Texas Tech Run-Rules Ole Miss, Returns to Super Regional

Texas Tech didn’t need another miracle Sunday. One day after authoring the largest comeback in NCAA Tournament history, the Red Raiders left no room for drama.

With an eight-run third inning turning Tracy Sellers Field into another celebration, Texas Tech rolled past Ole Miss 14-2 in five innings to claim the Lubbock Regional championship and punch its ticket to a second straight Super Regional — only the second Super Regional appearance in program history. The latest milestone also pushed the Red Raiders to a program-record 55 wins as the climb from rebuilding project to national contender continued.

“I’m thrilled with my team, thrilled with my players,” Gerry Glasco said. “I thought KT came out and gave us a great start today. Our defense didn’t make an error the entire weekend, and I want to give Coach Hunter Veach a lot of credit for having our defense ready to play in the regional. I want to give our pitchers credit because they’ve been so good all year, and I’m really proud of the hitters. We made a threat in the first inning, didn’t get the run in, but didn’t let it faze us. Then we got two in the second and eight in the third. I thought it was a good statement that we made.”

Texas Tech scored 14 runs on 14 hits and buried Ole Miss with an offensive avalanche after opening the game with pressure from the first inning on. The Red Raiders finally broke through in the second when Jackie Lis delivered a two-run single, then turned the third into a knockout punch with eight runs that effectively ended the regional.

After Ole Miss starter Emilee Boyer carried a no-hitter into the fifth a day earlier, Texas Tech adjusted its approach and attacked much earlier in counts.

“I mean, she’s an amazing drop-ball pitcher,” Lis said. “She’s going to come right at you and try to get you to just ground out or chase something out of the zone. We just wanted to get on her earlier this time instead of getting behind in the count. We wanted to show her, ‘We’re going to get on you today.’”

Lis finished with five RBI, tying the program record for RBI in a single postseason game.

The Southern Illinois transfer had made it to this final day of a regional before as a freshman when the Salukis nearly upset LSU. Now, in her senior season with Texas Tech, she finally gets the chance to play in a Super Regional, even better it’s alongside her longtime youth travel-ball teammate NiJaree Canady.

“It’s very special, especially during my senior year,” Lis said. “With a former travel ball teammate that you know, we never planned like, ‘Oh, we’re going to get to play with each other again.’ I’ve watched her do it from afar. So now it’s amazing that I finally get to be a part of it with her.”

The reunion even came full circle Sunday.

“Our travel ball coach was here at this game, so that was fun,” Canady said.

Glasco called Lis invaluable to the program, praising far more than her production at the plate.

“Maturity, intelligence, grit, toughness and then tremendous ability,” Glasco said when asked what she has meant to the team.

He went on to tell a story about how he didn’t start her in the first games of the year, telling her he expected her to be a starter come postseason but for now he trusted as a senior she could handle coming in as a sub. She never complained, worked, and quickly earned a starting job she never relented just as Glasco expected.

“She was a player from the beginning that I knew was special. She earned her spot on this team. I didn’t give it to her. And because of that, I think she’s more confident in her ability today.”

While Lis delivered the biggest offensive day, Kaitlyn Terry again quietly controlled the game in multiple ways once again as she has all season.

Terry moved to 24-1 after allowing just two runs across four innings while adding two hits and an RBI at the plate. Her steady start helped Texas Tech immediately carry over momentum from Saturday night’s comeback.

“I thought KT came out and gave us a great start today,” Glasco said.

Mihyia Davis continued adding to her own historic season as well. The centerfielder finished 3-for-3 with two RBI and three runs scored while stealing her 37th base of the season, setting a new Texas Tech single-season record.

A senior herself that was a huge part of building this program to where it is joining last year as a transfer. Two others in Canady and Vic Valdez from that group were “off” today but Glasco knew he had to give them one final moment at Tracy Sellers Field.

With the crowd standing and chanting each of their names as they stepped to the plate as pinch hitters. Canady ripped a two-run double. Valdez followed by drawing a walk before both seniors eventually took the field for the game’s final defensive inning. Canady then moved into the circle to record the final outs of Texas Tech’s regional championship.

Canady admitted afterward that she and Valdez were laughing as they walked to the plate with the crowd roaring behind them.

“Me and Vic were joking about it actually,” Canady said. “We were like, ‘Okay, the whole crowd’s yelling. We got to find a way to get on base.’”

She also reflected on what the Lubbock crowd has meant throughout the season.

“Even yesterday when we were getting beat 8-0, there were still fans there,” Canady said. “They were still cheering us on. Just being able to be a part of this community means a lot.”

The question of why Glasco made those substitutions nearly brought him to tears.

Before answering, Canady reached over and joked, “Are you going to cry on us?” drawing laughter before Glasco gathered himself.

“For me, it’s respect,” Glasco said.

“I know what NiJaree meant to this program. For her to trust me and come here when we were building this thing, that’s enormous. And then Vic’s been with me for four years. Her role changed this year and it wasn’t easy, but every day she’s been an unbelievable teammate.”

Then Glasco delivered one final line that summed up the moment.

“I thought the crowd should riot if I don’t get NiJaree Canady out there and let her have that opportunity.”

Instead the crowd got one more Raider Power with Canady, Valdez and the rest of this team following Regional Championship win. Their second in as many years after never having done it in the program’s existence before.

It feels a bit unfair that that is the last time they will play here but they’ve traveled this road before. Next weekend in Gainesville against No. 6 Florida, they’ll be looking to do what they did last year and clinch a birth to the Women’s College World Series.