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Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Women's College World Series: Texas stuns defending champ Oklahoma, Texas Tech beats UCLA
The Women's College World Series continued on Saturday with a matchup between Oklahoma and Texas. (Brett Rojo-Imagn Images) A busy Women's College World Series continued on Saturday with two thrilling games. A pair of narrow wins, both upsets, kept Texas and Texas Tech flying high, while UCLA and Oklahoma find themselves in some hot water. Texas 4, Oklahoma 2 Suddenly, the road to a fifth straight NCAA softball title for Oklahoma got steeper. The No. 2-seeded Sooners were defeated 4-2 by No. 6 Texas on Saturday in a matchup of two of the top teams in the country. Advertisement It was the first time Texas had beaten the Sooners in the state of Oklahoma since 2011 — and its first victory over OU in the women's CWS. The Sooners beat the Longhorns in the 2022 and 2024 CWS finals. The Longhorns struck first with two runs in the first inning. Sophomore outfielder Kayden Henry got the first run by stealing second and later stealing home. Oklahoma came alive in the second inning, scoring two of its own and capitalizing on a Texas error. That changed in the fifth inning, when Texas took a 3-2 lead on a solo homer from Henry. Texas added to its lead with another solo homer in the sixth inning, this time from first baseman Joley Mitchell. Advertisement Oklahoma had one more chance to rally, but Longhorns ace Teagan Kavan struck out the final two batters to close out the complete game and finish with eight strikeouts. Texas Tech 3, UCLA 1 It was another defense-heavy win for No. 12 Texas Tech, which defeated No. 9 UCLA with a victory that came down to the final innings. After four scoreless frames, the Red Raiders finally broke the drought in wild fashion: by stealing home plate. Pinch runner Makayla Garcia pulled off the steal to give Texas Tech the lead in the fifth inning. The Bruins quickly hit back, with shortstop Kaniya Bragg hitting a solo homer in the bottom of the fifth. But another solo homer, this time from Red Raiders shortstop Hailey Toney, gave Texas Tech the lead in the sixth. Advertisement The Red Raiders iced the win in the seventh with another run. The victory was buoyed by Texas Tech ace Nijaree Canady, who notched seven strikeouts — including one in the final inning — while pitching the complete seven innings. UCLA and Oklahoma will have one more chance to stay alive, playing Tennessee and Oregon, respectively, in win-or-go-home elimination games. Texas and Texas Tech, meanwhile, advanced to the semifinals where they will play the winners of those games.
New York Times
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
A key to that play
Follow our coverage of the WCWS from Oklahoma City as the six remaining teams chase the softball national title Imagn Images A key to that play, also, is that Victoria Valdez, the batter up at the plate for that steal of home, was a righty. Valdez did a great job of blocking Alexis Ramirez's sightline to third from behind the plate, so by the time she was throwing the ball back to Tinsley after the pitch, it was far too late. Needless to say, all of the momentum and energy is swinging Texas Tech's way now after that. What a way to spark an offense, and a total shock for UCLA. In a game where runs are hard to come by, Glasco and Garcia said, time to make our own magic. Texas Tech pinch-runner Makayla Garcia just STOLE HOME to get the first run of this game on the board. Holy cow what a gutsy call by Gerry Glasco to send Garcia on the pitch, and Taylor Tinsley and Alexis Ramirez had no clue it was happening. This kind of move DOES NOT happen very often, if at all. But wow was that well-executed, as Garcia just dove through the wickets of Ramirez at home plate to give Texas Tech a 1-0 lead. UCLA challenged the call to see if Garcia left early on the pitch, but upon review, she actually got a pretty late lead off of third. Seeing that that's actually Texas Tech's THIRD steal of home this season. That has to be a Glasco secret weapon because MAN that is rare. What an awesome, awesome moment. T5 - Texas Tech 1, UCLA 0 Makayla Garcia steals home and Texas Tech has the lead. What a gamble, and it pays off! Now I really wish Texas Tech decided to send Lauren Allred home on Nijaree Canady's double, as she just got thrown out at home on a soft grounder to first by Demi Elder. Things you LOVE to see: a pitcher helping herself on offense. NiJa Canady just drove an outside changeup all the way to the wall the opposite way to give the Red Raiders runners on second and third with one out after struggling to get a big inning going so far in this game. Lauren Allred got this inning started with a single to left, Texas Tech's first leadoff batter to reach base so far in this game. Coach Gerry Glasco played things a little safe on Canady's double by deciding not to send Allred home as the throw from right field hit the cut. I think she could have made it, and in a scoreless game, why not push it at this point? It wasn't a great throw. But there's still time to make something happen. Nijaree Canady comes through at the plate and rips a double down the right-field line. That ball was fair by about 2 feet. And here come the Red Raiders in the fifth inning. Runners on second and third with one out. Lauren Allred has Texas Tech's first hit here in the top of the fifth. She was hit by a pitch earlier in the game and is the only Texas Tech batter to reach against Taylor Tinsley. T5 - Texas Tech 0, UCLA 0 Still nothing across as Nijaree Canady mows through the Red Raiders in the fourth inning, and we go to the fifth inning with no score. This looks like it could be another long game. Imagn Images Some Texas Tech players have made some decent contact against UCLA's co-ace Taylor Tinsley, such as that deep foul out by Hailey Toney, who did a good job of getting under Tinsley's tough drop ball to get it up in the air. But it's fair for Red Raiders fans to start to get a little bit concerned, as this offense has been pretty quiet in OKC across a game and a half so far. Make no mistake, NiJa Canady is comfortable throwing in pressure situations and close games, as we already saw. But run support certainly helps, and so far Tinsley has allowed just one baserunner via hit-by-pitch. The Red Raiders have to start making adjustments in the box, or this one will be over quickly. Imagn Images UCLA has a tradition this season to throw "parties" in the dugout to spark things on offense, with streamers and a disco ball decorating the dugout, bubbles in the air and players and coaches alike donning party hats. Never in my life did I think I'd see the stoic Kelly Inouye-Perez wearing a sparkly gold party hat while coaching, but here we are. That's the WCWS, and it's the best. T4 - Texas Tech 0, UCLA 0 Nijaree Canady and Taylor Tinsley have been in control through three innings. Canady has allowed one hit and has struck out two, while Tinsley has held the Red Raiders without a hit. All these close-up camera angles, allowing us to see dirt flying to spit flying, are part of why softball is such a fun product is the number of cameras that give us a front-row seat, even from our coaches. Did you know when ESPN first started broadcasting the WCWS in 1982 it did so with just four cameras? Now, there are more than 40 cameras. Imagn Images Seeing Gerry Glasco get so hyped for his team after escaping that jam (and almost getting ejected) is so great to see. This program is reaching new heights with every game it remains in OKC, and that kind of energy is necessary if you're trying to make history by advancing to a first-ever WCWS semifinal. T3 - Texas Tech 0, UCLA 0 The Texas Tech bullpen is getting warm, as a very, very rare occurrence is taking place in OKC: NiJa Canady is struggling. That's her second walk today, and the ace does not take those lightly. But the changeup she just pulled the string on against Taylor Stephens may have just gotten her back in the groove, as she strikes her out on three pitches. Now THAT is grace under pressure. Canady just stranded the bases loaded to erase the Bruins' threat. B2 - Texas Tech 0, UCLA 0 The Bruins are making Nijaree Canady and the Red Raiders' defense work, as Rylee Slimp just beat out Canady's throw for a bunt base hit to give UCLA two runners on with one out. That, on top of some frustration with the strike zone, can send things southward for a defense really quickly, but we'll see if Canady can calm things down here for her team. Things are getting spicy as Texas Tech coach Gerry Glasco appears to have just received a warning from the umpire crew after mouthing off about the iffy strike zone so far. T2 - Texas Tech 0, UCLA 0 And while Nijaree Canady is known for her signature 70-mph rise ball, she's already leaning on her changeup early against these Bruins batters. She's leaned on that pitch slightly more this year than she has in the past, and it's making its presence known at the WCWS. Joley Mitchell on her three home runs in the past two games.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Watch as Texas Tech softball gambles, steals home to score first run vs UCLA in WCWS
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Texas Tech softball team scored its first run of its Women's College World Series game against UCLA in an unusual way Saturday night at Devon Park. NiJaree Canady laced a double into right field to put runners at second and third with one out in the top of the fifth. Lauren Allred got tagged out trying for home, but the Red Raiders ultimately found a way to score. Advertisement Victoria Valdez took a ball against UCLA pitcher Taylor Tinsley. As UCLA Alexis Ramirez was throwing the ball back to Tinsley in the circle, Makayla Garcia — in as the pinch runner for Canady at third — slid by Valdez and Ramirez to score the run. UCLA challenged the play, arguing Garcia may have left third base early, but the call was upheld to give Texas Tech the 1-0 lead. Even Texas Tech legend Patrick Mahomes liked the play. This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: See how Texas Tech softball scored the first run of its WCWS game vs. UCLA
10 hours ago
- Sport
Texas Tech tops UCLA 3-1 behind Canady's pitching to reach Women's College World Series semifinals
OKLAHOMA CITY -- NiJaree Canady gave up just four hits and struck out seven, and Texas Tech defeated UCLA 3-1 on Saturday to reach the Women's College World Series semifinals for the first time. The Red Raiders (52-12) need one win against Oregon or Oklahoma on Monday to reach the best-of-three championship series. UCLA (55-12) is still alive in the double-elimination format. The Bruins will play Tennessee in an elimination game on Sunday. Saturday's contest matched programs with very different histories. UCLA has a record 12 World Series championships while Texas Tech just won its first World Series game on Thursday in its first ever trip. 'It feels amazing, just this being our first time here as a team and just being able to get to the semifinals," Canady said. "I feel like, it's a huge accomplishment by itself, but obviously we're not finished. We're going for the whole thing like every other team here. But it's definitely something to be proud of.' Canady has plenty of World Series experience. She led Stanford to the semifinals the past two years and eliminated UCLA from the World Series last year before transferring to Tech. Canady ran into trouble against UCLA a few times on Saturday before coming through, like she did so many times before in a Cardinal uniform. 'I guess you've got to start everything with NiJa in the circle," Tech coach Gerry Glasco said. "She's just so fantastic, and I thought she pitched a gem of a game.' UCLA loaded the bases with one out in the second, yet Canady, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association's Pitcher of the Year, escaped without allowing a run. Texas Tech's Makayla Garcia stole home in the fifth to open the scoring. She slid between UCLA catcher Alexis Ramirez's legs to score the run. 'Coach Glasco told me, 'Hey, we're gonna go and we're going to take a chance,'' Garcia said. "And I had to trust him in that moment, and I trust him -- he's a great coach. And so I was like, 'You know what? We're gonna do it.' And it had to work in our favor. And luckily it did.' UCLA's Kaniya Bragg answered with a solo homer in the bottom of the inning. Hailey Toney's solo blast in the sixth put Tech ahead 2-1 and Raegan Jennings' RBI single in the seventh made it 3-1. UCLA got two on with no outs in the seventh, and Canady again avoided damage. 'We just found a way to win," Glasco said. "And that's kind of what we've become. We pride ourselves on being a mentally tough team, a resilient team that can go out under pressure and play defense when we have to play defense in tight moments.' Taylor Tinsley took the loss. She went the distance and gave up three runs on four hits. Tinsley said the Bruins are ready to move on. 'I feel like the big thing with this team is we have a really short-term memory,' she said. 'Each play is kind of like in the past. This game is already as old as dirt for us, so we're just ready to get back out there.'
New York Times
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Red Raiders have an answer
Follow our coverage of the WCWS from Oklahoma City as the six remaining teams chase the softball national title Imagn Images T6 - Texas Tech 2, UCLA 1 Hailey Toney answers UCLA's solo home run with one of her own, and Texas Tech is back on top in the top of the sixth inning. These three days have been outstanding. AND THIS ONE IS TIED UP! Freshman shortstop Kaniya Bragg just took Nija Canady deep over the right-field wall on a rise ball way up in the zone. Bragg kept her bat on top of it, and Canady's speed did the rest for her to get out of here in the bat of an eye. All of that momentum, all of that excitement, has just vanished for Canady, and we have a whole new ballgame. B5 - Texas Tech 1, UCLA 1 Just like that, the Bruins respond, and we're tied as Kaniya Bragg goes deep to right field for a home run. A key to that play, also, is that Victoria Valdez, the batter up at the plate for that steal of home, was a righty. Valdez did a great job of blocking Alexis Ramirez's sightline to third from behind the plate, so by the time she was throwing the ball back to Tinsley after the pitch, it was far too late. Needless to say, all of the momentum and energy is swinging Texas Tech's way now after that. What a way to spark an offense, and a total shock for UCLA. In a game where runs are hard to come by, Glasco and Garcia said, time to make our own magic. Texas Tech pinch-runner Makayla Garcia just STOLE HOME to get the first run of this game on the board. Holy cow what a gutsy call by Gerry Glasco to send Garcia on the pitch, and Taylor Tinsley and Alexis Ramirez had no clue it was happening. This kind of move DOES NOT happen very often, if at all. But wow was that well-executed, as Garcia just dove through the wickets of Ramirez at home plate to give Texas Tech a 1-0 lead. UCLA challenged the call to see if Garcia left early on the pitch, but upon review, she actually got a pretty late lead off of third. Seeing that that's actually Texas Tech's THIRD steal of home this season. That has to be a Glasco secret weapon because MAN that is rare. What an awesome, awesome moment. T5 - Texas Tech 1, UCLA 0 Makayla Garcia steals home and Texas Tech has the lead. What a gamble, and it pays off! Now I really wish Texas Tech decided to send Lauren Allred home on Nijaree Canady's double, as she just got thrown out at home on a soft grounder to first by Demi Elder. Things you LOVE to see: a pitcher helping herself on offense. NiJa Canady just drove an outside changeup all the way to the wall the opposite way to give the Red Raiders runners on second and third with one out after struggling to get a big inning going so far in this game. Lauren Allred got this inning started with a single to left, Texas Tech's first leadoff batter to reach base so far in this game. Coach Gerry Glasco played things a little safe on Canady's double by deciding not to send Allred home as the throw from right field hit the cut. I think she could have made it, and in a scoreless game, why not push it at this point? It wasn't a great throw. But there's still time to make something happen. Nijaree Canady comes through at the plate and rips a double down the right-field line. That ball was fair by about 2 feet. And here come the Red Raiders in the fifth inning. Runners on second and third with one out. Lauren Allred has Texas Tech's first hit here in the top of the fifth. She was hit by a pitch earlier in the game and is the only Texas Tech batter to reach against Taylor Tinsley. T5 - Texas Tech 0, UCLA 0 Still nothing across as Nijaree Canady mows through the Red Raiders in the fourth inning, and we go to the fifth inning with no score. This looks like it could be another long game. Imagn Images Some Texas Tech players have made some decent contact against UCLA's co-ace Taylor Tinsley, such as that deep foul out by Hailey Toney, who did a good job of getting under Tinsley's tough drop ball to get it up in the air. But it's fair for Red Raiders fans to start to get a little bit concerned, as this offense has been pretty quiet in OKC across a game and a half so far. Make no mistake, NiJa Canady is comfortable throwing in pressure situations and close games, as we already saw. But run support certainly helps, and so far Tinsley has allowed just one baserunner via hit-by-pitch. The Red Raiders have to start making adjustments in the box, or this one will be over quickly. Imagn Images UCLA has a tradition this season to throw "parties" in the dugout to spark things on offense, with streamers and a disco ball decorating the dugout, bubbles in the air and players and coaches alike donning party hats. Never in my life did I think I'd see the stoic Kelly Inouye-Perez wearing a sparkly gold party hat while coaching, but here we are. That's the WCWS, and it's the best. T4 - Texas Tech 0, UCLA 0 Nijaree Canady and Taylor Tinsley have been in control through three innings. Canady has allowed one hit and has struck out two, while Tinsley has held the Red Raiders without a hit. All these close-up camera angles, allowing us to see dirt flying to spit flying, are part of why softball is such a fun product is the number of cameras that give us a front-row seat, even from our coaches. Did you know when ESPN first started broadcasting the WCWS in 1982 it did so with just four cameras? Now, there are more than 40 cameras. Imagn Images Seeing Gerry Glasco get so hyped for his team after escaping that jam (and almost getting ejected) is so great to see. This program is reaching new heights with every game it remains in OKC, and that kind of energy is necessary if you're trying to make history by advancing to a first-ever WCWS semifinal. T3 - Texas Tech 0, UCLA 0 The Texas Tech bullpen is getting warm, as a very, very rare occurrence is taking place in OKC: NiJa Canady is struggling. That's her second walk today, and the ace does not take those lightly. But the changeup she just pulled the string on against Taylor Stephens may have just gotten her back in the groove, as she strikes her out on three pitches. Now THAT is grace under pressure. Canady just stranded the bases loaded to erase the Bruins' threat. B2 - Texas Tech 0, UCLA 0 The Bruins are making Nijaree Canady and the Red Raiders' defense work, as Rylee Slimp just beat out Canady's throw for a bunt base hit to give UCLA two runners on with one out. That, on top of some frustration with the strike zone, can send things southward for a defense really quickly, but we'll see if Canady can calm things down here for her team.
