Stanford softball tops Duke again, ends Blue Devils’ quest to reach first World Series

Duke’s dream of making the Women’s College World Series fell one round short once again.

No. 9 seed Stanford peppered three Blue Devils pitchers for 11 hits on the way to a 7-2 win and a sweep of the best-of-three NCAA Tournament Super Regional series at Duke Softball Stadium.

The sixth season in the softball program’s history ended just as last season did, with Duke (48-12) suffering a super regional sweep and thus still seeking its first trip to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for the sport’s premier event.

“I’m obviously super proud of this group,” Duke senior left fielder Kamryn Jackson said as she cried. “No one thought we were gonna come as far as we did this year. Super sad that we didn’t do it. I know they’ll get in it next year.”

Stanford (45-13) heads to the Women’s College World Series for the third time in program history, but the first time since 2004.

“Advancing to Oklahoma City has been the goal all year,” Stanford coach Jessica Allister said, “and it’s something that we have kept in our minds through the ups and the downs. The beautiful part about being a coach is you get to see young people realize their dreams.”

After losing 3-1 in Friday’s Game 1 of the series, Duke started freshman Cassidy Curd for the second day in a row. She had found early success on Friday, retiring the first 12 Stanford batters and recording six strikeouts. But the Cardinal batters adjusted to her pitching to score three runs over the fifth and sixth innings to beat her.

On Saturday, that trend continued and Curd didn’t last an inning before surrendering the 1-0 lead the Blue Devils grabbed in the top of the first.

“She’s been that the hot hand for us,” Duke coach Marissa Young said. “So we just we were gonna continue to ride her as much as we can, knowing that we have a staff that could come in behind her. We knew we could we would pitch by committee today, it was just a matter of order.”

D’Auna Jennings painfully started the first-inning rally that gave Duke a short-lived lead when she was hit by a pitch on her left arm near the elbow. One out later, Gisele Tapia hit a slow roller up the middle that was ruled a single.

With two on and one out, Ana Gold lined a 3-2 pitch to left field driving in Jennings for a 1-0 Blue Devils lead. Stanford’s defense prevented Duke from adding to its lead when, after Claire Davidson singled to centerfield with two outs, Taylor Gindlesperger threw Davis out at the plate as she attempt to score from second.

The lead was short lived though.

Curd (18-3) issued a lead-off walk on four pitches before Gindlesperger lined a single to left field. Aly Kaneshiro’s hard-hit single to right field drove in River Mahler to tie the game at 1 and leave runners at first and third.

After Emily Young drove in Gindlesperger with a sacrifice fly to center field for a 2-1 Cardinal lead, Kylie Chung lined a single and that was enough. Duke’s Young replaced Curd with junior Lillie Walker.

Walker escaped the jam in the first inning but created her own problem by walking Alana Vawter to start the second inning. Pinch-runner Ellee Eck stole second base and scored on River Mahler’s single to center field for a 3-1 Stanford lead.

Duke struck back in the third inning against Vawter (20-8), Stanford’s starting pitcher, when Francesca Frelick smacked a lead-off home run to slice the deficit to 3-2.

But Stanford tallied four runs in the fifth inning off Walker and Duke’s third pitcher, Jala Wright.

Duke’s Young, though, thought her pitchers did a good job of limiting hard contact.

“A lot of (the hits) were short game and bloops that just found holes,” Young said, “so I don’t really feel like we gave up a lot of hard hit balls. Sometimes you’re lucky and things went their way. I felt like a lot of things went their way.”

NiJaree Canady, who tossed a complete game to beat Duke on Friday, pitched the final three innings for the Cardinal on Saturday to clinch their Women’s College World Series trip.

It’s something Duke has yet to accomplish. But Davis, whose career came to an end on Saturday after five seasons with the Blue Devils, expects that goal to be attained soon.

“I’m excited to see this team next year,” Davis said. “They’re so young. They’re so good and they’re just gonna get better. Duke softball is going to be at the Women’s College World Series next year. I don’t have a doubt in my mind. And I’m going to be there cheering them.”