Texas Tech lived to see another day in Oklahoma City after edged out UCLA 8-7, eliminating the Bruins from the Women’s College World Series after a nine-inning slugfest.
“That’s all I thought when the game ended, is, ‘Softball! I love this game.’ Just a great sport this is. The environment here in Oklahoma City, unbelievable,” Texas Tech head coach Gerry Glasco said. “The talent UCLA has, they’re hard to beat, as you could see. I was so impressed the way they just kept coming at us, coming at us. You don’t expect anything less from a program like that with the tradition they have, the great coaches they have, then the unbelievable talent in those uniforms. Tip of the hat to UCLA for creating what I think is one of the best games we’ve seen in a long time at Oklahoma City.”
The game ended with NiJaree Canaday strikeing out Bri Alejandre looking and stranding the tying run on second base.
In a matchup that featured two of the nation’s best offenses, the luxury of having two All-American pitchers helped the Red Raiders outlast Taylor Tinsley and the Bruins.
Canaday and Kaitlyn Terry split the game in the circle and it was the former Bruin who looked the sharpest.
Terry only allowed two earned runs on five hits, a walk, and seven strikeouts across 5.0 innings. She was also 1-for-4 at the plate with a run scored and a run batted in. Her RBI-double in the ninth gave the Red Raiders the lead and she scored the game-winning run when Aleena Garcia bobbled a sharp ground ball with the bases loaded.
“Her ball was really moving. I mean, she got so many swing and misses,” Glasco said. “I saw 72 (MPH) on the scoreboard. When you watch (Terry), you see the ultimate competitor. Just greatness is what I see. Tonight I saw her and her greatness giving everything she had to our ballclub.”
Mia Williams and Mihyia Davis combined for six of Texas Tech’s 14 hits with three apiece. Taylor Pannell and Hailey contributed with two each. Williams and Jasmyn Burns both homered and Lauren Allred drove in two runs.
The offense proved to be too much for UCLA.
Despite late-heroics from Jordan Woolery in the bottom of the seventh and ninth, UCLA couldn’t get the clutch hit to overcome Texas Tech.
Woolery finished the game 3-for-4 with two home runs, two runs scored, and five RBIs.
Tinsley threw every pitch for the Bruins in the WCWS, inlcuding 181 of them on Sunday night. She kep the Bruins in the game all night, avoiding big innings and holding the Red Raiders to just two hits with runners in scoring position.
“She’s just awesome. No one understands what she’s given to this team and this program,” Woolery said. “I just wish that everyone was able to see Tinsley how we see Tinsley. This year has been so hard for her. What she’s done has been so special. Like, she cemented herself and a legacy within UCLA softball. Honestly, it’s been a privilege to watch. I feel so honored to know her and watch her journey, see what she’s given to this program the last four years. It’s honestly so cool.”
Texas Tech will face Alabama on Monday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The Red Raiders have to win twice if they want to advance to the championship series.
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