GAINESVILLE, Florida (KCBD) – The Texas Tech Red Raiders start the Gainesville Super Regional series against the Florida Gators with a 10-8 win.
Texas Tech can clinch its spot in the Women’s College World Series with a win at 11:30 a.m. CT on Saturday.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Gators would strike first with runners on first and second, Kendall Grover singled to left field scoring Ava Brown for the 1-0 lead.
With two outs in the top of the fourth inning, the Red Raiders would tie things up at 1-1 off a Hailey Toney RBI double off the left field line that stayed fair to score Kaitlyn Terry from second.
Texas Tech would continue that momentum and take the lead when Lagi Quiroga followed up Toney’s RBI double with an RBI double of her own to third base bouncing off the Florida glove for the 2-1 lead over the Gators.
Three back-to-back RBI doubles for Texas Tech would give the Red Raiders the 3-1 lead courtesy of a Mia Williams’ grounder to third base bouncing off the Florida Gator glove again.
Terry would keep the Gators from adding any runs in the bottom of the fourth with two strikeouts.
Florida would bring in relief pitcher, Olivia Miller for Keagan Rothrock who went four innings, allowing five hits, giving up three runs with one strikeout.
Toney would get on first followed by Mihyia Davis singling to put two on for the Red Raiders in the top of the fifth inning.
Lauren Allred, picking up right where she left off from last weekend against Ole Miss, hit a three-run home run out to center field to give the Red Raiders the 6-1 lead.
Quiroga would extend Texas Tech’s lead to 7-1 with a solo home run over the scoreboard.
Florida would put in their second relief pitcher, Katelynn Oxley, after Miller pitched for .2 innings allowing four hits giving up two runs.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Florida would strike back with a two-run home run from Brown for her second hit of the game and the Gators would capitalize off back-to-back home runs to make it a 7-4 ballgame but Logan Halleman catches a flyout for the third out to limit any more damage.
Jasmyn Burns would lead off for the Red Raiders with a hit out to centerfield with Halleman coming into pinch run for Burns, followed by Taylor Pannell being walked off a hit by pitch. Davis would hit a grounder with Florida getting Pannell out at second to put runners on the corners for Texas Tech.
Allred followed up with a single to shallow left field to score in Halleman as the Red Raiders took the 8-4 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Florida would have their third home run courtesy of Madison Walker making this one an 8-5 ball game.
NiJaree Canady took over for Terry in the sixth inning after the Gators hit their third home run on the day to cut the Tech lead to 8-5.
Canady hit the first batter she faced then allowed a hit but then struckout the next two batters. However, Brown launched the game-tying home run over the fence to tie it up at 8-8 going into the 7th inning.
After Quiroqa drew a walk, Williams would get Texas Tech some payback as she launched a two-run homer to take the 10-8 lead with no outs in the top of the seventh.
Florida would put in Leah Stevens as the third relief pitcher for Oxley who pitched 1.1 innings, allowing three hits with two runs. Stevens would get the three outs she needed.
Canady would allow one hit then strukeout the next batter, grabbed a flyout to right field and a popout at third base to end the game.
She gets the win after pitching two innings, allowing three hits and striking out three Florida batters.
Copyright 2026 KCBD. All rights reserved.