Breaking down what it will take for Stanford to advance to the WCWS

Stanford has a chance to end their WCWS drought

Stanford's softball team is just a couple days away from playing in what will be their seventh NCAA Super Regional.

There are just 16 remaining college softball teams following the conclusion of regionals, and only eight of them will have the chance to advance to the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City next week.

The No. 9 seeded Cardinal will be taking on the No. 8 seed Duke Blue Devils who got the best of Stanford in their first meeting back in February. The two teams faced off in the Mark Campbell Invitational, and Stanford came up just short losing by a score of 4-2 to the No. 16 ranked Duke squad. 

Now, the two teams have found themselves on a collision course for each other, but this time both of their season's are on the line. The Cardinal are heading to Durham for the Durham Super Regional, which starts on Friday. It is a best of three series that determines whether they will get a trip to Oklahoma City for the Women's College World Series, or if they will be watching from home like the rest of us.

 ESPN's Lo Yarnall broke down what it will take for Stanford to beat Duke and advance, citing the importance of their two star pitchers NiJaree Canady and Alana Vawter.

NiJaree Canady and Alana Vawter continue to mow down hitters. The Cardinal's staff leads the country in strikeout-to-walk ratio (400 K's to 77 walks in 368 2/3 innings) and continued that trend with 23 strikeouts in their three regional wins. They reduced the threat of SEC Player of the Year Skylar Wallace by K'ing her four times in seven plate appearances. Though Duke beat Stanford 4-2 in the opening weekend, the Blue Devils have never faced Canady's rise ball, which will work in the Cardinal's favor.

Yarnall also explained how Duke could end up victorious when things are all said and done, explaining that it comes down to whether or not the Duke pitching staff can limit their walks. In the two games that Stanford played against Florida during the regional stage they drew 17 walks, which helped them outscore the Gators 19-2. However, Yarnall highlighted the fact that in their opening matchup against Long Beach that the Cardinal didn't walk a single time in their 1-0 win. 

If Stanford is victorious this weekend, it will mark the first time that they have advanced to the WCWS since 2004.