Oklahoma’s Reign Ends: Texas Tech Advances to WCWS Finals
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma’s run of four straight Women’s College World Series titles ended when Lauren Allred’s walk-off sacrifice fly gave Texas Tech a 3-2 victory in the semifinals on Monday night.
The Game-Changing Moment
Coach Patty Gasso’s Sooners (52-9) were down to their last strike in the top of the seventh inning when Abigale Dayton summoned a bit of magic, hitting a tying two-run homer against Red Raiders ace NiJaree Canady. It was just her third longball of the season.
But the Red Raiders (53-12) responded quickly in the bottom half. Mihyia Davis singled with one out and Hailey Toney followed with a double. Allred hit a flyball to right field and Sydney Barker’s throw to the plate was wide, allowing Davis to score easily.
Texas Tech Advances to the Finals
Texas Tech, in its first trip to the WCWS, will play Texas in the best-of-three championship series starting Wednesday. The Longhorns reached the finals for the third time in the past four years. They lost to Oklahoma in 2022 and 2024.
Oklahoma had won nine straight elimination games.
Canady’s Impressive Performance
Canady lost the shutout but got the win. She is the two-time reigning National Fastpitch Coaches Association Pitcher of the Year and was the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year last season.
Formerly with Stanford, Canady signed a name, image and likeness deal worth more than $1 million to go to Texas Tech.
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Conclusion
The Oklahoma Sooners’ reign as Women’s College World Series champions has come to an end, as Texas Tech’s Lauren Allred hit a walk-off sacrifice fly to give the Red Raiders a 3-2 victory in the semifinals. Texas Tech will now face Texas in the best-of-three championship series starting Wednesday.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who won the game between Oklahoma and Texas Tech?
A: Texas Tech won the game 3-2 with a walk-off sacrifice fly by Lauren Allred.
Q: Who will Texas Tech play in the championship series?
A: Texas Tech will play Texas in the best-of-three championship series starting Wednesday.
Q: How many straight elimination games had Oklahoma won before losing to Texas Tech?
A: Oklahoma had won nine straight elimination games before losing to Texas Tech.
