Kenzie Brown Silences Texas Tech as Red Raiders Fall in Big 12 Championship
Arizona State rode the arm of All-American Kenzie Brown and a four-run third inning to hand No. 3 Texas Tech a 4-0 loss in the Big 12 Tournament Championship on Saturday morning at Devon Park.
“I said all year, I thought last year she was the most talented pitcher and moved the ball up and down the running strike zone the best of any pitcher we saw the entire season last year,” Gerry Glasco said of Brown postgame. “So it doesn’t surprise me to see her have this moment.”
For just the fourth time this season, the Red Raiders were shut out, managing only two hits against Brown, who struck out nine and walked three in a complete-game performance.
Texas Tech (52-6) had chances early to seize momentum. Jackie Lis and Jasmyn Burns drew back-to-back walks in the first inning before Kaitlyn Terry lined out sharply to shortstop to end the threat. An inning later, Taylor Pannell opened the second with a double to right center, but the Red Raiders stranded her there as Brown escaped the inning with consecutive strikeouts.
After the game, Glasco pointed to those missed opportunities as the turning point before Arizona State’s offense broke through.
“I think if she doesn’t make that play, I feel really confident we could have won the game,” Glasco said of the first-inning defensive stop on Terry’s line drive. “Then we led that very next inning off with a double. I think that’s where we let the momentum turn.”
Arizona State’s head coach agreed.
“Yeah Kaitlyn Terry is a great hitter if they get that we may be chasing them,” Megan Bartlett said. “Then it’s a game of momentum to see if we can get it back.”
ASU finally cracked through in the third inning when Tanya Windle launched a solo home run to right field to open the scoring. Immediately after the homer, Glasco made the unusual decision to pull NiJaree Canady from the circle and send her to the bullpen while Kaitlyn Terry entered to pitch.
Glasco explained afterward the move was not injury related, but instead an attempt to let Canady regroup and rediscover her changeup.
“My idea was give her time to go to the bullpen,” Glasco said. “Change-up didn’t seem to be working. My idea was give her time to go to the bullpen, get her change-up working, and bring her back in.”
The move did not stop the momentum. A Texas Tech throwing error extended the inning before Emily Schepp hit a two-run homer and Katie Chester followed with another blast to stretch the lead to 4-0.
Canady later returned to the circle and settled the game down, allowing just one hit over the final 3.1 innings while finishing with 10 strikeouts. Glasco praised the All-American ace for battling back after the chaotic inning.
“She came back in, when she came back in, she was really good the rest of the game,” Glasco said. “That wasn’t easy to stop the momentum they had.”
But Brown never allowed Texas Tech’s offense to find life. The Arizona State right-hander mixed speeds effectively throughout the afternoon and consistently forced the Red Raiders deep into counts. Texas Tech struck out nine times and advanced only one runner past second base all game.
“She was commanding the zone a lot better,” Lis said. “We just kind of lost our discipline a little bit. She is a really good pitcher. We always know that she’s going to come right at us.”
Despite the shutout, Glasco said the loss could ultimately help his team heading into NCAA Tournament play, especially in learning how to respond when trailing.
“As a team and as a ball club, we have to learn to play from behind better,” Glasco said. “The fight of my ball club is a reflection of me.”
Texas Tech earned four sports on the All-Tournament team with Jackie Lis, Mia Williams, NiJaree Canady and Kaitlyn Terry all earning a nod. They will all now await Sunday’s NCAA Tournament Selection Show to learn its postseason destination after finishing the Big 12 Tournament runner-up.
The selection show will air at 6pm CT on ESPN 2.
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