Duke softball coach Marissa Young critical of strike zone in Game 1 of Columbia Super Regional

Duke softball pitcher Jala Wright has been excellent all season, but she lasted only 1 2/3 innings on Friday in Game 1 of the Columbia Super Regional against Missouri.

Wright surrendered four hits, three walks and three runs, before being replaced by Cassidy Curd in the circle. Duke softball coach Marissa Young spoke with ESPN2 about the decision to go to the bullpen early against the Tigers.

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The tight strike zone by home plate umpire Tracy Laycock factored into the move.

“I think the zone’s a little tight back there and we’re not playing clean defense behind her, so we went with something a little bit different with Cass up in the zone and hopefully get more swing and misses,” Young said.

The ESPN2 announcers mentioned multiple times that the strike zone seemed tight, and even relayed their thoughts to Marissa Young during the interview.

Still, Duke is hanging tough in the Super Regional matchup. In the top of the fifth, the Blue Devils hold a 4-3 lead.

“I think we’re having some really good at bats, swinging at good pitches,” Young said. “We’ve just got to get a little more on top of that rise ball.”

Duke advanced to the Super Regional by beating South Carolina in the championship game of the Durham Regional last weekend. Missouri is in the supers after knocking off Omaha in the championship game of its regional.

Marissa Young gets emotional discussing husband attending Duke’s ACC title win after health scares

While Duke softball took home an ACC tournament crown in front of a packed home crowd on Saturday afternoon, head coach Marissa Young might as well have been there for an audience of one: Her husband, James Lamar.

For around a year, Lamar has been dealing with an unspecified medical issues with his heart and cardiovascular system, and one that has required countless surgeries and procedures. He spent a portion of last spring and early summer on a ventilator before his condition improved.

And Saturday, he got to watch Duke come back for a 6-3 win over defending champion Florida State to lock up an NCAA tournament bid in his first game in person all season.

“Incredible,” Young said on the ESPN broadcast, her voice tinged with emotion. “His first game of the season that he’s been able to get out of the house and come and obviously to win a championship at home in front of the largest crowd ever is just a dream come true.”