FINAL: Texas Tech 2, Florida State 1
For the first time in program history, Texas Tech softball is heading to the Women’s College World Series.
The Red Raiders took down Florida State for the second time in as many days with a 2-1 win in Game 2 of the Tallahassee Super Regional, completing the sweep and securing their first-ever trip to Oklahoma City. Behind clutch hitting, steady defense, and another efficient outing from NiJaree Canady, Texas Tech delivered one of the biggest wins in school history—and on the road, no less.
It marks a massive milestone for first-year head coach Gerry Glasco, who now has the Red Raiders riding a 50-win season straight into OKC.
Here are three takeaways from Friday’s historic win:
1. NiJaree Canady Throws Another Gem
The Red Raiders came into Tallahassee as the underdog, but they never looked like it. With Canady in the circle, Texas Tech dominated this series from the first pitch to the last. Even in the final frame of the series, when it felt the Noles might be putting momentum together, Canady and the defense slammed the door shut.
Canady was brilliant again, allowing just three hits and one earned run on the day, bringing her two-game stat line against a Florida State offense to look like this:
14.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
Her dominance was almost so impressive that it’s hard to put into words, but perhaps the best way to summarize it is like this: Canady had to throw less than 12 pitches per inning in this Super Regional matchup against one of the best offenses in the country.
2. Florida State Felt the Pressure from the First Pitch
When you have a talent like Canady in the circle, one or two runs is almost guaranteed to produce a win—especially when she’s at her best. That not only gives her team confidence at the plate, but it also forces opponents to be mindful of every ball that’s put into play. That caused major issues for Florida State this weekend.
Florida State committed seven total errors over two games, two of which allowed the Red Raiders to score runs in the opening inning of both games. Giving Canady a lead on Thursday and Friday only turned up the heat on the Seminoles, and it was clear from the beginning that they were feeling it.
That’s a trend to watch going into OKC, too, as Canady will be the most dominant arm in the field.
3. Full Circle Moment for Gerry Glasco
With the win, Texas Tech becomes the newest Big 12 team to reach the WCWS, joining the league’s national elite. It’s a breakthrough moment—and one that signals this program’s ceiling is rising fast under first-year head coach Gerry Glasco. From the moment that he landed Canady out of the transfer portal, Texas Tech was considered a threat to make it to OKC, and now, he’s brought history to Lubbock.
The Red Raiders are the first team to clinch their spot in the field, and they’ve proven that they not only belong, but they might be one of the teams to beat with the best player in the sport wearing black and red. The Big 12 regular season champs, tournament champs, and now Tallahassee Super Regional champs are headed to OKC, and they’ll be looking to add one more piece of hardware to the trophy case before the offseason.
Up Next:Texas Tech advances to the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City. They’ll face the winner of the Fayetteville Super Regional between Ole Miss and Arkansas—the Rebels took Game 1 with a 9-7 win on Friday. Game times will be announced on Sunday when the field is complete.
