Missouri softball falls short in super regional loss to Duke

Missouri hosted a super regional for the first time since 2021, looking for a trip to the Women’s College World Series for the first time since 2011. After three days and 23 innings of softball, the No. 7 Tigers fell short to No. 10 Duke. The series was a back-and-forth match as the Blue Devils took the first game of the series. Missouri responded with a win in game two. However, Duke won this match as their victory came from a 4-3 win in nine innings with all the runs coming in extras.

After an early push, Missouri’s offense stalled in a 6-3 loss in the first game to the visiting Duke Blue Devils.

Duke broke the 3-3 tie in the fifth with a pair of runs. With a runner on first, sophomore designated player Aminah Vega doubled to left center to bring home the go-ahead run. Vega  pinch ran for sophomore Aleyah Terell, who scored on a single from graduate infielder Gisele Tapia. 

After the three runs in 1.2 innings, Duke starting pitcher senior Jala Wright was replaced by sophomore Cassidy Curd. The left-handed pitcher proceeded to pitch the final 5.1 innings without allowing a single hit or run. Curd finished the day with eight strikeouts in relief work.

Against Wright, Missouri knocked the scoreboard first in the first inning. Senior outfielder Alex Honnold reached on an infield single which she moved to second on an errant throw from the third baseman. Senior infielder Maddie Gallagher brought the first run home with a single in the 3-4 gap.Duke responded with three runs in the top of the second inning. The scoring in the inning was highlighted with a two-run homer from senior shortstop Francesca Frelick. 

The Tigers responded with two runs to tie the game in the bottom of the inning. Sophomore outfielder Kayley Lenger reached on a bunt before senior shortstop Jenna Laird doubled down the right field line for the first run of the inning. With one out Gallagher knocked Laird in from third with an RBI groundout. 

The first five runs came against starting pitcher and senior Laurin Krings. The Colorado native ended her outing with five runs and seven hits in 4.2 innings.

“I think that Duke did a really good job eliminating her drop [ball] and her rise [ball] and they were able to sit on her curveball,” head coach Larissa Anderson said after the game.

The Blue Devils added an insurance run in the seventh inning after getting in a pickle trying to steal second, but allowing the runner on third to come home before the tag.

Without a hit in the final five innings, Missouri’s offense went down with a whimper instead of a bang.“It’s a big adjustment to go from a drop ball pitcher to someone who cuts the ball up,” Anderson said. “We weren’t able to make those adjustments fast enough,”

The two teams met again the next day, but Missouri secured a 3-1 win to even the series.

Missouri started the scoring with three runs in the fourth inning. With one out and Wright back on the mound as the starter, Honnold and Gallagher racked up back-to-back singles. Freshman Abby Hay scored Honnold with a single into right field. The ensuing throw home was off target, allowing Gallagher to rush in and Hay to move over to third. Junior catcher Julia Crenshaw added to the scoring with a groundout to the shortstop, allowing Hay to run home from third. 

“Whenever one of our senior leaders gets a hit like that…it just fires all of us up,” Hay said.

Krings was back in the circle, but finished with a much better performance compared to Friday. Pitching 4.2 innings again, but this time the senior ended the day with one earned run, two hits and three strikeouts. Krings pitched the first three innings without allowing a hit.

“The key with Krings is her changeup,” Anderson said. “So that’s what we really emphasized is getting that changeup a little slower.”

One of these early outs came on a diving catch in the second inning out in left field from freshman Claire Cahalan. 

Duke responded in the fifth inning, as Frelick homered in her second consecutive game on a solo shot with two outs. This marked the end of Krings’ day, as freshman Marissa McCann came out to secure the third out.

After a walk to start the sixth inning, McCann was pulled in favor of sophomore closer Taylor Pannell. She faced trouble early, loading the bases with one out. Junior infielder Ana Gold launched a ball over the wall that just careened foul to keep the Tiger lead. Pannell woke up after the near miss, registering a pair of outs to escape the inning. 

Pannell came back in the seventh inning to secure the win along with save No.15 on the season, tying the Division I single-season record.

“Words can’t describe how it feels,” Pannell said.

This in-turn forced a winner-take-all game between the two teams on Sunday.

“[This team] know[s] the season’s on the line and if today’s game was a loss, that’s the end of their journey together, and they don’t want it to end,” Anderson said. “So that’s why they have a little more to fight for tomorrow.”

Duke bounced back on day three with a 4-3 win in extra innings to advance past Missouri. The two teams finished the first eight innings with three hits apiece. The pitching matchup of Krings and Curd was on full display early, shutting down the respective offenses.The Blue Devils broke the tie with a solo home run from sophomore center fielder D’Auna Jennings to lead off the ninth. This ended Krings’ day as Pannell entered the game for the second straight matchup. Krings finished with three strikeouts, one run and four hits in eight innings. 

“She’s Mizzou,” fellow senior Laird said. “I’m gonna always think of her as one of my best teammates.”

Pannell grabbed the first two outs before Duke rallied once again. After a hit-by-pitch to Frelick, freshman outfielder Amiah Burgess tripled to extend the Blue Devil lead. Gold added another with a double to make it 3-0 Duke, ending Pannell’s night. McCann entered, giving up a double that escaped Hay’s outstretched glove for the fourth run of the inning. 

Missouri’s offense showed signs of life in the bottom of the inning, with leadoff singles from Laird and Honnold. This brought the first appearance of senior pitcher Lillie Walker to try and close the game. After a sacrifice groundout from Gallagher, the game was cut to one after a three-run homer from Hay.

“She was just wearing her emotions on her sleeve,” Anderson said. “That’s what her last at-bat was, ‘I’m not going to make the last out, I don’t want this to end.’”

Crenshaw grounded out, bringing the Tigers to their last out. Walker was subbed out for Curd to  secure the final out. Junior infielder Kara Daly extended the inning with a single, but a deep flyout from freshman Madison Walker brought Missouri’s season to an end. 

The World Series drought for the Tigers extends, with the last appearance coming in 2011. On the other hand, Duke will make their first appearance in program history.

The five seniors for Missouri: Krings, Gallagher, Laird, Honnold and Chantice Phillips end their career with four NCAA tournament appearances along with hosting two super regionals. 

“We would all die for one another,” Laird said.

Four of the seniors were a part of coach Anderson’s first ever recruiting class, and Gallagher had known her from the New York softball scene since she was nine years old.“When you look at college athletics right now, how many impacts seniors are at the same institution for four years,” coach Anderson said. “We want people who want to be a part of this program. That are here for the right reasons, that are loyal, that are committed, that are hardworking. I will do absolutely anything for them, because I can trust them.”

Edited by Michael Stamps | mstamps@themaneater.com

Copy edited by Hannah Taylor | htaylor@themaneater.com

Edited by Emily Skidmore | eskidmore@themaneater.com