Texas Tech punches ticket to Women’s College World Series
Texas Tech softball is making its second-straight trip to the Women’s College World Series after defeating No. 6 Florida 15-7 in five innings on their home field. NiJaree Canady picked up her 100th career win in the biggest moment of the season as Tech smashed five homers on offense.
Jackie Lis and Taylor Pannell both left the yard twice, this was Pannell’s first career multi-homer game as Lis reached the 20-home run mark on the season. Mia Williams also homered, her 24th of the season, to add to her school record. Jasmyn Burns finished with two RBI as Canady also picked up an RBI after drawing a bases-loaded walk.
Kaitlyn Terry and Canady took turns in the circle, with Terry finishing out the last inning to advance the Red Raiders to Oklahoma City again. Tech’s defense was solid again behind its pitchers, committing no errors for the second straight game.
This was the highest scoring game three Super Regional in NCAA history and the highest scoring Super Regional series.
How it Happened:
The Red Raiders had a fire lit under them after Williams led off the inning with her fifth hit-by-pitch of the series. Davis and Lis reached and Burns drove in two runs on a single down the left field line. Hailey Toney, who was running for Burns, scored on an errant throw by the Gators to make it 3-0. Florida did not go away as they took the lead with a four-run bottom of the first before an hour and 50-minute weather delay started.
After the delay, the bats of both teams looked as good as every as the Red Raiders recorded four runs on a two-run bomb by Williams and another two-run homer off the bat of Lis. Florida tied the game at 7-7 with a three-run homer but that would be the last runs they scored as Canady and Terry settled in to shut out the high-powered offense.
Pannell hit the go-ahead home run in the top of the fourth and Lis broke the game open with her second home run – a three-run shot – to put Tech up 11-7. Pannell hit another home run in the fourth to make it 13-7 and an error and two walks to add three more runs in the fifth and clinch the 15-7 run-rule win.
UP NEXT: Tech will face Mississippi State in the first round of Oklahoma City.
Release provided by Jay Strader Texas Tech Athletics