No. 11 Texas Tech advances to WCWS Finals

OKLAHOMA CITY – For the second straight season, No. 11 Texas Tech and No. 2 Texas will battle within the Women’s College World Series Finals after the Red Raiders dispatched No. 1 Alabama with a 2-0 win within the second recreation of the WCWS Semifinals on Monday at Devon Park.

NiJaree Canady (29-6) threw a dominant complete-game shutout and Jasmyn Burns hit a solo dwelling run to guide off the fourth inning for the Red Raiders (61-8) who had compelled the decisive recreation with a 5-4 win within the first recreation of the evening. Top-seeded Alabama (56-9) had its season finish after being restricted to solely two hits towards Canady who had six strikeouts after additionally recording the win within the first recreation.

“I’m just so proud of my girls,” Texas Tech coach Gerry Glasco stated. “They really bought in. I feel like the last 30 days that we just have come together and became a whole different team. They’re just playing for each other so well now. They’re finding ways. I thought all night we talked about two games, KT and NiJa, were just so outstanding. Then to share the ball and to it do the way they do, amazing. NiJa had 57 pitches at the end of the first game. I thought we could get four or five out of her, and we can go back to KT, who had 70. NiJa, that was the 2025 version of NiJa Canady.”

Texas Tech (61-8) and Texas (51-12) are set to play at 7 p.m. on Wednesday within the first recreation of the WCWS Finals after the Longhorns additionally took the powerful highway by successful two video games over No. 7 Tennessee earlier on Monday to advance.

“I’m just excited to be able to make it to the Championship Series again,” Canady stated. “It’s just a blessing to play them again. It’s good for the state of Texas, showing how good softball is in the state and I feel like we’re going to get a good turnout.”

Tech bought an insurance coverage run within the seventh inning with Lauren Allred hitting a single via the center of the infield that scored Mihyia Davis all the way in which from first after an errant throw went into the third base dugout earlier than Canady slammed the door shut by getting a lineout to proper area to strand a runner at second base. The Red Raiders completed the sport with 10 hits, together with two-hit performances from Mia Williams, Davis, Allred and Burns. Williams, who offered the heroics with a walk-off dwelling run within the first win over Alabama, was 2-for-4 with a pair of singles whereas Davis went 2-for-3 with a double and single to increase her program document for hits to 100 this season.

Jocelyn Briski (25-4) took the loss for the Crimson Tide after permitting eight hits, together with the house run by Burns. Vic Moten threw two innings of aid and allowed two hits and a run.

Tech compelled the deciding recreation with a 5-4 win to begin the evening with Williams hitting a walk-off dwelling run after the Crimson Tide had tied the sport with a two-run dwelling run within the prime of the seventh. It was the twenty sixth dwelling run of the season for Williams who had gone hitless in her first three at-bats earlier than offering the heroics. Canady earned the win after putting out 4, scattering three hits and permitting just one run in 2 2/3 innings of aid of Terry who began the sport. Tech had three dwelling runs within the recreation, together with Pannell hitting a two-run homer for a 4-2 lead within the fifth inning after a solo dwelling run by Allred within the second inning for the sport’s second run. Toney had began scoring with a double within the second inning.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

Tech and Alabama had been scoreless via two innings with Canady dominating within the pitcher’s circle with three strikeouts and no hits allowed. The Red Raiders had three hits with singles from Williams, Allred and Terry however all three had been left on base.

The Red Raiders threatened within the prime of the third inning after a leadoff single by Williams after which Davis getting hit by a pitch to place two on earlier than Briski bought a popup, strikeout and flyout to strand two extra. Tech had 4 hits and 5 left on base via three innings. Hawkins singled for Alabama’s first hit towards Canady however she would work out of it, getting a flyout to middle to strand a runner at second base and take the sport to the fourth nonetheless scoreless.

Burn led off the fourth inning with a solo dwelling run, drilling the primary pitch she noticed over the centerfield fence for the sport’s first run. It was the nineteenth dwelling run of the season for Burns and the fourth of the evening for the Red Raiders who had three within the first recreation. Canady walked one within the backside of the fourth however unscathed after getting a groundout to Pannell at second base to strand a runner and take the sport to the fifth with the Red Raiders nonetheless main 1-0.

Pannell and Burns opened the highest of the sixth inning with singles however Tech would strand two runners on base within the inning with out scoring earlier than turning the ball again over to Canady. In the underside of the sixth, Canady bought a groundout and strikeout to begin the inning earlier than hitting a batter however staying poised and getting a foul out to Pannell close to the third base dugout to take the sport to the ultimate inning with the 1-0 lead nonetheless intact.

Tech padded its lead within the prime of the seventh inning with Allred hitting a single via the center of the infield that scored Davis all the way in which from first after an errant throw went into the dugout to permit her to come back dwelling for a 2-0 lead. Davis had reached on a one-out single and Allred superior to 3rd on the play earlier than being adopted by Jackie Lis and Taylor Pannell drawing walks to load the bases with just one out. Alabama had one hit within the backside of the seventh however a flyout to proper area ended the sport with Canady ending off the complete-game shutout.

UP NEXT:

A double-elimination format, the WCWS Finals are slated for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday with the 2026 National Champion to be topped after two wins. The Longhorns received the 2025 National Championship after beating the Red Raiders in three video games. The all-time sequence dates again to the primary assembly in 1997 and has the Longhorns with a 65-13 document over the Red Raiders. Tech’s 4-3 win within the second recreation of the 2025 WCWS Finals snapped a 15-game shedding streak to the Longhorns who received the nationwide title with a 10-4 victory within the last recreation of the event. The two groups haven’t performed towards one another this season.