Diamond Debrief: No. 2 Texas Tech Responds to Win Series Over No. 14 Arizona
The series didn’t start how No. 2 Texas Tech wanted it too, but it finished just like it has ever single conference series Gerry Glasco has coached in his career: with a a series win. Glasco is now 62-0 as a head coach in conference series after Texas Tech brushed off a tough 9-0 run-rule loss on Friday to run-rule No. 14 Arizona in back-to-back games during Saturday’s doubleheader. The Wildcats had entered the game with nine straight run-rules of their opponent’s before Tech flipped the script on them to move to 27-2 (5-1) on the season.
“It was good for us,” said Glasco about Friday’s loss following the doubleheader sweep on Saturday. “It was not something I ever want to do again but it was good for us. We didn’t have that warrior mentality yesterday and today we had to have that. You have to fight harder than you’ve fought all year. We don’t lose series.”
The Red Raiders head back out on the road this week for midweeks with Stetson on Tuesday and No. 10 Florida State Wednesday before another Top 25 Big 12 series at No. 22 UCF starting Friday.
How it Happened
Game one vs. Arizona, Friday (Texas Tech 9-0 L, 5inn): Game one of the series actually started out with some of the best stuff we have seen from NiJaree Canady this season, something her head coach echoed himself, as four of the first six outs for Arizona came via the strikeout from Canady. Then she started the third with her fifth strikeout of the game before an error by Hailey Toney at shortstop allowed a runner to reach and the Wildcats grabbed that sliver of momentum and turned it into a five run top of the third off two home runs and a double. Texas Tech seemed to be threatening in the fifth starting the inning with runners on second and third, no outs…..but the execution was not there and no runs came across. The momentum swing of getting out of the jam seemed to fuel Arizona to four runs in the fifth off a Grace Jenkins grand slam to push the game to 9-0 where it would end. Sam Lincoln did come on to throw a scoreless inning, a note that would become important heading into the weather induced double header on Saturday.
Game two vs. Arizona, Saturday (Texas Tech 14-6 W, 6 inn): Kaitlyn Terry got the start and if the hope was Texas Tech taking control quickly…that is not at all how it played out with Arizona mashing a two-run homer in the first to go up 2-0. Terry helped her own cause with a solo shot to left in the bottom half of the first, but the West Texas Wind wasn’t playing favorites as Arizona mashed another home run in the top of the second to take a 5-1 lead. After how game one went, Tech could have folded but the bottom of the second became the turning point of the game – and perhaps the season – as the Red Raiders refused to roll over. Taylor Pannell started it off with a solo home run and was followed by Desirae Spearman joining the home run derby herself three batters later. A little small ball havoc would score Toney on a wild pitch and Tech was suddenly up 6-5.
“I knew it was critical not to let them feel sorry for themself,” said Glasco of the mood in the dugout down 5-1. “I coached them harder than ever, be mad at me instead of feel sorry for themselves. I was really getting on them when they were down I knew if they just played their ball they would win. To get down and take the lead that was a big moment for our ball club. Kind of a season defining moment. It’s a team with a bunch of new girls that have to learn how to play as a team and I thought today they did a great job of playing as a team. I was really proud of them.”
Light work from there right? Not so fast, the derby continued when the Wildcats got a solo home run from Sydney Stewart in the top of the third to tie the game at 6-6. Then the sophomore lefty Sam Lincoln entered the circle and suddenly found a way to do something neither pitcher on either side could to that point…keep the ball in the yard. She shut down the Wildcats for 2.1 innings, allowing only two hits and no runs. Terry would come back in to close out the win after the Red Raider bats carried Lincoln’s momentum to the plate and busted it open on their way to a 14-6 six-inning run rule win, capped by a walkoff bomb from Lauren Allred.
“Sam was really good, that was a great moment for her,” said Glasco. “Her first win over a top 15 team. A huge moment for our team to see her come in after the two veterans had their chance and shut down that offense in that moment, there’s nothing easy about that”
Game three vs. Arizona, Saturday (Texas Tech 8-0 W, 5 inn): With all the momentum on their side Canady stepped into the circle for a shot at redemption after Friday’s loss. Glasco said he thought she had some of her best stuff on Friday, it just didn’t work out that way on the scoreboard. It happens he said but he was not concerned by how his ace would rebound and she dominated the Wildcats going five innings, allowing only two hits and no runs. Meanwhile Tech scored in each of the second, third, and fourth innings on the back of small ball and balance throughout the lineup before Terry smashed her third home run of the day to push the game to a 8-0 lead. Canady needed no more as she closed it out in the top of the fifth to seal the series win.
“Funny game yesterday she made some of the best pitches she has the entire year,” said Glasco. “I didn’t think her game was as bad as the scoreboard. I thought she had some moments in there that were the best NiJa we’ve seen all year so I knew if we could get to game three with her fresh we would be in great shape.”
In the Circle
- Game one:
- NiJaree Canady: 4IP, 6 H, 9 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 8 K L (9-2)
- Sam Lincoln: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
- Game two:
- Kaitlyn Terry: 3.2 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
- Sam Lincoln: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, W (5-0)
- Game three:
- NiJaree Canady: 5IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, W (10-2)
At the Plate
- Game one:
- Taylor Pannell: 1-2, 2B
- Kaitlyn Terry: 1-2, BB
- Game two:
- Kaitlyn Terry: 2-3, 3 R, 3 RBI, 2 HR, BB
- Taylor Pannell: 3-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR, BB
- Jasmyn Burns: 3-4, RBI
- Game three:
- Kaitlyn Terry: 1-2, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR, BB
- Mihyia Davis: 2-3, 1 R, RBI, SB
- Desirae Spearman: 1-1, 2 R, RBI, BB
That Stat
16-0. After Arizona scored nine (four earned) off Canady on Friday and started the first game of the doubleheader on Saturday with six off Terry, Texas Tech turned to sophomore Sam Lincoln to stop the momentum. She shut the door in her 2.1 innings of work and Tech outscored Arizona 16-0 after that the rest of the day. Terry and Canady both came in to shut the Wildcats down in their innings to follow Lincoln as well.
That Was Fun
Gerry Glasco just knows how to win series and it’s now 62-0 in his career in conference series. He has also now won a series 10 times after losing game one per Texas Tech athletics. The Red Raiders will put that record to the test as they hit they road for a Top 25 matchup with UCF in Orlando.
What’s Next: Florida Road Trip
Texas Tech heads back out on the road this week for midweek matchups with Stetson on Tuesday and No. 10 Florida State Wednesday before another Top 25 Big 12 series at No. 22 UCF starting Friday.
Photo Gallery: No. 2 Texas Tech vs. No. 14 Arizona Softball
About the author:
Shelby Hiliard has worked in sports media since graduating with dual master’s degrees from Texas Tech in 2014. She joined Red Raider Sports as a writer in 2025 and is also the host of Texas Tech Sports podcast “Seeing Scarlet” on YouTube.
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