If you’re a Texas Tech fan, now is the time to soak it all in. The Red Raiders softball team, in their very first trip to the Women’s College World Series, just knocked off one of the sport’s blue bloods—UCLA—in a 3-1 stunner. With that win, they’ve now gone 2-0 in Oklahoma City and are headed to the semifinals of the 2025 WCWS.
Let’s not mince words: Texas Tech is one win away from competing for a national championship. Yes, really.
Making History in Style
The magnitude of this moment can’t be overstated. This is uncharted territory for the Red Raiders softball program, and yet they’re playing like they’ve been here before. Beating a program with UCLA’s pedigree in your WCWS debut is already special. Doing it to stay undefeated and in the winner’s bracket? That’s the stuff of legend.
It was a tight, strategic game that gave us a bit of everything. There was small ball, power, elite pitching, and—best of all—a gutsy steal of home plate that sparked the kind of energy championship teams feed on.
The Boldness of Stealing Home
Tied 0-0 in the fifth inning, Makayla Garcia did what few players would even think about attempting on this stage: she stole home. It was a bold, brilliant move that gave Tech a 1-0 lead and lit a fire under the entire team. Even though UCLA would tie the game in the sixth with a solo home run, Texas Tech answered immediately.
Hailey Toney came through in the bottom of the sixth with a clutch RBI to regain the lead. Then Raegan Jennings added some breathing room in the seventh with a timely hit that pushed the score to 3-1. That was all the cushion they needed.
NiJaree Canady: The Backbone of the Run
Let’s talk about NiJaree Canady, because what she’s doing on the mound for Texas Tech is nothing short of extraordinary.
She threw a complete game, struck out seven Bruins, and gave up just four hits in seven innings of work. One of those hits was a home run, sure, but that was the only blemish in an otherwise dominating outing. And don’t forget: she did this just two days after a shutout performance against Ole Miss in their WCWS opener.
Here’s the bigger picture on Canady:
Sub-1.00 ERA across 200+ innings this season.
Nearly 300 strikeouts, compared to just a little over 40 walks.
Only 9 home runs allowed—in the entire season.
40 appearances and still going strong on the biggest stage in college softball.
There were some early-game challenges against UCLA—finding the strike zone, runners getting on—but Canady settled in, kept her composure, and never let the game get out of hand. That resilience is what separates great pitchers from truly elite ones.
What’s Next?
With the win, Texas Tech earns a huge advantage: rest. They don’t have to play again until Friday, while the rest of the field fights to stay alive in elimination games. That extra time off is invaluable—especially for a team relying on such heavy innings from its ace.
Their next opponent will be determined on Sunday, but whoever it is, they’ll have to face a Texas Tech squad that’s riding high on confidence, momentum, and a powerful belief in themselves.
Time to Celebrate
For a program that had never made it to Oklahoma City before this year, Texas Tech is playing like seasoned veterans. They’re making smart, aggressive decisions. They’re getting clutch performances at the plate. And above all else, they’ve got a star in the circle who might just be the best pitcher in the country right now.
So yes, let’s take a moment and celebrate this moment. Not just because of what it means in the short term—but because of what it says about the direction of Texas Tech softball.
This team isn’t just happy to be here.
They’re here to win it all.
