Women’s College World Series: Texas Tech, Oklahoma first teams to advance from super regionals

The first two teams in the Women’s College World Series are set, with Texas Tech and Oklahoma riding to victory in the softball super regionals.

Texas Tech, a 12-seed, became the first team to punch its ticket to the Women’s College World Series with a super-regional sweep of No. 5-seeded Florida State on Friday. Oklahoma, the seven-time NCAA champs, joined them on Saturday with a mercy-rule sweep over Alabama.

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NiJaree Canady, who transferred to Texas Tech from Stanford for the largest-ever softball NIL deal, led the way for the Red Raiders, pitching seven innings each in Games 1 and 2, allowing just one total run. Canady added a hit, RBI and a walk in Game 1. Texas Tech finished the regular season No. 11 in the USA Softball rankings.

After a 3-0 win over the Crimson Tide on Friday, the Sooners punched their ticket with a 13-2 win on Saturday, with the matchup ending after five innings due to the college softball mercy rule. Freshman shortstop Gabbie Garcia hit two two-run homers, including one that kicked off a nine-run third inning for Oklahoma.

It will be Texas Tech’s first appearance in the WCWS. For Oklahoma, however, it’s familiar territory: The Sooners have appeared in the world series 18 times since 2000, winning four straight championships in the past four years.

South Carolina, who won Game 1 of its series against UCLA 9-2 thanks to catcher Lexi Winters’ 3-RBI performance, had a chance to clinch its spot on Saturday. But the Bruins had another idea, with junior Jordan Woolery slugging a two-run walk-off homer to keep UCLA’s world series hopes alive. The Gamecocks and Bruins will now face off for Game 3 on Sunday.