Duke softball sweeps doubleheader against Iowa State and Nebraska for first two wins of 2024

The Blue Devils couldn’t get the better of top-ranked Oklahoma on Thursday, but the Duke softball team handled business against Iowa State and Nebraska on Friday.

If any Blue Devils fans needed a reminder that a season-opening loss to Oklahoma is not the end of the world, the Duke softball team gave them that on Friday.

Duke played two games in the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge on Friday, first against Iowa State before an afternoon game against Nebraska, and the Blue Devils won both games by a combined 18 runs.

The team wasted little time reminding the Cyclones they were still one of the best teams in the country during the morning’s opening game. After Duke batted in two runs in the opening inning, the Blue Devils broke the game wide open with a five-run second inning.

The entire rally happened with two outs. After the bases were loaded by two singles and a walk, junior Ana Gold laced a single into left that drove home two runners. Claire Davidson followed up with a two-RBI smack of her own in the very next at-bat, a double to right-center, before Aminah Vega brought her around to home with a single.

Seven straight Blue Devils batters reached base before the final out of the inning was recorded, and the lead was 7-0 before the Cyclones got their second chance to bat.

Iowa State tried to answer with two runs in the bottom of the second, but a grand slam from Davidson powered another five-run inning in the third, and the rout was on.

Duke scored four more runs over the rest of the game and ended up winning by mercy rule, 16-3, after just five innings. Davidson finished the game with a home run, two doubles, and six RBIs in just four at-bats.

The Blue Devils kept the momentum rolling in the top of the first against Nebraska, with Aminah Vega powering a line drive into right field to bring home a pair of runners and give Duke the early lead.

Duke managed to bring four more runs home across the next six innings, including a solo shot from Jada Baker in the sixth, but those opening two runs proved to be enough of a buffer.

Nebraska didn’t score a run until the bottom of the final inning, when Duke’s lead was already six, and the Cornhuskers managed just a single run and a single hit across the entire game as Duke coasted to a 6-1 victory.

The Blue Devils now sit 2-1 on the young after the back-to-back wins. They play their last game of the season-opening tournament on Saturday against Long Beach State. The game will start at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Huskers open 2024 season with 8-0 loss in five-innings to No. 7 Washington

The Nebraska softball team commenced the 2024 season in the Puerto Vallarta Challenge.

The Nebraska softball team commenced the 2024 season in the Puerto Vallarta Challenge. The No. 18 Huskers clashed with No. 7 Washington Thursday night but couldn’t handle the Huskies’ bats, falling in five innings 8-0.

Of Nebraska’s 17 total at-bats, it only managed two hits, both by Ava Bredwell. Meanwhile, Washington had 18 at-bats and produced eight runs off six hits and a wild pitch. The Huskies also delivered a three-run home run, busting their lead wide-open from 3-0 to 6-0.

Jordyn Bahl started on the mound for Nebraska in her Husker debut and pitched for 2.1 innings. Bahl faced 14 batters and struck out three of them while surrendering two hits and three runs.

Freshman Caitlin Olensky took over for Bahl in the third inning but was pulled after facing three batters. Sarah Harkness took over for the remainder of the game and faced ten batters but didn’t produce any strikeouts.

Nebraska will enter a doubleheader Friday, taking on No. 11 Duke and then Long Beach State. The first pitch against Duke is at 12:30 p.m., and the first pitch against Long Beach State is at 3 p.m., with both airing on FloSoftball.

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How to watch Lady Vols-Baylor softball series

How to watch the Lady Vols-Baylor softball series Friday and Saturday.

No. 2 Tennessee (1-0) will play No. 19 Baylor (0-0) in the Getterman Classic.

The three-game series will take place Friday and Saturday at Getterman Stadium in Waco, Texas.

Tennessee and Baylor will play two games on Friday, while playing the series finale on Saturday.

First pitch for game No. 1 is slated for 6 p.m. EST and game No. 2 is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. EST on Friday. Saturday’s series finale will take place at 3 p.m. EST.

All games can be watched on ESPN+.

Tennessee opened its 2024 season on Thursday. The Lady Vols defeated UT Arlington (0-1), 15-0, at Allan Saxe Field in Arlington, Texas. Tennessee recorded 13 hits in the contest.

Tar Heel softball kicks off season in Winthrop Tournament

The UNC softball team enters its 2024 season under a new head coach and trying to reach the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2019.

Thursday was the start of college softball season, as schools across the nation began their quest to try and deny Oklahoma a 4-peat in the Women’s College World Series.

In Chapel Hill, the UNC softball team will try and get back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019. Not only are the Tar Heels playing their first season in 39 years without legendary coach Donna J. Papa, who retired in the offseason, but they’ll try for their first winning record since the year before COVID.

North Carolina will be tested early on, as it heads to Rock Hill, S.C. for the Winthrop Tournament. The Tar Heels kick off gameplay on Friday, Feb 9 at 12 p.m. ET, playing a fellow in-state opponent in North Carolina A&T, then turn around to play host Winthrop at 5 p.m. ET.

UNC carries a fairly experienced roster, with five seniors and four graduate players.

The Tar Heels look to be led offensively by graduate infielder Abby Settlemyre, who led her 2023 teammates in RBIs (35) while finishing second in batting average (.351) and home runs (nine). Kenna Raye Dark, a 2-time NCHSAA 3A state champion at Eastern Alamance High School, will lead North Carolina inside the circle.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

Alabama softball wins season opener behind a no-hitter from Kayla Beaver

What a way to start the 2024 season for the Alabama softball team!

The 2024 softball season got underway on Thursday night for Patrick Murphy and the Alabama Crimson Tide. You couldn’t have scripted a better start to the season for Alabama as the ladies took down Villanova 3-0 behind a no-hitter from senior transfer pitcher Kayla Beaver.

Beaver’s no-hitter is the 46th no-hitter in Alabama softball history as she guides the Tide to a victory in her debut with Coach Murphy and Alabama.

Alabama is spending the opening weekend in Atlanta as a part of the Buzz Classic along with Georgia Tech, Longwood, and Villanova.

Alabama will play twice on Friday with the first pitch against Longwood scheduled for 10 a.m. CT and the next matchup against Georgia Tech scheduled for 3 p.m. CT.

 

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the Alabama softball team as the season progresses.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Stacey Blackwood on X (Twitter) @Blackwood89.

No. 15 LSU softball opens season with run-rule win over Nicholls

The Tigers began their 2024 campaign on a high note Thursday night.

The No. 15-ranked LSU softball team began its 2024 campaign on a high note, issuing an 8-0 run-rule win over in-state foe Nicholls in just five innings.

It took a bit for the Tigers’ bats to get going, but a solo homer from [autotag]Raeleen Gutierrez[/autotag] got the scoring started in the second, and a two-run triple from [autotag]McKenzie Redoutey[/autotag] opened the floodgates in the third.

[autotag]Karli Petty[/autotag] added a run with a single later in that inning, and in the bottom of the fourth, another RBI triple, this time from [autotag]Taylor Pleasants[/autotag], added three more runs.

[autotag]Sydney Berzon[/autotag] got the start on the mound and turned in a shutout, allowing just two hits while striking out eight batters as she got her first win of the season while pitching all five innings.

LSU will return to action at Tiger Park on Friday for a 4 p.m. game against Memphis.

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

Softball: How to watch, stream, listen to the Tiger Invitational

The No. 19 Auburn Tigers kick off the 2024 season on Friday afternoon. If you’re wondering how you can watch the action live, you’ve come to the right place.

The No. 19 Auburn Tigers kick off the 2024 season on Friday afternoon. If you’re wondering how you can watch the action live, you’ve come to the right place.

Auburn softball opens the season by hosting Virginia Tech, Illinois, and Belmont this weekend at Jane B. Moore Field as part of the Tiger Invitational. The weekend’s slate will feature many challenges as Auburn prepares to face a difficult schedule next weekend in Puerta Vallarta, Mexico.

This weekend’s docket features three opponents who finished with winning records in 2023, including Virginia Tech, who competed in the Athens Regional last postseason.

Below, you will find key information for this weekend’s Tiger Invitational such as a weekend schedule, broadcast guide, ticket information, and players to watch.

Patty Gasso excited to get into Love’s Field for the first time

Oklahoma still has about a month until they get to play in their new stadium that has some things that even Patty Gasso didn’t know about.

The 2024 college softball season is an exciting one for the Oklahoma Sooners. Not only do they ride a record 54-game win streak and are looking to become the first team to win four straight national championships, but they are also debuting a new stadium.

But the Sooners have to wait about a month before playing their first game in their new stadium. Oklahoma’s first 14 games are all on the road before they head home for the first time on March 1, 2024, vs. the Miami (OH) Red Hawks.

Patty Gasso was asked about her excitement level to get to play at Love’s Field for the first time. “I just got a tour of it today and I hadn’t seen it for a couple of months,” Gasso said. “I actually went with Jenny Love. She and I were enjoying it together, and there were things that I didn’t know were happening. We got down on the actual field and I’m looking up, that was Joe Castiglione’s idea to create the outline of Oklahoma and I’m like ‘Okay, that sounds kind of corny.’ But when I see it, I’m like, ‘That is awesome!’ I think it’s the coolest thing.”

Another thing Gasso didn’t know about is how they are adding more seats. She said there are going to be grandstands on top of the walkway in the outfield that will add another 500 or 600 seats. All in all, she was very impressed with her tour calling the stadium “grand.”

Now, fans have to wait just a few more days before they get to see it for themselves. But there isn’t a more deserving team in the country to play in a stadium like that.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

Kelly Maxwell shines in debut, Sooners shut out No. 10 Duke Blue Devils 3-0

Kelly Maxwell threw a gem in her Oklahoma Sooners debut, throwing five shutout innings in the Sooners 3-0 win over Duke.

One of the more highly anticipated debuts for the 2024 season was that of [autotag]Kelly Maxwell[/autotag]. The Oklahoma State transfer delivered in her first start for the Oklahoma Sooners, throwing five shutout innings in Oklahoma’s 3-0 win over the No. 10 Duke Blue Devils.

Maxwell allowed a walk and a hit across those five innings to earn her first win with the Sooners. The Blue Devils opened the game with a hit from leadoff hitter D’auna Jennings, but Maxwell put the clamps on after allowing a leadoff walk in the top of the second. She was perfect over her final 12 batters.

Duke starter Cassidy Curd held the Sooners at bay for the first couple of innings, but [autotag]Tiare Jennings[/autotag] opened the scoring with a solo shot to center field to put Oklahoma up 1-0. [autotag]Alynah Torres[/autotag] drove in [autotag]Maya Bland[/autotag]. Torres came around on an infield single by [autotag]Kasidi Pickering[/autotag] and a throwing error to make it 3-0. That’s all Oklahoma’s pitching staff needed to improve to 2-0.

More: Social media reacts to Kasidi Pickering’s grand slam in her first career at bat.

Karlie Keeney relieved Maxwell in the sixth inning and retired Duke in order. The seventh inning was a little more interesting. After Keeney recorded the first out, Duke loaded the bases on a walk, single and hit by pitch.

With the go-ahead run at the plate, Keeney came through with a strikeout and groundout to earn her first save with the Sooners.

This is what the Oklahoma Sooners expected when they brought in Maxwell and Keeney via the transfer portal. They have the ability to pitch in big games and come through with big-time performances.

The Oklahoma Sooners are 2-0 and will face Washington and Long Beach State to close their time in the Puerto Vallarta College Classic. They have  won 55 in a row.

They’ll face the Washington Huskies on Friday night before taking on Long Beach State in the finale on Saturday.

More: How to watch No. 1 Oklahoma in the Puerto Vallarta College Classic

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

Alabama Softball 2024 team roster

Get to know Alabama Softball’s 2024 roster!

Alabama’s 2024 softball season gets underway with a game against Villanova at the Buzz Classing in Atlanta. Patrick Murphy returns for another season as head coach and expectations remain high.

The Crimson Tide will open the 2024 season ranked No. 14, which make Alabama the third-highest-ranked SEC team (fifth if you include soon-to-be-added Texas and Oklahoma).

In 2023, the Tide finished the season with an overall record of 45-22 with an in-conference record of a somewhat disappointing 14-10. Alabama lost both games it played at the Women’s College World Series.

As the season rolls on, stars will emerge and the excitement will build. Get to know the 2024 Alabama softball roster.

Note: Not all players have photos available to use. General images will be replaced with photos of the player as the season progresses.Â