NiJaree Canady, Texas Tech bring stunning end to Oklahoma softball's dynastic run

New York Times

03-06-2025

OKLAHOMA CITY — We gather here today to say goodbye to the Oklahoma softball dynasty, and hello to the NIL era.
Because if Texas Tech just proved anything, it's that you can buy a championship. Last summer, the school spent a million dollars and change to lure the best player in softball to Lubbock, Texas, in hopes of making it to its first-ever Women's College World Series.
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Naturally, NiJaree Canady upped the ante.
The junior transfer from Stanford headlined a 3-2 defeat of No. 2 Oklahoma in the Women's College World Series semifinal on Monday. Canady struck out eight batters, allowing four hits, to end the Sooners' pursuit of a fifth straight national championship.
Of course, nothing is easy when it comes to facing the Sooners, who gave Canady everything she could handle.
In the top of the seventh, Canady was one strike away from shutting out the Sooners, who have not been held scoreless in more than 300 games, since exactly six years ago Monday, per the ESPN broadcast. Then, Oklahoma junior Abigale Dayton stepped up to home plate with everything going against her. The Sooners trailed 2-0. There were two outs. It was the bottom of the seventh. And she was staring down a 0-2 count.
Dayton hammered one out of the park, bringing squealing Oklahoma fans to their feet and tying the score at two to give the Sooners life.
Believe. pic.twitter.com/hYgfoEuZU5
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) June 3, 2025
But if the Sooners suggested that if there's one pitch left, there's life, the Red Raiders proved it.
Red Raiders redshirt sophomore Lauren Allred hit a walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh to secure Texas Tech's first-ever appearance in the WCWS championship series.
Canady, playing in her third WCWS after steering the Cardinal there the past two years, leads the nation with a dumbfounding 0.86 ERA and the Red Raiders with 11 home runs.
No. 12 Texas Tech meets No. 6 Texas in the championship series starting Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET. Game 2 follows Thursday at 8 p.m. ET and Game 3, if necessary, is slotted for Thursday at 8 p.m. ET.
This story will be updated.
(Top photo of NiJaree Canady: Nathan J. Fish / The Oklahoman / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)