The Texas Tech Red Raiders knew who their first game in the Women’s College World Series would be against. They just found out they’ll get an early start. The Red Raiders will play the first game of the WCWS on Friday in Oklahoma City as they face Mississippi State at 11 a.m. in a game to be broadcast on ESPN. It’s the first of what Tech hopes is just three games before the best-of-three championship series. Here’s why.
Texas Tech’s Easiest Path to the Title Series
The WCWS, like the regionals and the super regionals, requires team to lose two games to be eliminated. For those that keep winning, their path gets easier. So, for Texas Tech, winning the opener against the Bulldogs is imperative.
By winning that game, the Red Raiders stay out of the loser’s bracket. If Tech continues to win it would only need to win three games to get to the championship series. It would also get a day off between each game, keeping pitchers NiJaree Canady and Kaitlyn Terry well-rested.
This was the path Tech took last year. The Red Raiders beat Ole Miss, UCLA and Oklahoma to advance to the championship series, where they lost to Texas in three games.
A loss to MSU would require Texas Tech to play the next day in a game it would have to win to stay alive. Only after winning that elimination game would Tech get a day off.
From that, point, the Red Raiders would need to keep winning to get to the best-of-three title series. That path would require them to play five games because they would eventually face a team without a loss on their side of the bracket — either Texas or Tennessee — and would need to beat them twice to advance to the championship series.
Women’s College World Series
May 28 – June 4/5
Devon Park in Oklahoma City, OK
(all times central)
Thursday, May 28
Game 1 | 11 a.m. | No. 3 Texas Tech vs. No. 5 Mississippi State | ESPN
Game 2 | 1:30 p.m. | No. 1 Texas vs. No. 2 Tennessee | ESPN
Game 3 | 6 p.m. | No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 2 UCLA | ESPN2
Game 4 | 8:30 p.m. | No. 1 Nebraska vs. No. 2 Arkansas | ESPN2
Friday, May 29
Game 5 | Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 6 p.m. on ESPN2 (elimination game)
Game 6 | Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 loser, 8:30 p.m. on ESPN2 (elimination game)
Saturday, May 30
Game 7 | Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 2 p.m. on ABC
Game 8 | Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 6 p.m. on ESPN
Sunday, May 31
Game 9 | Game 8 loser vs. Game 5 winner, 2 p.m. on ABC (elimination game)
Game 10 | Game 7 loser vs. Game 6 winner, 6 p.m. on ESPN2 (elimination game)
Monday, June 1
Game 11 | Game 7 winner vs. Game 9 winner, 11 a.m. on ESPN
Game 12 | Game 7 winner vs. Game 9 winner, 1:30 p.m. on ESPN (if necessary)
Game 13 | Game 8 winner vs. Game 10 winner, 6 p.m. on ESPN2
Game 14 | Game 8 winner vs. Game 10 winner 8:30 p.m. on ESPN2 (if necessary)
Wednesday, June 3
Remaining Two Teams from Games 11-14 Play in best-of-three series
Championship Series Game 1 | 7 p.m. on ESPN
Thursday, June 4
Championship Series Game 2 | 7 p.m. on ESPN
Friday, June 5
Championship Series Game 3 | 7 p.m. on ESPN (if necessary)
