Arizona, the No. 21-rated team in the NCAA tournament, will face the regional host Duke on Saturday at 10 a.m., Tucson time, in a winner’s bracket game at Smith Family Stadium in Durham, N.C.
The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
The winner moves directly to Sunday’s regional final, while the loser falls to an evening elimination match.
Both teams enter the matchup coming off strong opening-day performances on Friday. Duke had a 10-1 run-rule victory over Howard in five innings, while Arizona secured a 7-5 win over Marshall.
The game will feature a clash of styles.
Duke has one of the nation’s most explosive offenses, ranking eighth nationally with a .354 team batting average. Redshirt junior Jessica Oakland leads the Blue Devils lineup, coming an ACC All-Tournament selection where she hit .625.
To counter Duke’s offensive surge, Arizona brings an elite fielding unit that ranks 37th in the nation in fielding percentage (.973). The Wildcats’ ability to execute clean, mistake-free defense under heavy pressure will be the key to slowing down Duke’s aggressive baseline running and steady run production.
Both pitching staffs have struggled at times this season. Duke carries a 4.52 team ERA and a 1.64 WHIP, while Arizona enters with a comparable 1.69 WHIP and a 4.51 ERA.
Because both pitching staffs are susceptible, the game could transform into a high-scoring home run derby.
Arizona proved they have the firepower on Friday, powered by Grace Jenkins, who launched two separate three-run home runs to sink Marshall. Whichever pitcher can better navigate these dangerous middle-of-the-order bats will give their team an upper hand.
“It really feels good to get the first one,” Arizona coach Caitlin Lowe said in the postgame press conference. “I think sometimes that comes with a lot of butterflies and nerves. It was awesome to settle into that game.
“I thought Grace did a great job of being ready in her first at bat.”
Duke holds the advantage of playing at home as the tournament’s overall No. 12 national seed.
Arizona, despite entering as the underdog regional No. 6 seed, carries history on its side. The legendary Wildcats program is 107-14 in the regional round and has successfully advanced to the Super Regionals in 17 out of 19 attempts since the format was introduced.
Durham Regional Schedule — Saturday
Game 3: No. 3 Duke vs. No. 6 Arizona, 10 a.m., winner’s bracket
Game 4: Howard vs. Marshall, 12:30 p.m., elimination game
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3, 3 p.m., elimination game
The Wildcats recorded eight hits to score seven runs in Friday’s win over Marshall. In addition to Jenkins’ firepower with the two three-run home runs, Sereniti Trice went 3 for 3 and scored twice.
Arizona struck first with three runs in the first inning. With Trice and Tayler Biehl on base, Jenkins hit a three-run home run for her 13th homer of the season.
In the top of the second, Marshall hit a solo home run to make it 3-1.
The Herd hit another solo home run in the third to cut Arizona’s lead to one run.
Arizona extended the lead to 7-2 in the bottom of the fifth with a four-run inning.
Biehl drove in the first run of the inning with an RBI single. Jenkins then hit her second three-run home run.
“I’m feeling great; I think it’s just about freeing it up,” said Jenkins, a transfer from UConn. “I’ve had conversations throughout the entire season with all the coaches. They have supported me so much. I think being a senior in a new place, it’s like I can lean on my past experience, even though I’m wearing a new uniform.
“I think it’s just a little bit of both. I also have to understand that I can get the job done. My teammates next to me can get the job done. That allows me to free it up a little bit more.”
Marshall scored two in the top of the sixth on a two-run home run and cut Arizona’s lead to 7-4.
In the top of the seventh, the Herd hit their fourth home run of the game – a solo shot – to make it a 7-5 game.
Jalen Adams earned the win to improve to 21-9 after pitching 5 1/3 innings. She allowed four runs on six hits and struck out two batters.
Rylie Holder entered in the fifth inning and faced four batters, allowing one run on two hits.
Janae Berry picked up the save, her second of the season, after entering in the seventh to close out the game. She struck out one batter and retired the three batters she faced.
“I loved that we got three arms in the game to settle into the postseason,” Lowe said. “I thought Janae was nails at the end of the game. I have to give Marshall a lot of credit. They’re a great team. It feels good to win a close one, too, and now we need be ready for (Saturday).”
Trice noted that the lineups of all the teams in Durham are difficult for pitchers to face.
“I think you have to look at the structure of our regional, we have really good offensive teams,” she said. “They are all teams that, if you make a mistake, they’ll make you pay. Grace was able to do that a couple times. They (Marshall) were able to do that a couple times.
“At the end of the day, it’s just, when you get punched or get hit, you’re right back on the horse. You
have to understand what kind of softball game we’re in and execute in that type of game.”
Duke had six home runs in its victory over Howard, including two each by Gabriella Shadek and Tyrina Jones.
“I love it,” Duke coach Marissa Young said. “Up and down the lineup, it can be anybody’s day.”
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