Arizona run rules Duke advancing to NCAA Tournament Durham regional final

Arizona scored six runs in the fifth inning to extend its lead to 10-1, earning the run rule victory at Duke on Saturday. The Wildcats advance to the Durham Regional Final on Sunday. Home runs by Tele Jennings and Jenna Sniffen sparked Arizona offensively and they got excellent pitching from Jalen Adams and Janae Berry.

Arizona set the tone with two unearned runs in the first inning off of throwing errors by Duke pitcher Cassidy Curd. Duke scored its only run when KK Mathis stole home on the back end of a double steal. DAuna Jennings got into a rundown between first and second base and Mathis came home.

Arizona answered immediately in the top of the fourth with a two-run Tele Jennings home run to extend the lead to 4-1. The HR by Jennings set the foundation for Arizona to run-rule Duke. Regan Shockey, Serenti Trice and Sydney Stewart each singled to load the bases with no outs.

Tayler Biehl walked to score Shockey. Grace Jenkins followed with a sacrifice fly to score Trice. Jennings doubled to score Stewart and extend the Arizona lead to 7-1. Jenna Sniffen broke a long slump with a no-doubt three-run HR to give Arizona a 10-1 lead and put them in position for the run-rule win.

Arizona elite pitching

Biehl made exceptional consecutive plays at shortstop to start the bottom of the fifth inning. Berry walked Jada Baker before getting Jennings to ground out to first to end the game. In 2.2 innings, Berry did not allow a hit or any runs, while walking two without a strikeout.

Adams pitched 2.2 innings, allowing a run on two hits and a walk with two strikeouts. Jennings was the offensive player of the game for Arizona with two hits and three RBIs. Arizona gave Curd her third loss of the season against 17 wins. Arizona will play on Sunday at 9:00 AM Mountain Standard Time in the Durham Regional Final.

Arizona needs one win to advance to the Super Regional. Howard and Marshall are playing in an elimination game on Saturday afternoon. The winner between Howard and Marshall plays Duke on Saturday at 3:00 MST in the second elimination game on Sunday. Whoever wins the 3:00 PM game advances to Sunday's regional final.

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