A day after beating Duke 10-1 in the winner's bracket game, Arizona lost 8-6 to the Blue Devils to force a decisive contest in the Durham Regional Final. The first game on Sunday featured five lead changes and one tie as Duke scored two runs in the sixth inning to go ahead for the last time.
Game one was a wild one with multiple reviews and more errors by Duke to help Arizona score. Duke pitcher Cassidy Curd had a pair of errors on Saturday that contributed to two Arizona runs. The Blue Devils scored first on Sunday on a Jessica Oakland solo home run.
Arizona took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the second inning. The go-ahead run scored on a play that had two reviews. Regan Shockey had an infield single that Duke asked for a review, but it was upheld in Arizona's favor. The play scored Kiki Escobar. Addison Duke was originally called out at second, but Duke was called for obstruction.
Duke had scored on the play, but because she was originally called out, the play was dead and she was awarded third and Shockey went to second because of the obstruction. Serenti Trice grounded out to end the end and Arizona had a 2-1 lead.
Game 7 will begin at 12:25 p.m. MST
— Arizona Softball (@ArizonaSoftball) May 17, 2026
Back and forth battle
The two runs in the bottom of the second by Arizona began a five half inning stretch with each team scoring at least two runs. Aminah Vega hit a two-run HR in the top of the third to give Duke a 4-3 lead. Arizona answered with a pair of runs without a hit to take a 5-4 lead.
Kairi Rodriguez hit a two-run HR to put Duke back in front at 5-4 and DAuna Jennings added a solo shot two batters later to extend the lead to 6-4. Arizona tied the game in the bottom of the fourth when Oakland dropped a Grace Jennings pop-up that scored Shockey and Trice to tie the game at six.
A Vega single scored Jennings and Baker to Duke in front to stay, 8-6, in the top of the sixth. Larissa Jaquez pitched the final four innings for Duke, allowing no runs and one hit with one strikeout. Jaquez entered the game with Shockey and Trice on base with no outs in the fourth.
Jaquez retired 11 of the final 12 Arizona hitters. Jenkins was the only Arizona batter to reach base out of the final 12 hitters for the Wildcats. Duke scored runs off of all three Arizona pitchers, Jalen Adams, Janae Berry and Rylie Holder. Game two is scheduled for 12:25 PM Mountain Standard Time.
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