Mizzou softball falls to Duke in Game 1 of Super Regional
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Missouri softball is off to a rocky start in the NCAA softball Super Regionals at home.
The Tigers dropped Game 1 to Duke 6-3 after going scoreless in the final five innings in their first home Super Regional since 2021 in front of a sold out crowd.
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A single from second basemen Maddie Gallagher drove in a run in the first inning before Duke’s Francesca Frelick belted a two-run home run in the second inning and another run tacked on gave the Blue Devils a 3-1 lead.
Mizzou returned with two runs in the bottom of the second with a double from senior shortstop Jenna Laird and a sacrifice groundout from Gallagher for her second RBI of the game.
After a scoreless next two innings, Duke scored three unanswered runs (two in the fifth, one in the seventh) to clinch their first Super Regional win in program history in just their seventh year of existence.
Duke started with their ace, Jala Wright, at pitcher who allowed four hits and three runs before switching to Cassidy Curd in the second inning. Curd didn’t allow a hit through her 5.1 innings and tallied eight strikeouts.
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Mizzou’s ace, senior Lauren Krings, got the start, allowed seven hits, five runs, and two walks, and tallied two strikeouts in her 4.2 innings. Freshman Marissa McCann allowed one run and two hits while getting a strikeout in the final 2.1 innings.
The Tigers now face elimination on Saturday at noon against the Blue Devils. A Mizzou win would see them have one last deciding game on Sunday with the winner going to the Women’s College World Series.
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