Duke softball vs Missouri live score, updates, highlights in WCWS Super Regionals

Duke softball has won 51 games this year, a program record that has made it one of the top teams nationally in the sport during the 2024 season.

With one more victory, the Blue Devils will secure their biggest, most cherished piece of history yet.

Behind an inspired, no-hit appearance out of the bullpen from Cassidy Curd and multi-hit performances from D’Auna Jennings and Aminah Vega, Duke defeated Missouri 6-3 on Friday. It was the first game of the Columbia Super Regional stage of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at Mizzou Softball Stadium.

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With the Blue Devils and Tigers taking part in a best-of-three series, Duke is just one win away from earning its first-ever trip to the Women’s College World Series. Curd was unhittable (literally) after relieving starter Jala Wright with two outs in the bottom of the second inning. She allowed no hits, struck out eight and walked just one batter on 86 pitches across 5 1/3 innings.

Jennings and Vega each finished with two hits and an RBI for Duke. Francesca Frelick had the lone home run of the day, a two-run shot to left field that gave the Blue Devils a 2-1 lead in the second inning. Tied at three in the fifth inning, Vega doubled to left center, bringing home Claire Davidson and two batters later, Gisele Tapia beat out a throw to first on an infield single, helping bring home pinch-runner Aleyah Terrell from second. Terrell was initially ruled out at home, but Duke challenged the ruling and upon video review, the call was overturned.

The Blue Devils added an insurance run in the seventh inning, with Jennings crossing home plate while Ana Gold was caught in a run-down between first and second base.

Seven of the nine Duke players with at least one at-bat Friday had a hit, a strong offensive output that has now given the Blue Devils 30 runs across four NCAA tournament games. It was enough to make up for an uncharacteristically underwhelming outing from Wright, who entered the game third among all Division I pitchers in ERA (1.09), but who gave up four hits, three earned runs and three walks in 1 2/3 innings.

Duke and Missouri will meet Saturday at Mizzou Softball Stadium for the second game of the series. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET. Here are live updates and highlights from the Blue Devils’ victory:

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Duke vs Missouri softball: Live updates

Final: Duke 6, Missouri 3

Seventh inning: Duke 6, Missouri 3

• 4:45 p.m.: Julia Crenshaw pops out to right field, with Claire Davidson and D'Auna Jennings nearly running into one another while converging on the ball, and Duke takes the first game. The Blue Devils' first-ever Super Regional victory.

• 4:43 p.m.: Curd strikes out Abby Hay and Duke's one out away from the win. Still a runner on first for Missouri.

• 4:40 p.m.: Curd gives up a lead-off walk, snapping a streak of 11 consecutive retired batters. First walk she had allowed all game.

• 4:35 p.m.: With runners on first and third with two outs, Ana Gold tries stealing second, drawing a throw from the catcher. As she's caught in a rundown, Jennings makes is across home plate from third before Gold is tagged out. Duke's lead is up to three runs entering the bottom of the seventh inning. Blue Devils just three outs away from a 1-0 series lead.

• 4:28 p.m.: D'Auna Jennings gets a lead-off single for Duke, with a hit up the middle. Moves to second two batters later after an opposite-field single to left field from Aminah Vega. Blue Devils with runners on first and second with one out in the top of the seventh.

• 4:23 p.m.: Cassidy Curd getting a little extra time between pitches as she tweaked her ankle after her most recent throw. Gets a Missouri infield pop-up to end the sixth inning. Jala Wright is warming up in the bullpen for Duke, just in case.

• 4:12 p.m.: Duke goes down in order in the top of the sixth. Marissa McCann has retired all four Blue Devils batters she has faced.

Fifth inning: Duke 5, Missouri 3

• 4:04 p.m.: Three up, three down for Missouri. Cassidy Curd is dealing right now. Five strikeouts and no hits in 3.1 innings pitched

• 3:53 p.m.: After the latest Duke run, Missouri makes a pitching change, swapping out Laurin Krings for Marissa McCann. Krings finishes the day with seven hits and five earned runs over 4.2 innings pitched. McCann immediately gets the final out of the top of the fifth.

• 3:52 p.m.: Huge swing of events there for Duke. Gisele Tapia hits a grounder to second base, but beats out the throw to first. As that occurs, Aleyah Terrell runs home, where she's ruled to be tagged out, but after a challenge from the Blue Devils, Terrell is ruled safe and Duke doubles its lead to two, 5-3

• 3:48 p.m.: Aminah Vega follows that up with a double, bringing Davidson home and allowing the Blue Devils to re-take the lead. Huge start to the inning for Duke.

• 3:47 p.m.: Claire Davidson rips a line drive into center field for her first hit of the game. Duke with a runner on first with one out in the top of the fifth.

• 3:40 p.m.: And Missouri goes down in order, with Curd capping it off with her third strikeout of the day. To the fifth inning we go.

• 3:32 p.m.: Duke goes down in order for the first time today. On to the bottom of the fourth, still tied at 3.

• 3:25 p.m.: After hitting Kayley Lenger with a pitch to put runners on first and second, Curd gets back-to-back batters out to end the inning and send Duke into the fourth inning still tied.

• 3:18 p.m.: Jada Baker backhands a hard-hit grounder to short, but doesn't field it totally cleanly and short-hops a throw to first, which Gisele Tapia isn't able to scoop. Madison Walker gets to first base for Missouri with one out.

• 3:12 p.m.: Gisele Tapia reaches first base on a fielder's choice, but a pop-up to left field ends whatever threat Duke mounted in the top of the third. Missouri to head back to the plate with a chance to re-gain the lead.

Second inning: Duke 3, Missouri 3

• 3:06 p.m.: Cassidy Curd, who relieved Wright, comes in and forces Julia Crenshaw into a pop-up to shortstop, stranding two runners and getting Duke out of the inning still tied.

• 3:03 p.m.: Duke coach Marissa Young makes the pitching change with runners on first and second with two outs. Jala Wright entered the day third nationally in earned run average, at 1.09, but exits after giving up four hits, three earned runs and three walks in 1.2 innings pitched and 54 pitches.

• 3:00 p.m.: Maddie Gallagher grounds out to second, with Duke getting the force out at first, but Laird, with some deft base-running, make it home while the Blue Devils are recording the out. Tie ballgame.

• 2:58 p.m.: Laird advances to third base on a steal. Runners on first and third right now for Missouri with one out. Ana Gold appeared to be caught off guard at third base, stepping away from the bag for a bit and giving Laird an opening to steal.

• 2:53 p.m.: Jenna Laird rips a double to right field to bring home Lenger and cut Duke's lead in half. Still only one out for Duke

• 2:50 p.m.: Kayley Lenger gets a bunt single to lead off the inning for Missouri. Capitalized on some apparent miscommunication from the left side of the Duke infield.

• 2:46 p.m.: Duke very nearly gets two more runs, but a Claire Davidson pop-up to deep left field is caught on the warning track to end the inning. What a spurt from the Blue Devils.

• 2:44 p.m.: The Blue Devils ain't finished, either. Amiah Burgess follows Frelick's homer up with an opposite field bloop single and the following at-bat, D'Auna Jennings gets an RBI triple that reaches the wall in right center field. Duke has doubled its lead.

• 2:41 p.m.: We have our first huge play of the day. Francesca Frelick hits a deep shot to left field that clears the fence and gives Duke a 2-1 lead. It was Frelick's sixth homer of the season. And certainly the biggest.

• 2:38 p.m.: Kelly Torres gives Duke its first hit of the day, knocking a single to left field with one out in the top of the second inning.

First inning: Missouri 1, Duke 0

• 2:30 p.m.: Threat averted. Madison Walker hits a grounder to short, with Baker tossing to Francesca Frelick at second base for the force out to end the inning. Duke falls behind, but given the situation it just got out of, it has to feel pretty fortunate to only be down a run.

• 2:29 p.m.: Kara Daly swings on a 3-2 pitch, but it bounces before it gets to Torres and gets away from the Duke catcher, with Daly moving to first base and the other two runners advancing. Bases loaded now for Missouri.

• 2:25 p.m.: Julia Crenshaw draws the walk and Missouri has runners on first and second with two outs.

• 2:23 p.m.: Kelly Torres appeared to get Gallagher out on an attempted steal of second base, but after a video review, it was determined that Jada Baker's tag at second did not touch Gallagher. Torres' throw had been off target and forced Baker away from the bag to try to make a difficult play. What looked to be an inning ending play is overturned.

• 2:20 p.m.: Missouri makes Duke pay for the mistake on the very next at-bat, with Maddie Gallagher singling on a grounder to right field, bringing Honnold home. It's the first time the Blue Devils have trailed during the NCAA Tournament.

• 2:18 p.m.: Missouri's Alex Honnold hits a ground ball up the third base line, which Duke's Ana Gold scoops up, but throws low on what would have been a tough play to get Honnold out at first. The throwing error moves Honnold to second base.

• 2:11 p.m.: Claire Davidson gets a one-out walk, but Duke is unable to capitalize, popping up and then striking out to end the top of the first inning.

Pregame

2:05 p.m.: First pitch should be coming soon, with a slightly later start than announced.

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What channel is Duke-Missouri softball on today?

• TV channel: ESPN2

• Streaming: ESPN App, Fubo (free trial)

Duke’s NCAA super regional softball game against Missouri will be broadcast on ESPN2.

Streaming options for the game include the ESPN App and Fubo, the latter of which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.

Duke vs Missouri softball start time

• Date: Friday, May 24

• Time: 2 p.m. ET

First pitch of the Blue Devils’ game against the Tigers is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET from Mizzou Softball Stadium in Columbia, Missouri.

Duke softball schedule 2024

Here are Duke softball’s past five results. To view the Blue Devils’ full 2024 schedule, click here

• Friday, May 10: Duke 4, Clemson 3 (9 innings)

• Saturday, May 11: Duke 6, Florida State 3

• Friday, May 17: Duke 6, Morgan State 1

• Saturday, May 18: Duke 8, South Carolina 0 (6 innings)

• Sunday, May 19: Duke 10, South Carolina 1

Missouri softball schedule 2024

Here are Missouri softball’s past five results. To view the Tigers’ full 2024 schedule, click here

• Friday, May 17: Omaha 3, Missouri 1 (9 innings)

• Saturday, May 18: Missouri 5, Indiana 1

• Saturday, May 18: Missouri 4, Washington 1

• Sunday, May 19: Missouri 5, Omaha 1

• Sunday, May 19: Missouri 1, Omaha 0 (9 innings)

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This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Duke softball vs Missouri live score, updates, highlights