NiJaree Canady Throws Perfect Game on Senior Day as Texas Tech Reaches 50 Wins
It’s hard for NiJaree Canady to do much that she hasn’t already done to this point in her goat defined career but on Saturday she did just that tossing her first career perfect game.
On a senior day that doubled as a celebration of everything Texas Tech softball has become, Canady led No. 2/4 Texas Tech to an 8-0 run-rule win over Baylor in five innings at a sold-out Tracy Sellers Field. A series clinching win that moved the team to 50-5 the first in the country to reach fifty wins and the first time Tech has done so as a program in the regular season.
It also extended the ridiculous career conference series record from head coach Gerry Glasco to 67-0 all-time.
All of which was a two-hour Red Raider showcase to the world, on ESPN, and in front of a sellout crowd that included the Masked Rider’s pregame run. Canady was untouchable. She retired all 15 batters she faced, striking out seven of the first nine batters and needing just 62 pitches to complete the gem.
“I don’t even know how you put it all in words,” head coach Gerry Glasco said about what Canady and this senior class mean to him and this program. “They took a program that was just another program and made us the softball program. We’re on national TV, sellout crowd… they’re electric to watch. They’ll always be the foundation of our program.”
From the first inning, Canady set the tone. She struck out the side to open the game, immediately signaling that the response after the previous night’s deflating late-inning collapse and loss would be clear. Canady with her trademark stomp so hard it knocked off her mask in the first inning was a clear sign of that early intensity.
“Determination,” he said. “She wasn’t a happy camper… the game taught us some things, and we learned from it.”
Behind her, the offense wasted no time backing it up.
Texas Tech (50-5, 21-3 Big 12) erupted for four runs in the first inning, highlighted by Jasmyn Burns’ grand slam that cleared the left field bleachers. It was her fourth home run in as many games. The Red Raiders added two more in the third on Lauren Allred’s two-run homer, that sailed over the right-field bleachers, and closed it out in the fifth with a two-RBI double from Hailey Toney.
The run support was more than enough for Canady, who never allowed a ball to leave the infield with authority and kept Baylor guessing all afternoon. Eight of her nine strikeouts came swinging, a reflection of how overpowering her full arsenal was.
“I think me and Coach Tara [Archibald] were on the same page… and Vic [Valdez] behind the plate, she’s always incredible, I owe a lot to her.” Canady said.
Senior days happen all over the country. But this one was different. It was a legend of the sport and a legend of the program leaving her mark on the program she helped build to relevance.
“I feel like today was a big day… just to come out and win on senior day means a lot,” Canady said.
It did mean a lot NiJa, to everyone, and Red Raider nation will never be able to thank you or this senior class enough.
But they aren’t done yet. Postseason play starts next week at the Big 12 tournament in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Time to make some more history.
Photo Gallery: Texas Tech Senior Day vs. Baylor
Photos taken by Erica Martinez, RedRaiderSports | Seeing Scarlet
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