In a thrilling conclusion to an incredible journey in the NCAA Women’s College World Series, the No. 12 Texas Tech Red Raiders defeated the No. 2 Oklahoma Sooners with a score of 3-2 during the semifinal round held on Monday in Oklahoma City. This victory propels Texas Tech to the championship series against No. 6 Texas.
The game was a nail-biter, showcasing a remarkable performance by Red Raiders pitcher NiJaree Canady. The match reached a fever pitch when Oklahoma's Abigale Dayton hit a game-tying home run with two outs in the top of the seventh inning. However, Texas Tech secured the win with a walk-off sacrifice fly by Lauren Allred, sending her team to the championship series.
This loss for Oklahoma marks the end of a historic streak, as they had made nine consecutive appearances in the WCWS Finals, winning championships in each of the previous four years. The team that managed to dethrone this powerhouse is now on an inspiring run in their first-ever WCWS appearance.
Canady, who previously led Stanford to back-to-back WCWS appearances and was named the USA Softball Collegiate Pitcher of the Year, dominated the Sooners' lineup for the first six innings. The Red Raiders took an early 2-0 lead, thanks to an RBI triple from Demi Elder and an RBI single from Bailey Lindemuth in the second inning.
After Texas Tech took the lead, several prominent alumni expressed their excitement on social media. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, a Texas Tech alum and three-time Super Bowl champion, simply posted “!! !! !!” to convey his enthusiasm. Dallas Braden, a former MLB pitcher and current television analyst who was drafted by the Athletics from Texas Tech in 2004, also celebrated the team's aggressive play, tweeting, “The ladies of @TexasTechSB have come out aggressive at the dish & on the base path!”
As the game progressed, the Red Raiders seemed in control with Canady on the mound. However, in a dramatic turn in the top of the seventh inning, Oklahoma's Dayton hit a two-run homer, tying the game and putting the Sooners back in contention. Despite this setback, Texas Tech remained resilient.
In the bottom of the seventh, Mihyia Davis ignited the Red Raiders' hopes with a single. She advanced to third base on a double by Hailey Toney. Allred then delivered the decisive play, hitting a fly ball to right field that allowed Davis to tag up and score, sealing the victory with a thrilling head-first slide.
With this victory, Texas Tech becomes the first team to reach the WCWS Finals in their tournament debut since 2000 when Oklahoma defeated defending champion UCLA to claim the title.
The highly anticipated 2025 Women’s College World Series Finals will kick off with Game 1 between Texas Tech and Texas on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET at OGE Energy Field at Devon Park. The best-of-three series will continue with Game 2 on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET, and if necessary, a decisive Game 3 will be held on Friday at 8 p.m. ET. All games will be broadcast on ESPN.
