Duke softball eliminated after 2-1 loss to Alabama in CWS

Kinzie Hansen homered and knocked in three runs, and three-time defending national champion Oklahoma opened its title defense with a 9-1 win over Duke in six innings on Thursday in the Women's College World Series.

Hansen, Jayda Coleman and Alyssa Brito each had two hits for the second-seeded Sooners (55-6).

Kierston Deal threw 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief to get the win for Oklahoma, which looks to become the first team to win four straight national titles.

Cassidy Curd, who got both wins against Missouri in super regionals, started and gave up one run on three hits in two innings. Jala Wright a second-team National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American, allowed five runs on four hits in one inning and took the loss.

Oklahoma will play No. 6 seed UCLA on Saturday, with the winner reaching the semifinals. Duke will play No. 14 Alabama in an elimination game on Friday.

The 10th-seeded Blue Devils (52-8) made their first World Series appearance under coach Marissa Young. Duke led Thursday's game 1-0 when Hansen's two-run blast in the third put the Sooners ahead. Alynah Torres added a two-run shot later in the inning to make it 4-1.

Duke loaded the bases against Oklahoma starter Kelly Maxwell with two outs in the fourth, and Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso replaced her with Deal. Jayda Coleman's diving catch in centerfield saved the Sooners from allowing any runs.

Cydney Sanders' two-run blast in the fourth made it 6-1. Brito closed the scoring with a single that knocked in two runs in the sixth.

It's David versus Goliath to start off the 2024 College World Series for the Duke Blue Devils.

Duke Softball enters its first ever CWS and gets the privilege of playing one of the most dominant programs in the country.

Oklahoma is looking to win its fourth straight CWS -- a feat that has never been done before.

"The past three years, it's been a blessing," Oklahoma catcher Kinzie Hansen said. "But living up there -- it's really hard to get there, but living up there I would say is even harder."

In addition, Oklahoma has a total of seven titles -- which is coincidentally the total numbers of seasons Duke Softball has played in its entire existence.

Duke and Oklahoma were scheduled to face off at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN. However, a rain delay pushed back the start of the game playing before them by 1.5 hours.

The format of the CWS is two double elimination tournaments, followed by the winners of each tournament playing a best of three series.

Duke, Oklahoma, UCLA and Alabama are one of the brackets. Texas, Florida, Oklahoma State and Stanford make up the other bracket.

Click here for a closer look at the CWS bracket.

Another first for Duke

The NFCA and Duke Sports Information believe Duke coach Marissa Young is the first Black coach to reach the Women's College World Series.

"It means a lot," Young said. "I didn't have that as something to see growing up. Obviously in taking the job here at Duke, I understood that I had an opportunity to do something that's never been done."

Black coaches are rare in softball. According to the NCAA's demographics database, there were just 19 Black head coaches among the nation's 297 Division I schools in 2023.

Young also has led the Blue Devils to their first World Series. Veteran UCLA coach Kelly Inouye-Perez, an Asian American, said she is a fan of Young and said the achievement by a fellow woman of color should be celebrated.

"She's a quality coach, but a better person," she said. "I'm excited that she's been able to build such a strong program and get to this stage so quickly. Says a lot."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.