings and allowed two runs. She didn’t allow a run in her first eight frames of work. Her pitching forced 12 fly balls, five groundouts and seven strikeouts.
Curd also retired 14 consecutive batters before giving up a two-out single in the bottom of the seventh. The sophomore used her rise ball, which tricked a number of Mizzou batters, to strike out Kara Daly and force extra innings.
Duke’s outfielders dominated on defense, especially in the outfield. Jennings highlighted the performance with two top plays in the second inning, leaping for a flyout and diving glove first on a lineout.
Ana Gold found success at the hot corner in the fifth frame after fielding two hard hit balls and passing them to Gisele Tapia for the out.
Pitcher Laurin Krings earned her third start of the Super Regional for the Tigers. She threw eight innings, allowed four hits, recorded three strikeouts and retired 16 straight Duke batters. Krings proved effective in the defensive game, as well, fielding four ground balls in the contest.
Neither team allowed a base runner in 11 half innings, with Missouri keeping Duke off the base paths until Jennings’ home run in the ninth. Taylor Pannell and Marissa McCann made appearances in the ninth to end the Blue Devils efforts.
This story will be updated with quotes and post game information.
