OKLAHOMA CITY (WNCN) — The Blue Devils struck first against three-time defending softball champions Oklahoma on Thursday afternoon, but couldn’t cross the plate again, losing their first ever Women’s College World Series game.
Now, No. 10 Duke (52-8) will have to defeat No. 14 Alabama (38-19) in an elimination game Friday night at Devon Field in Oklahoma City. The Crimson Tide lost to UCLA in the opening game of the WCWS Thursday.
With both Duke and Alabama scoring just one run each in their Thursday defeats, both teams are hoping their bats wake up to keep their World Series Championship hopes alive. The Blue Devils and Crimson Tide faced each other last February, with Alabama winning that neutral site game in Clearwater, FL by a score of 5-4.
The winner of Friday night’s game will get a day off and play again Sunday, when they’ll face off against the loser of Saturday night’s game between No. 1 Texas and No. 4 Florida. The losing team Friday night will see their 2024 season come to an end.