Duke softball’s magical season ends with loss to Alabama in Women’s College World Series

Duke players stood on the field and chanted along with their small contingent of fans and loved ones behind the dugout after their magical, historic run came to an end at the Women’s College World Series.

No. 10 seed Duke fell to No. 14 seed Alabama, 2-1, and ended its softball season in an elimination game on Friday night.

Catcher Kelly Torres, her face splotchy from tears, said not to confuse the emotions for sadness. The team didn’t get the outcome it wanted, but it earned a spot on the grandest stage of softball and showed toughness against storied programs.

“It’s pure joy,” Torres said. “Ending here, seeing my family in the crowd and how many people come out to softball and to watch this sport? It’s joy. I couldn’t think of a better way to end my career.”

The Crimson Tide (39-19) jumped up 1-0 in the top of the first with an unearned run. Third baseman Ana Gold overthrew to first base and allowed Alabama’s Kenleigh Cahalan to reach second on the error. Marlie Giles plated Cahalan on a two-out double.

Gold responded in the second for the Blue Devils (52-9). The program’s career-home run leader launched a solo shot to left center field — it came off her bat at nearly 72 miles per hour — and tied the game, 1-1.

The game remained tied at one until the sixth inning. Giles hit a solo home run over the right center field fence, center fielder D’Auna Jennings and right fielder Claire Davidson unable to make a play on the high-flying ball.

Gold added a second hit in the bottom of the fourth, her first multi-hit game since May 10. Gold’s one-out single forced Alabama to lift starting pitcher Jocelyn Briski and replace her with Kayla Beaver. Duke recorded five hits and drew one walk against Briski.

The junior third baseman finished with two of the team’s five hits, going 2 of 3 at the plate.

The Blue Devils pride themselves on defense, and after the initial error, kept things clean. Left fielder Amiah Burgess robbed the Crimson Tide of a home run with a perfectly-timed grab at the wall. She fielded a second fly ball to end that same inning.

Curd didn’t record a strikeout through five innings, but her teammates supported her by fielding nine flyouts and five groundouts. The left-handed pitcher, with her defense’s help, retired 13 straight batters after giving up the run.

“They want to make those plays for her,” head coach Marissa Young said in a mid-game ESPN interview. “They know she’s pitching her heart out for us out there on the mound, and they live for those plays.”

Burgess attempted to make another leaping play at the wall in the bottom of the fifth but — with the sun in her eyes — timed her jump incorrectly. That allowed Kali Heivilin to reach third. A walk put runners on the corners. Then, Jennings fielded a flyout to get Duke out of the jam.

Curd threw a complete game. She allowed four hits and gave up one walk. Though the left-hander still didn’t throw a strikeout, she finished with 14 flyouts and seven groundouts.

Young called Curd’s performance a “gem.” The sophomore is a primary starter expected to return.

The Blue Devils finish the season as ACC regular season and tournament champions, before upsetting Missouri for the program’s first Super Regionals championship and WCWS berth.

Davidson and second baseman Aminah Vega earned First Team All-America honors for the first time in program history, and the team finished with a single-season win record. Hopefully, Young said, this will make recruiting easier and move the program forward.

“It probably won’t hit us until we get back home to Durham and step back out on our field and see that Women’s College World Series logo on the outfield wall,” Young said. “It’s been a lot of hard work and sacrifices over the last seven years to get us to this point. I’m thankful. I feel like it’s paid off in so many ways, not just getting to this point but seeing the growth in the players on and off the field gives me a lot of joy.

“I’m looking forward to the future. It’s been a tough road as a new program, but we’re here and just look forward to continuing to build from this.”

Despite going two and out, Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso and Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy both spoke highly of Young and the Duke program. They believe in the Blue Devils, even if they’re on the opposite side of the dugout.

Gasso said on Thursday she has “immense respect” for the up-and-coming program and always knew Young, whom Gasso tried to recruit in the early 2000s, would be special.

After Friday’s game, Murphy shared similar sentiments. He knew last year the Blue Devils were a good program. Duke lost to Alabama, 5-4, at the Clearwater Invitational in the second week of the 2023 season.

“I was very impressed. I was, like, ‘Wow, this is a good program that has great athletes all over the field,’” Murphy said, likening the program to one of Young’s children. “I’m confident they’ll be back. It was cool to see a new person, a new team at the Women’s College World Series.”