Duke's Tough Day at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic
In the sun-soaked fields of Cathedral City, California, the No. 20 Duke Blue Devils faced a challenging doubleheader at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, squaring off against two powerhouses: No.
5 Oklahoma and No. 9 UCLA.
Despite their tenacity, the Blue Devils fell short in both matchups, with an 11-1 loss to Oklahoma and a 10-5 defeat against UCLA.
Game Breakdown: Duke vs. Oklahoma
Oklahoma's offense came out firing, quickly establishing dominance with a five-run burst in the first inning. Duke managed to get on the scoreboard in the fourth, thanks to a sharp double down the right field line by sophomore Layla Lamar, which brought senior Aminah Vega home from second.
However, Oklahoma's relentless attack continued. By the bottom of the sixth, the Sooners had loaded the bases and added another run before Nelly McEnroe-Marinas delivered the knockout punch-a grand slam to left field, sealing an 11-1 victory through the run-rule.
Game Breakdown: Duke vs. UCLA
The Blue Devils showed resilience in their second game, striking first with a groundout RBI from graduate student Tyrina Jones and a clutch two-out RBI single by Lamar, giving them an early 2-0 lead.
UCLA responded swiftly, capitalizing on a Duke error to narrow the gap to 2-1. The Bruins then took control in the second inning, with a sacrifice fly from Megan Grant and a three-run homer by Jordan Woolery, swinging the momentum in their favor at 5-2.
The game settled into a defensive battle for the next two innings, highlighted by solid pitching from Duke’s senior Cassidy Curd and UCLA’s Taylor Tinsley. However, the Bruins broke through again in the fifth, expanding their lead to 8-2.
Duke wasn't done yet. In the top of the sixth, Jones and Lamar each smashed RBI doubles, and senior KK Mathis took advantage of a Bruins’ error to bring the score to 8-5. But UCLA tacked on two more insurance runs in the bottom of the inning, and Duke's late rally in the seventh fell short, leaving runners stranded on the corners.
Key Performances and Notes
Jones and Lamar were standout performers, each recording two RBIs in the game against UCLA. This marked their sixth and fourth multi-RBI games of the season, respectively.
Sophomore Mallory Wheeler and junior Larissa Jacquez shared pitching duties against Oklahoma, with Wheeler making her fourth start and Jacquez her 10th appearance of the year.
Curd displayed her durability against UCLA, pitching her third complete game of the season and striking out six, bringing her season total to a team-high 28 strikeouts. Despite the loss, Duke's offense showed promise, outhitting UCLA 9-8, marking their 10th game with nine or more hits this season.
Looking Ahead
Next up for Duke is a matchup against No. 18 Oregon, as they wrap up their stint at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.
First pitch against the Ducks is slated for 12:30 p.m. The Blue Devils will be eager to bounce back and showcase their resilience in this final game.