Missouri players Jenna Laird (3) and Maddie Gallagher (1) high-five after Laird scored to tie the game in the second inning on Friday. (Photo: Terrance Williams)
| NCAA Softball | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke (51-6) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 2 |
| Missouri (47-17) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
WP: Cassidy Curd – DUKE (12-3) LP: Laurin Krings – MIZ (16-9)
Cedric Williams
Senior Editor
COLUMBIA, MO — The University of Missouri softball team had a tough day all around in its NCAA Super Regional opener against Duke on Friday afternoon at the Mizzou Softball Stadium.
The No. 7-seeded Tigers didn’t hit well; didn’t pitch particular well; and made several defensive mistakes that cost them big in what proved to be a 6-3 loss to the No. 10 seeded Blue Devils.
A stadium record crowd of 3,806 saw Missouri score three runs and produce just four hits — none after the second inning — while ace starter Laurin Krings gave up seven hits and five runs, which are both more than she had allowed in any start since March 13.
But the main problem of the day was Mizzou’s defense. The Tigers officially committed no errors. But there was a basehit by Duke that was allowed to roll all the way to the wall, a bobbled ball off the wall, and a botched defensive double-steal attempt that all allowed runs to score in a game where Missouri lost by three runs.
“We’ve got to play better in every way,” Mizzou head coach Larissa Anderson said. “Make better pitches with two strikes. Shut the door once we get two outs. We’ve got to control the momentum. We have to be in an attack mode, and when we’re in attack mode, we’re extremely tough.”
Missouri actually took the first lead of the game, in the bottom of the first inning, when Alex Honnold reached on an infield single then advanced to second when the throw attempt got away from Duke first baseman Gisele Tapia. Honnold scored on a line-drive basehit to right by Mizzou No. 3 hitter Maddie Gallagher.
Duke responded in the top of the second with a two-run home run by Francesca Frelick and an RBI triple by D’Auna Jennings to go ahead 3-1. Jennings’ hit was a line drive up the middle that rolled all the way to the right centerfield wall, which allowed a runner to score all the way from first. It seemed like Honnold, or perhaps right fielder Hayley Lenger, might be able to get to the ball before it got to the wall, but neither player was able to and that allowed the third run to score.
The Tigers followed with their own response in the bottom half of the second. Lenger led off with a bunt single and took second on a groundball out to second.
Laird lined a double into the right field corner to score Lenger, then after Honnold walked, Laird stole third to put runners at the corners with just one out. Gallagher smashed a groundball to second and was thrown out at home, but Laird broke for the plate and scored before she was tagged to tie the game at 3.
“Jenna’s a great base runner and a smart base runner,” Anderson said. “I trust her to be aggressive and make smart decisions out there. She did that on the stolen base and on the play at the plate. It was all great hustle by her.”
The game stayed tied until the fifth, when Duke scored two runs on three hits off Krings to re-take the lead. The Blue Devils added an insurance run in the top of the seventh, on a double steal play, where the runner on first was looking to get herself into a rundown, which would allow the runner at third to score.
Missouri nearly got that out before Duke could score, but Jennings — Duke’s leadoff batter and fastest runner — was able to score to produce the final run of the game.
Laird, Honnold, and Gallagher each had a hit. Honnold also walked twice, with Laird driving in a run and Gallagher driving in two. Those plays, along with Lenger’s bunt single were all of Mizzou’s offense for the day.
The Tigers’ No. 4-9 batters went a combined 1-for-17 on the day and no one in black and gold got a hit after Duke changed pitchers and brought Cassidy Curd into the game in the second inning.
“Duke won more pitches than we did,” Anderson said. “We had our opportunities; we left eight on base. I think that hurt us early on in the game, and Duke continued to get better and better over the course of the game.”
Curd (12-3) went on to get the win, while Krings (16-9) took the loss.
Duke (51-6) is now ahead one game to none in the best of three series against Missouri (47-17). The Tigers must now win two games in a row to win the series. If Duke wins on Saturday, or a potential deciding game on Sunday, the Blue Devils would go to the Women’s College World Series for the first time in school history. Missouri is looking to make its first trip back to the WCWS since 2011.
First pitch on Saturday is scheduled for 12 p.m., and will be broadcast live on ESPN.
SCORING SUMMARY
| Logo | Team | Inning | Play Description | DUKE | MIZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | MIZ | 1st | Gallagher singled through the right side, RBI (0-1 K); Honnold scored. | 0 | 1 |
 | DUKE | 2nd | F. Frelick homered to left field, 2 RBI (1-2 KBSF); K. Torres scored. | 2 | 1 |
| DUKE | 2nd | D. Jennings tripled to center field, RBI (2-1 BFB); A. Burgess scored. | 3 | 1 |
| MIZ | 2nd | Laird doubled down the rf line, RBI (1-0 B); Lenger scored. | 3 | 2 |
| MIZ | 2nd | Gallagher grounded out to 2b, RBI (1-2 SKBF); Honnold advanced to second; Laird scored. | 3 | 3 |
| DUKE | 5th | A. Vega doubled to left center, RBI (0-0); C. Davidson scored. | 4 | 3 |
| DUKE | 5th | G. Tapia singled to second base, RBI (0-1 K); A. Terrell scored. | 5 | 3 |
| DUKE | 7th | A. Gold out at second c to 2b to 1b to ss, caught stealing; D. Jennings scored. | 6 | 3 |
MISSOURI TIGERS 2024 WOMEN’S SOFTBALL SUPER-REGIONAL SCHEDULE
| Date | Gametime | Event | Opponent | Location | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 25, 2024 (Saturday) | 12 pm | NCAA Tournament Regionals | vs. #10 Duke | Mizzou Softball Stadium |  |
| May 26, 2024 (Sunday) | TBA | NCAA Tournament Regionals | vs. #10 Duke | Mizzou Softball Stadium |  |