DURHAM, N.C., May 17, 2024 – Morgan State fell to the No. 10 Blue Devils of Duke University in the first game of the Durham Regional in the 2024 NCAA Division I Softball Regional. Duke won 6-1 in a game that went scoreless until the fifth inning.

The Lady Bears will face Utes of Utah in the first elimination game on Saturday, May 18, at 1:30 p.m. STATS | ESPN+

The Lady Bears exploited some early fielding miscues from the Blue Devils reaching base in the first, second and fourth innings, but MSU could not bat the runners around as the teams remained tied at 0-0. 

Victoria Fletcher, third base, and Alison Keener, catcher, made a few stellar plays at their respective positions tagging out a pair of runners preventing Duke from reaching the scoreboard in the first and second innings.  

Neither team dented the scoreboard through the first four innings of play, but Duke posted a four-hole in the bottom of the fifth inning after three batters hit home runs deep over the outfield wall taking a 4-0 advantage into the fifth. 

Morgan State answered in the top of the sixth inning with an RBI single from Mia Ewell that drove in Nia White who pinch ran for Fletcher. MSU had two other runners on the bases but back-to-back strikeouts left the Bears stranded on base. 

Duke used a double play in the top of the seventh to end the game securing the win.