Texas Tech survived and thrived through plunked batters, weather delays, bugs and a rowdy Gainesville crowd to punch a ticket to its second straight Women\u2019s College World Series. They did it in dominating fashion, refusing to back down until their opponent finally broke, handing Florida its first home postseason run-rule loss in program history with a 16-7 victory.<\/p>\n
\u201cProud of my team. We knew it was going to be a war. We knew it was going to be a slugfest,\u201d Gerry Glasco said afterward.<\/p>\n
For the first three innings, it played out exactly that way.<\/p>\n
Texas Tech struck first with three runs in the opening inning. Florida answered with four of its own. The Red Raiders came back with another four-run response and the Gators immediately countered with three more. Back and forth it went as tensions began to build to a fury.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/USATSI_29049251.jpg\")
Texas Tech second baseman Mia Williams (1) gets Florida infielder Kenleigh Cahalan (31) out at second during game 3 of the super regional of the NCAA Division 1 softball championship at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Sunday, May 24, 2026. [Alan Youngblood\/Gainesville Sun]<\/p>\n
The Mia Williams storyline only added to the emotion surrounding the afternoon.<\/p>\n
The former Florida player entered Sunday already having been hit by four pitches in the series. She was plunked again to open the game, immediately igniting the Texas Tech dugout.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlaying against my former team…mentally coming into this, I knew it was gonna be a dogfight,\u201d Williams said. \u201cI told my team they needed to have my back this weekend\u2026.they always have my back I love them for life.\u201d<\/p>\n
A weather delay of nearly two hours paused a game that already felt chaotic, but Texas Tech never seemed to lose its edge.<\/p>\n
When Williams stepped back into the batter\u2019s box following the delay, she finally got a pitch to attack.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo the first pitch I didn\u2019t get hit,\u201d Williams said with a smile. \u201cI was like, \u2018Okay, here we go. I\u2019m gonna get a strike two.\u2019 Hitters count. I said, \u2018You know what this is gonna be \u2014 the one.\u2019 It was.\u201d<\/p>\n
Williams sent the go-ahead home run over the wall and Glasco made sure afterward to go to bat for one of his stars.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a normal thing in this day and age for athletes to transfer. It happens every day,\u201d Glasco said. \u201cWe want to make a big deal out of it? That\u2019s uncalled for. Proud of my team for having her back.\u201d<\/p>\n
He continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor her to take the walk or another hit by pitch, I think she just got hit five times on the first pitch. Then when they did pitch to her, she took the challenge and hit it out. She won every battle that was thrown her way today and I\u2019m really proud of her.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Florida showed plenty of fight themselves to tie it once again at 7-7. It was Taylor Pannell who gave Texas Tech a lead they would not relinquish on a solo shot to push ahead 8-7.<\/p>\n
The same Pannell, who fittingly said after Saturday\u2019s loss that Texas Tech needed to stop playing on its back heels, backed it up in the biggest game of the season. She would go on to launch two home runs, joining th senior Jackie Lis who did the same. <\/p>\n
\u201cI wanted to do it for my team, do it for Mia, and just prove yesterday wasn\u2019t the way we play,\u201d Pannell said. \u201cI was just going up there trying to get a good pitch.\u201d<\/p>\n
Glasco was quick to shout out Pannell as well. <\/p>\n
\u201cUnbelievable game,\u201d Glasco said of her performance. \u201cSuch a great player and such a great leader.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/USATSI_29049218.jpg\")
Texas Tech celebrates their 16-7 won over Florida during game 3 of the super regional of the NCAA Division 1 softball championship at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Sunday, May 24, 2026. [Alan Youngblood\/Gainesville Sun]<\/p>\n
While the bats kept rolling, Glasco and his staff had everyone talking about their use of their star pitching duo.<\/p>\n
Canady and Kaitlyn Terry rotated in and out of the circle throughout the afternoon, using the advantage of having two pitchers capable of remaining in the lineup offensively. At one point ESPN\u2019s broadcast crew even questioned if a future rule should limit the tactic.<\/p>\n
For Glasco, the difference was simple.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe biggest difference in the game was we have two All-American pitchers in Kaitlyn Terry and NiJa Canady,\u201d Glasco said. \u201cThey stepped up today. We had a place to go when it got 7-7.\u201d<\/p>\n
Terry said the constant switching was never something created on the fly.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s something that we prepared for,\u201d Terry said. \u201cWe did this earlier in the season, and it\u2019s something that me and NiJa just bounce off of.\u201d<\/p>\n
Canady said having the lineup continue producing also took pressure off both pitchers.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like we were all stringing hits together,\u201d Canady said. \u201cMe and KT just working in, that takes pressure off just one of us.\u201d<\/p>\n
By the fifth and final inning, Texas Tech led 16-7 and a day led by everyone on the field and in dugout, ended in yet another road win over a lower seed to earn their spot in Oklahoma City.<\/p>\n
Or maybe daWgout is more appropriate.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were just playing for each other,\u201d Canady said after the game. \u201cOur leadoff batter gets hit\u2026 They didn\u2019t want to shake hands at the end of the game. We\u2019re playing for each other.\u201d<\/p>\n
For a group of players that have a lot of World Series experience the moment was still just as special. <\/p>\n
\u201cChills,\u201d Williams said \u201cYou say it and I get chills. Every time someone makes it to Oklahoma City, instant tears and chills.\u201d<\/p>\n
Canady, who is headed to her fourth WCWS in four years, added perspective on just how difficult the moment really is to reach.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t just happen to end up in Oklahoma City,\u201d Canady said. \u201cIt\u2019s hard.\u201d<\/p>\n
Texas Tech will look to carry that fire to Oklahoma City for a second straight Women\u2019s College World Series appearance. They will open play Thursday at 11am CT against Mississippi State after the Bulldogs knocked off Oklahoma in a winner-take-all Game 3 of their own.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/USATSI_29049236.jpg\")
Texas Tech infielder Jackie Lis (00) celebrates making the winning out on first base during game 3 of the super regional of the NCAA Division 1 softball championship at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Sunday, May 24, 2026. [Alan Youngblood\/Gainesville Sun]<\/p>\n
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