Utah vs. South Carolina softball elimination game postponed until Sunday

Saturday night’s NCAA Softball Tournament elimination game between Utah and South Carolina has been postponed, the Utes announced via X. The matchup is part of the Durham Regional with the winner advancing to face Duke on Sunday.

The earlier game between Utah and Morgan State saw a weather delay that lasted more than three hours. It was finally able to resume and finish with the Utes pulling out a 1-0 victory. However, just after the start of the game against the Gamecocks was announced for 7:48 p.m. ET, another delay went into place.

Now the game has officially been postponed until Sunday, though a start time has yet to be announced.

South Carolina and Utah faced off in the opening game of action on Friday as the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds in the Regional. The Gamecocks won that game 2-1 behind a big outing on the mound from Alana Vawter.

However, South Carolina would go on to lose to Duke on Saturday in an 8-0 blowout as it managed only two hits. That sets up a do-or-die scenario between the Gamecocks and Utes.

Sunday’s game between the Blue Devils and the winner of Saturday’s contest was originally scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. with another game scheduled for 3:30 p.m. if necessary. We’ll have to wait and see whether those start times get pushed back or the game between South Carolina and Utah simply starts earlier.

South Carolina falls against Duke on Saturday

Duke earned a run-rule 8-0 win to advance to the Durham Regional final.

It didn’t take long for South Carolina (35-23, 8-16 SEC) to record its first hit of the afternoon. Denver Bryant led off the game with a groundout, but Riley Blampied hit a double to left-center field.

That would be the last hit Duke starter Jala Wright allowed until the sixth inning. Wright, who was unanimously selected as the ACC Pitcher of the Year, delivered her second strong performance in as many days. She threw six shutout innings, allowing just two hits and striking out nine batters.

South Carolina’s starting pitcher, Sage Mardjetko, also impressed in her NCAA Tournament debut. She gave up a leadoff single to D’Auna Jennings in the bottom of the first but then proceeded to retire the next five batters, recording four strikeouts in the process.

But Mardjetko would be the first of the two pitchers to make a mistake. And it was one that Duke (49-6, 20-4 ACC) was successfully able to capitalize on in the third inning.

Madrjetko started her second at bat of the afternoon against Jennings with a riseball over the plate. Jennings connected with the pitch and sent it over the wall in right-center field to give the Blue Devils a 1-0 lead. The solo blast was also Jennings’ first home run of her college career.