For the Texas Tech Red Raiders, the name of the game is survival. And on Sunday night in Oklahoma City, they survived.
The Red Raiders managed to eke out a 8-7, nine-inning win over UCLA which eliminated the Bruins and allowed them to move onto to Monday’s action, where they will play for a spot in the best-of-three championship series.
The win was Tech’s second straight extra-inning game. Kaitlyn Terry’s double to left-center scored Taylor Pannell to break the tie in the ninth inning. Then, Mihya Davis brought home a second run when she reached base on a fielding error. While Dee Spearman was thrown out at second base to end the inning, Terry scored before the play and the Red Raiders were up two runs.
The insurance was necessary. UCLA scored a run in the bottom of the ninth before NiJaree Canady closed out the game’s final two outs.
Here are three thoughts on the game.
Power at the Plate
Mia Williams and Mihyia Davis had exceptional nights at the plate. Williams went 3-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored. That included a home run. Davis went 3-for-6 with a run scored. It’s the kind of power you expect from the duo. It’s a big reason why the Red Raiders had a 6-3 lead going into the seventh inning.
But it wasn’t just the pair at the top of the order. Pannell had two hits and drove ina run as she scored what turned out to be the go-ahead run in the ninth. Haile Toney gave Texas Tech two important hits and scored a run. Jasmyn Burns had one hit, but it was a big one — a home run.
Eight different Red Raiders had hits in the game, and it kept the Bruins playing catch-up all night.
But UCLA Did Catch Up
Before the heroics in the ninth inning by Texas Tech, the Bruins were down three runs going into the final frame. The Red Raiders had everything arranged. Terry was on the mound, and Canady was at first base. Tech was hoping that Terry would be the one that could shut things down.
It wasn’t to be. Terry allowed a solo home run to lead off the inning. That forced coach Gerry Glasco to flip Terry for Canady in the circle to try and close out the game. That didn’t work either. Canady gave up a two-run home run that tied the contest and send it to extra innings.
There are some of the top hitting teams in college softball. Mistakes are expected in the circle. But it underscored the propensity the Red Raiders have shown for giving up home runs since super regionals. It cost them against Tennessee on Saturday. Texas Tech managed to overcome it against UCLA.
What’s Next?
The task only gets harder from here. With the victory, Texas Tech advances to a game with Alabama at 7 p.m. on Monday. The Red Raiders must win that game to force another game with the Crimson Tide to get into the best-of-three championship series because Alabama has not lost a game yet in the WCWS.
The Red Raiders knew it was going to be a hard path to get back to the championship series after losing to Tennessee on Saturday. Beating UCLA was only the first step.
