UCLA was trounced by UConn, but can the Bruins get back to the Final Four next season?
UCLA was trounced by UConn, but can the Bruins get back to the Final Four next season?
UCLA was trounced by UConn, but can the Bruins get back to the Final Four next season?
TAMPA — As the UCLA starters congregated before tip-off against UConn, joy radiated from the Bruins. The players had emphasized in the days leading up to the national semifinal that they expected to be at the Final Four – they were the No. 1 overall seed, after all – but they couldn't hide their smiles when the moment arrived.
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On the other side of the court, the Huskies were all business. No one on UConn's roster would be satisfied, let alone happy, if the season were to end Friday.
The difference between a program experiencing its first Final Four in the NCAA Tournament era and one in its 24th, seeking its 12th national title, could not have been more stark. And the disparity bore out during the contest, as the Huskies decisively took down the newcomers, 85-51, the largest margin of victory ever in a Final Four game.
For all of the success the Bruins achieved in a historic season in Los Angeles, they didn't come close to matching the level of UConn. They couldn't complete passes in the half court and turned the ball over on multiple dribble hand-offs. They rushed what open shots they could create. They seemed lost on their defensive execution, miscommunicating on how to handle the Huskies' screening actions inside the arc.
UConn played what its coach Geno Auriemma called a mistake-free game. UCLA was uncharacteristically sloppy. The Bruins lost the game with 14 turnovers in the first half, leading to 19 points for the Huskies; UCLA only had 22 points total at intermission.
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'We got exposed,' coach Cori Close said. 'We got our butts kicked today. And it stings right now.'
The Bruins had been in big games throughout the season. A showdown against the then-undefeated defending champions in November. Two matchups against USC with Big Ten regular-season title implications. The conference championship against those same Trojans. And the escalating scale of each game in the NCAA Tournament.
Those experiences weren't enough to prepare them for what awaited against UConn. Something about the Final Four, with the eyes of the entire women's basketball community on that singular game, caused UCLA to shrink in the limelight. Close acknowledged that she wasn't a good enough leader in her first trip to this stage, saying, 'The reality is you have to go experience it.'
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'It's hard when we haven't been in this moment, but I still think that we're obviously a much better team than what we showed today,' junior guard Kiki Rice said.
The Bruins won't be able to back up that statement until next season, but they could return the entirety of their roster. Only Angela Dugalić is a senior, and she still has an additional year of eligibility due to medically redshirting the 2022-23 season. All of the continuity this team has built can be carried forward.
But there are no guarantees. Dugalić could go pro, as could Lauren Betts (though she has repeatedly rejected that possibility since she wants to play with her sister) and junior Janiah Barker. Anyone could enter the transfer portal. And what was mostly a healthy season in 2024-25 doesn't have to be next year.
UCLA is poised for future success and has taken meaningful steps forward since this core arrived on campus as the No. 1 recruiting class in 2022. That doesn't mean progress is linear.
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Across town, USC was a title contender less than two weeks ago and is now entering the 2025-26 season with two rotation players from their Elite Eight team. Los Angeles Sparks coach Lynne Roberts, who was in attendance Friday supporting Close, coached a Utah team that came within two free throws of beating eventual champion LSU in the 2023 NCAA Tournament; the Utes brought back everyone who averaged more than 10 minutes the following year but suffered injuries and couldn't recapture the same magic.
Opportunities have to be seized in the moment. To be two games away from a national championship and play their worst game of the season should haunt the Bruins.
'Our urgency and our competitiveness, I think we kind of lacked that a little bit today, just recognizing that this is the Final Four and our season is on the line,' Betts said. 'We really need to recognize the moment that we're in and play like it.'
This group at UCLA has bounced back from failures and disappointments. Blowing a fourth-quarter lead in the Sweet 16 to LSU motivated the entire team to improve its toughness in the offseason. Losing the Big Ten regular-season title led to a players-only meeting that resulted in a conference tournament title.
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They know how to take the requisite lessons from defeat and get better in the process. When Betts said postgame she hoped the loss would fuel them and inspire some anger in her teammates, she has witnessed that first-hand.
Since 1995, when UConn won its first championship, only two teams have won it all in their first trip to the Final Four. Baylor defeated a fellow first-timer (Michigan State) in 2005, and Texas A&M beat a three-time semifinalist in Notre Dame. The experience gap for the Bruins and the Huskies was much larger than either of those situations. Regardless of their internal expectations, there isn't much surprise in UCLA coming up short in this attempt.
This is the only time that the Bruins get to use this excuse, though. Now, they know the standard they need to live up to from the moment they begin offseason workouts and fall practices.
UConn has turned the Final Four into an annual rite of passage for its program. For UCLA, this has to be another stepping stone as the Bruins continue their pursuit of that standard.
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This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
UCLA Bruins, Women's College Basketball, Women's NCAA Tournament
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Los Angeles Times
2 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
The Sports Report: Bill Plaschke shares a personal story
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Continue reading here ———— Carlos Alcaraz rallied from two sets down and saved three match points to beat Jannik Sinner 4-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (10-2) on Sunday and win the French Open title for a second straight year. Alcaraz, who won his fifth Grand Slam tournament in as many finals, produced one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the clay-court tournament. It was even better than his performance here last year, when he came back from 2-1 down in sets in the final against Alexander Zverev. But this time Alcaraz emulated Novak Djokovic's feat from the 2021 final at Roland-Garros, where he fought back from two sets down to beat Stefanos Tsitsipas. Continue reading here Tennis great Stan Smith on life lessons, Arthur Ashe's legacy and his namesake shoes All times Pacific STANLEY CUP FINAL Edmonton vs. Floridaat Edmonton 4, Florida 3 (OT) (summary, story)Florida 5, at Edmonton 4 (2 OT) (summary, story)Monday at Florida, 5 p.m., TNTThursday at Florida, 5 p.m., TNTSaturday at Edmonton, 5 p.m., TNTTuesday, June 17 at Florida, 5 p.m., TNT*Friday, June 20 at Edmonton, 5 p.m., TNT* * If necessary 1888 — James McLaughlin sets the record for wins by a jockey in the Belmont Stakes, six, when he rides Sir Dixon to a 12-length victory. McLaughlin's record is matched by Eddie Arcaro in 1955. 1899 — Jim Jeffries knocks out Bob Fitzsimmons in the 11th round in New York to win the world heavyweight title. 1930 — Paavo Nurmi runs world record 6 mile (29:36.4). 1934 — Olin Dutra edges Gene Sarazen by one stroke to win the U.S. Open. 1940 — Lawson Little beats Gene Sarazen by three strokes in a playoff to win the U.S. Open golf title. 1945 — Hoop Jr. wins the Kentucky Derby, which is run one month after a national wartime government ban on racing is lifted. 1946 — Joe Louis KOs Billy Conn in 8 for heavyweight boxing title. 1973 — Secretariat, ridden by Ron Turcotte, wins the Belmont Stakes in record time to capture the Triple Crown. Secretariat sets a world record on the 1½-mile course with 2:24, and a record for largest margin of victory in the Belmont, 31 lengths. 1978 — Larry Holmes scores a 15-round split decision over Ken Norton for the WBC heavyweight title in New York. 1979 — Coastal, ridden by Ruben Hernandez, spoils Spectacular Bid's attempt at the Triple Crown with a 3¼-length victory over Golden Act. Spectacular Bid finishes third. 1984 — Swale, ridden by Laffit Pincay, wins the Belmont Stakes by four lengths over Pine Circle. Swale dies eight days later. 1984 — French Open Women's Tennis: Martina Navratilova beats Chris Evert 6-3, 6-1; 2nd women in Open Era to hold all 4 Grand Slam titles at once. 1985 — Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scores 29 points to lead the Lakers to a 111-100 victory over the Boston Celtics and the NBA title in six games. 1990 — Monica Seles holds off four set points in the first set tiebreaker and goes on to become the youngest winner of the French Open, beating two-time champion Steffi Graf 7-6 (8-6), 6-4. Seles is 16 years, six months. 1991 — In the first all-American men's final at the French Open since 1954, Jim Courier rallies to beat Andre Agassi 3-6, 6-4, 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 for his first Grand Slam title. 1993 — Patrick Roy makes 18 saves and the Montreal Canadiens capture their 24th Stanley Cup, beating the Kings 4-1 in Game 5. 2001 — Stanley Cup Final, Pepsi Center, Denver, CO: Colorado Avalanche beat defending champion New Jersey Devils, 3-1 for 4-3 series win; Avalanche 2nd title. 2001 — Jennifer Capriati beats Kim Clijsters 1-6, 6-4, 12-10 to win the French Open, her second consecutive Grand Slam title. 2003 — The New Jersey Devils end the Mighty Ducks' surreal season, winning the Stanley Cup with a 3-0 victory. Mike Rupp, who had never appeared in a playoff until Game 4, scores the first goal and sets up Jeff Friesen for the other two. 2007 — Rags to Riches, a filly ridden by John Velazquez, outduels Curlin in a breathtaking stretch run and won the Belmont Stakes, becoming the first of her sex to take the final leg of the Triple Crown in more than a century. 2010 — Chicago's Patrick Kane sneaks the puck past Michael Leighton 4:10 into overtime, stunning Philadelphia and lifting the Blackhawks to a 4-3 overtime win in Game 6 for their first Stanley Cup championship since 1961. 2013 — Rafael Nadal becomes the first man to win eight titles at the same Grand Slam tournament after beating fellow Spaniard David Ferrer in the French Open final, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3. 2018 — Justify becomes the 13th Triple Crown winner by winning the Belmont Stakes with Mike Smith aboard. 2019 — French Open Men's Tennis: Rafael Nadal beats Austrian Dominic Thiem 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1; 3rd straight French singles title; 12th overall; first to win 12 singles titles at same Grand Slam; 18th major. 2022 — The controversial Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series gets underway at the Centurion Club, Hertfordshire; PGA suspends 17 participating players. 2024 — French Open Men's Tennis: Carlos Alcaraz becomes the youngest man to win grand slams on all three surfaces, coming back to beat Alexander Zverev 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 in a final lasting 4 hours 15 minutes 1901 — The New York Giants set a major league record with 31 hits in beating Cincinnati 25-13. Al Selbach of the Giants went 6-for-7 with two doubles and four singles and scored four runs. 1906 — Boston snapped a 19-game losing streak by beating the St. Louis Cardinals 6-3. 1914 — Honus Wagner of the Pittsburgh Pirates got the 3,000th hit of his career off Philadelphia's Erskine Mayer in a 3-1 loss to the Phillies at the Baker Bowl. Wagner's hit, a double, came in the ninth. Wagner joined Cap Anson as the only members of the 3,000-hit club. 1935 — The St. Louis Cardinals became the 10th team in major league history to score a run in every inning in a 13-2 win over the Chicago Cubs. 1946 — Commissioner Happy Chandler imposed five-year suspensions on players who jumped to the Mexican League and three-year suspensions for those who broke the reserve clause. 1946 — The New York Giants' Mel Ott became the first manager to be ejected in both ends of a doubleheader. The Pittsburgh Pirates won both games, 2-1 and 5-1. 1963 — Playing the first Sunday night game in major league history because of excessive heat during the day, the Houston Colt .45s handed the San Francisco Giants their seventh straight loss in Houston, 3-0. Turk Farrell and Skinny Brown pitched the shutout. 1966 — Rich Rollins, Zoilo Versalles, Tony Oliva, Don Mincher and Harmon Killebrew homered in the seventh inning for the Minnesota Twins in a 9-4 victory over the Kansas City Athletics. 1979 — Nolan Ryan struck out 16 batters as the Angels beat the Detroit Tigers 9-1. It was the 21st time in his career he struck out 15 or more batters in one game. 1986 — White Sox pitcher Tom Seaver (306) and Angels hurler Don Sutton (298) had the highest composite win total (604) for opposing pitchers since 1926, when Walter Johnson (406) faced Red Faber (197). Sutton pitched a two-hit shutout to beat the White Sox 3-0. 1990 — Eddie Murray of the Dodgers tied Mickey Mantle's record by homering from each side of the plate in the same game for the 10th time in his career. The Dodgers beat the Padres 5-4 in 11 innings. 1998 — Cecil Fielder of the Angels and Yamil Benitez of the Diamondbacks each hit grand slams in the same inning in Anaheim's 10-8 win over Arizona. It was the first time both teams hit grand slams in the same inning since 1992. 2008 — Ken Griffey Jr. became the sixth player in baseball history to reach 600 homers with a drive off Mark Hendrickson in the first inning of the Cincinnati Reds' 9-4 victory over the Florida Marlins. 2014 — Lonnie Chisenhall had nine RBIs and three home runs in a five-hit game, Michael Brantley scored five times and the Cleveland Indians beat the Texas Rangers 17-7. 2015 — Chris Heston pitched the first no-hitter in his 13th career start, leading the San Francisco Giants over the New York Mets 5-0. The rookie allowed three baserunners — all on hit batters. He also had a two-run single for his first big league RBIs and finished with two more hits than the Mets. 2019 — The Nationals accomplish a very rare feat as four consecutive batters hit solo homers in the 8th inning in Petco Park in San Diego to break a 1-1 tie. Pinch-hitter Howie Kendrick starts things off against Craig Stammen, and is followed by Trea Turner, Adam Eaton and Anthony Rendon, who all go yard. This is only the ninth time in major league history this has happened, and the Nats were the last to do so, on July 27, 2017. 2019 — Former Boston Red Sox star David Ortiz shot in the back while visiting in his native Dominican Republic. 2022 — The Twins open the bottom of the 1st against the Yankees with three consecutive homers off Gerrit Cole at Target Field, by Luis Arraez, Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa. This is the first time in franchise history this has happened. Compiled by the Associated Press That concludes today's newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you'd like to see, email me at To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Arizona Wildcats head to College World Series after Super Regional comeback
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Baseball mitts and navy caps were strewn about the infield at Boshamer Stadium. Players jumped for joy and embraced one another. The Arizona Wildcats had pulled off a miracle. And now they're headed to Omaha. Advertisement With its season on the brink of expiration, Arizona rallied past No. 5 national seed North Carolina in highly improbable fashion Sunday. Down by two runs in the eighth inning, the Wildcats dug deep and defeated the Tar Heels 4-3 in the third and deciding game of their Super Regional series. Arizona's Casey Hintz shows off the championship trophy after the Wildcats defeated North Carolina in Game 3 of their NCAA Super Regional series on Sunday, June 8, 2025, at Boshamer Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C. Arizona will be making its 19th appearance in the College World Series, its first since 2021 and its first under UA alum Chip Hale, who won the CWS as a player in 1986. The Wildcats will be seeking their fifth national championship. They will open CWS play Friday or Saturday against Coastal Carolina, which defeated Arizona in the CWS final in 2016. Junior shortstop Mason White — a Salpointe Catholic High School graduate whose father and grandfather played for the UA — delivered the winning hit in the top of the eighth, lining a two-RBI single to center field with the bases loaded and one out. Advertisement After the game, White — a lifelong UA fan — barely could comprehend what had just transpired. 'This is just unbelievable,' White said. 'It's almost like a dream. I just can't believe it.' White was Hale's first recruit when he took over the program in July 2021. Hale has guided his alma mater to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. Leading the Wildcats to the College World Series for the first time conjured a range of emotions for the 60-year-old coach — empathy for North Carolina, relief for himself and joy for Arizona's players and supporters. 'I'm just so happy for these kids,' Hale said. 'I'm happy ... for these families. They have grinded so hard, spent so much money coming here and raising these kids, putting them in travel baseball and high school baseball. Advertisement 'And now they get a payoff to go to Omaha. We're going to go there, put our best foot forward and try to win our fifth national championship.' It didn't look promising for the longest time Sunday. Arizona got a badly needed quality start from freshman right-hander Smith Bailey, but the Wildcats couldn't solve his counterpart, freshman righty Ryan Lynch. Lynch pounded the zone with a mid-90s fastball and a sharp slider, landing first-pitch strikes against 19 of the 26 batters he faced. After compiling 10 runs Saturday and 26 hits in the first two games of the series, the Wildcats managed just one run on two hits against Lynch entering the eighth inning. Sophomore Andrew Cain — another Tucson-area product, via Ironwood Ridge High — had one of those two hits. He led off the eighth with a single. Advertisement Then came one of two critical North Carolina errors. Tommy Splaine hit a grounder to second base that had all the makings of a 4-6-3 double play. But UNC's Jackson Van De Brake — whose three-run homer off Bailey in the third inning had given the Tar Heels a 3-1 lead — booted the ball. Cain and Splaine were safe. 'The way this game was going, we just needed a crack,' White said. 'Chip said it before it happened. 'They gave us a crack. That's what this team was looking for. It happened, and we took advantage of it.' Lynch's velocity was diminishing by that point, so UNC coach Scott Forbes summoned another freshman right-hander, Walker McDuffie, to face No. 9 hitter Easton Breyfogle. Advertisement Hale called for a sacrifice bunt. Breyfogle dropped the ball down the third base line. UNC's Gavin Gallaher charged it and fired to first base. The ball, Breyfogle and hulking first baseman Hunter Stokely arrived at the bag at the same time. Breyfogle collided with Stokely's left arm. The ball bounded past the first baseman. Cain scored, Splaine advanced to third and Breyfogle — who was safe — lay injured on the ground. Breyfogle had to leave the game after experiencing concussion-like symptoms. TJ Adams pinch-ran for him. Brendan Summerhill walked to load the bases. Aaron Walton then popped out, setting the stage for White. Advertisement UNC brought in senior righty Aidan Haugh. The Tar Heels shifted their infield to the right side. White swatted the third pitch he saw through the vacated shortstop hole, scoring Splaine and Adams. 'I was just trying to put the ball in play — specifically in the air just to get the guy in, tie the game,' White said. 'They'd been shifting me the whole weekend. So I knew: Just stay middle of the field, and it'll find a hole.' Suddenly ahead 4-3, Arizona turned to junior right-hander Casey Hintz for the bottom of the eighth. Hintz had allowed a go-ahead home run Saturday, and he got himself into trouble Sunday by issuing a pair of walks. But Hintz induced an inning-ending groundout to send the game to the ninth. Closer Tony Pluta had thrown a season-high 52 pitches Saturday but was willing to go again with a trip to Omaha on the line. He retired the side 1-2-3, ending the game by striking out No. 9 hitter Carter French with a changeup. Advertisement Pluta set the UA record with his 14th save of the season. Arizona improved to 38-0 when leading after the eighth inning. After the final out was recorded, Pluta looked skyward. He flung his glove to the grass. The celebration was on. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Wildcats head to College World Series, downs North Carolina
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
College World Series: UCLA, Arkansas, Louisville, Arizona advance to Omaha; defending champion Tennessee eliminated
Arkansas head Coach Dave Van Horn celebrates after winning the Super Regional and a trip to the College World Series after beating Tennessee on Sunday, 11-4. (Photo by) Four teams advanced to the 2025 Men's College World Series with a win in Super Regional play Sunday while another fended off elimination and forced a Game 3 for Monday. Arizona defeated North Carolina in a decisive Game 3 in their best-of-3 series while Louisville did the same in its Game 3 victory against Miami. Advertisement Florida State and Oregon State were also tied at 1-1 entering a do-or-die game Sunday evening. Elsewhere in the Super Regionals, Arkansas dispatched defending national champion Tennessee in two games and it's off to Omaha with UCLA, who defeated UTSA in two games. LSU won its opener against West Virginia and will look to close out the series Sunday evening. Coastal Carolina was the first to team to qualify for the MCWS by finishing a sweep of Auburn on Saturday. UCLA 7, UTSA 0 The Bruins are returning to the Men's College World Series for the first time since 2013, when they won the national championship. UCLA finished off a sweep of UTSA in Los Angeles with a 7-0 win. Advertisement RBI singles by Toussaint Bythewood in the fourth inning and Roch Cholowsky in the fifth gave the Bruins a 2-0 lead. The Bruins wouldn't need any more offense than that, but added two runs in the eighth when AJ Salgado scored on a throwing error by Roadrunners catcher Lorenzo Morresi followed by a sacrifice fly from Phoenix Call. UCLA tacked on three additional runs in the ninth on a two-run single by Payton Brennan and RBI groundout from Bythewood. Five UCLA pitchers kept UTSA off the scoreboard, led by starter Landon Stump's four scoreless innings with four hits allowed and five strikeouts. Chris Grothues was credited with the win, allowing no runs over 2 2/3 innings. Arkansas 11, Tennessee 4 The Volunteers will not repeat as national champions after being swept in the Fayetteville Super Regional by the host Razorbacks. After losing Saturday's opener, 4-3, Tennessee felt apart with its season and a return trip to Omaha at stake. Advertisement Arkansas opened up a 7-1 lead with a five-run fourth inning. Logan Maxwell hit a grand slam off AJ Russell, the Vols' third pitcher of the inning. The Razorbacks loaded the bases on singles by Cam Kozeal and Reese Robinett, followed by an intentional walk to Charles Davalan to set up a force play. But Tennessee pitcher Liam Doyle allowed a run to score on a wild pitch and Brayden Krenzel hit Wehiwa Aloy with a pitch to load the bases again for Maxwell's big blow. Loading the bases got the Vols in trouble again in the seventh. After a RBI double from Kuhio Aloy, Tennessee pitchers walked four consecutive batters, resulting in another two runs. Altogether, the Vols issued eight walks in the game. Advertisement Tennessee followed up last season's national title with a seventh-place finish in the SEC at 16-14, though finished 46-18 overall. Louisville 3, Miami 2 Eddie King Jr.'s two-out double scored Jake Munroe in the seventh inning to put the Cardinals on top. Jake Schweitzer, Justin West and Brennyn Cutts combined for a scoreless final two innings to put Louisville (40-22) among the eight teams going to Omaha. Ethan Eberle pitched five innings for Louisville, giving up a two-run homer to Max Galvin among his six hits allowed. Schweitzer got the win with three scoreless innings, while Cutts earned the save by retiring the final Hurricanes batter of the game. Advertisement For Miami (35-27), Reese Lumpkin gave up two runs and five hits in 3 2/3 innings. But Will Smith was tagged with the loss after allowing King's RBI double. It was only the second hit he allowed in 2 2/3 innings with four strikeouts and two walks. Galvin and Daniel Cuvet each had two hits for Miami. Arizona 4, North Carolina 3 The Wildcats join the Chanticleers in Omaha, defeating the Tar Heels on their home field. Arizona took a 4-3 lead with a three-run eighth inning as its first four batters reached base, helped out by an two throwing errors by UNC. Tommy Splaine first scored on a bunt single from Easton Breyfogle. Brendan Summerhill then walked to load the bases and Mason White drove in two runs with a single. A three-run homer by Jackson Van De Brake gave North Carolina a 3-1 lead in the fifth inning, following consecutive singles from Carter French and Kane Kepley. Arizona starter Smith Bailey was charged with those three runs with five hits allowed, four strikeouts and three walks in six innings. Advertisement Ryan Lynch pitched seven innings for the Tar Heels, allowing three runs (two earned) with five strikeouts. Walker McDuffie took the loss after he allowed the go-ahead run to reach base in the eighth. Murray State 19, Duke 9 The Racers rebounded decisively after losing Saturday's Super Regionals opener to Duke, 7-4. Dom Decker and Will Vierling each drove in four runs, while Dan Tauken had three RBI to send the series to a decisive Game 3 on Monday. Duke took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on back-to-back homers by AJ Gracia and Ben Miller, but Murray State answered in the bottom of the frame with three runs beginning with Jonathan Hogart's leadoff home run. Both teams eventually traded five-run innings, but the Racers blew the game open with a nine-run seventh. The Blue Devils' Kyle Johnson and Racers' Isaac Silva each allowed six runs as starting pitchers. Yet while Jacob Hustedde and Graham Kelham combined to give up another three runs in 3 2/3 innings of relief, Duke's bullpen could not keep Murray State's lineup from lighting up the scoreboard. Seven more pitchers took the mound for the Blue Devils with five of them allowing two or more runs. Gabe Nard and Mark Hindy each gave up three runs in a combined 1 1/3 innings.