Friday surely didn’t go how Duke softball and star pitcher Jala Wright wanted it to go, but the senior didn’t let that affect the way she treated the Oklahoma City fans.
The Blue Devils got eliminated from the Women’s College World Series after a second consecutive loss, falling 2-1 to Alabama one day after losing to Oklahoma in the opener.
After 52 wins, ACC titles in both the regular season and the conference tournament, and a Super Regional victory, Wright’s senior season came to an end at roughly 9:15 p.m. Eastern time.
At 11:00 p.m., nearly two hours after the dust settled, the ACC Pitcher of the Year was still signing autographs and talking to fans. NCAA Softball’s social media account shared a video of Wright standing before dozens of eager young fans with memorabilia in hand, and the Duke star looked determined to make time for each and every one of them.
It's been nearly two hours after @DukeSOFTBALL's season ended and @JalaWright14 is still meeting with fans, taking pictures and signing autographs. 🥹#WCWS pic.twitter.com/AqmU3jIg0o
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) June 1, 2024
Wright’s 2024 season ended with a 19-3 record and a 1.50 ERA in 34 appearances. She went the distance for eight complete games, and she struck out 189 batters in 154.1 innings.
She also earned two saves, and opposing batters only managed a .181 average against her for the season.