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Stretching on the Devon Park grass earlier than her first-ever sport within the Women’s College World Series, Jackie Lis watched as her coach approached with a smile on his face.
Gerry Glasco grabbed Lis, spinning her a bit and pointing to the rapidly filling stands.
“Just look around,” the Texas Tech coach informed his first baseman. “Enjoy it.”
Safe to say, Lis did.
She deposited a first-inning pitch over the left-field fence for a house run on her very first at-bat within the WCWS, and the smile that unfold throughout her face as she rounded the bases stayed put the remainder of the afternoon.
Texas Tech 8, Mississippi State 0 in 5 innings.
On the opening day of the WCWS, the Red Raiders made an announcement. A 12 months in the past once they made the match for the primary time in program historical past, they went all the best way to the championship collection and have been one win away from a nationwide championship.
But they did it largely on the shoulders — or mighty proper arm — of NiJaree Canady. They received low-scoring video games. They by no means scored greater than 4 runs in any contest.
Thursday towards Mississippi State, Texas Tech scored 4 within the first two innings.
The Red Raiders appear like an issue for the remainder of the WCWS subject.
Of course, for those who ask across the school softball world, you’ll discover loads of individuals who imagine Texas Tech is an issue for different causes. The Red Raiders have constructed a powerhouse virtually in a single day on transfers and NIL.
Two years in the past when Glasco took over, they have been an afterthought.
Now, they’re the villains.
What’s it prefer to be on the within of that transformation?
“Phenomenal,” Glasco mentioned with an enormous smile after I requested him the opposite day. “It’s just fun.”
A fast apart: Glasco could be probably the most simply likeable individuals in the complete softball world. He is charming and folksy and genuinely personable. After spending a long time as an assistant, then a mid-major head coach earlier than taking his first power-conference head teaching job at Texas Tech, the broader sports activities world is lastly seeing the 67-year-old’s persona.
“If softball needs me to be the villain,” Glasco mentioned, that smile nonetheless on his face, “I’m all about it.”
The reality is, disdain for Glasco and his Red Raiders is misplaced.
Or maybe it’s jealousy.
When Glasco interviewed for the Texas Tech job, directors informed him they wished the Red Raiders to be a nationwide energy.
“If I interviewed at 20 schools,” he mentioned, “all 20 would’ve said that.”
But …
“The way they backed it up from the day I got on campus … the commitment they showed me from every level of the athletic department and the university has been exceptional and beyond normal.”
The largest dedication, after all, has been to NIL. Texas Tech softball gamers obtained over $2 million in NIL funds throughout Glasco’s first season, in keeping with paperwork obtained by the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal earlier this spring. A giant chunk of that went to the primary seven-figure deal for a softball participant, a million-dollar payday that went to Canady.
Powered by the Matador Club, Texas Tech’s softball spending probably jumped even larger this season because the Red Raiders not solely re-signed Canady to a different million-dollar deal but additionally added 4 of the highest 10 gamers from the portal. Mia Williams. Kaitlyn Terry. Taylor Pannell. Jazzy Burns. They added a fifth in Lis from Southern Illinois.
Those gamers have been the primary 5 within the Tech batting order Thursday and drove in 5 of the Raider runs.
“It’s really hard for people to understand,” Glasco mentioned of the best way Texas Tech has constructed this system. “I think it’s confusing because we’re doing things that maybe never have been done before or at least not been done in a similar fashion.”
No doubt about that.
Now, there have been rumors of tampering this previous offseason, and possibly Texas Tech broke the principles. Maybe it didn’t. But I can promise you, in case your favourite school softball staff has gamers who’ve transferred in, there was tampering. Early telephone calls have been positioned. Illegal contact was made.
Or on the very least, somebody near this system contacted somebody near a switch earlier than it was allowed by NCAA guidelines.
Here’s why groups aren’t getting known as to the carpet for tampering: Because for those who level a finger at somebody, three are pointing again at you.
“I feel like everyone talks about wanting to grow softball and wanting more eyes on softball, wanting people to watch softball and wanting female sports to be as big as male sports,” Canady mentioned. “At the end of the day, transfers happen in male and female sports, so if you want the game to grow, this kind of stuff comes with it.”
No one complains concerning the school quarterback who makes seven figures.
Or the faculty level guard.
But I see keyboard warriors on social media commonly calling for her downfall, saying she’s what’s incorrect with school softball.
Really?
Double customary a lot?
“We can’t control what people are going to say about us,” Lis mentioned. “They don’t know our journeys. … We know why we’re here, what we’re supposed to do here.”
If Thursday’s result’s any indication, Texas Tech is right here to kick posteriors and take names.
And whereas the softball world won’t love the Red Raiders that a lot, the group that packed Devon Park for his or her opener — an 11 a.m. sport on a Thursday, by the best way — had tons of Texas Tech crimson. Way greater than its early-round video games a 12 months in the past.
“I was laughing … we’re the villains of America,” Glasco mentioned. “I’m telling you, we’re the Cinderella of Lubbock, Texas. They love us in Lubbock, Texas.
“We’re right there with Buddy Holly right now.”
Game 1: No. 11 Texas Tech 8, Mississippi State 0 (5)
Game 2: No. 7 Tennessee 6, No. 2 Texas 3
Game 3: No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 8 UCLA, late
Game 4: No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 5 Arkansas, late
Game 5: Mississippi State vs. Texas, 6 p.m., ESPN2
Game 6: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 loser, 8:30 p.m., ESPN2
Jenni Carlson: Jenni will be reached at jcarlson@oklahoman.com. Like her at fb.com/JenniCarlsonOK, comply with her at @jennicarlsonok.bsky.social and twitter.com/jennicarlson_ok, and help her work and that of different Oklahoman journalists by buying a digital subscription right now.
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