NiJaree Canady, Texas Tech softball hold off UCLA to reach WCWS semifinals

Gerry Glasco stepped over from his third-base coaching box to prepare his runner, Makayla Garcia, for what he was about to ask her to do.

“If we get to two strikes, I want you to go,” the Texas Tech coach told her. “I just want you to take off and go.

“Kamikaze.”

Texas Tech batter Victoria Valdez got her second strike, and on the next pitch, Garcia followed Glasco’s directions.

Garcia broke for home plate at the same time Demi Elder took off for second, and UCLA catcher Alexis Ramirez never saw Garcia coming. Ramirez tossed the ball back to the pitcher just before Garcia’s headfirst slide into the plate.

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The run didn’t secure a victory for Texas Tech, but it claimed every ounce of momentum, which carried over to freshman Hailey Toney’s solo home run and the final innings of superstar pitcher NiJaree Canady’s dazzling effort.

The 12th-seeded Red Raiders finished off a 3-1 victory over ninth-seeded UCLA in winner’s bracket play at the Women’s College World Series on Saturday at Devon Park.

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Now, Texas Tech’s first-ever appearance in the WCWS is one win shy of the championship series — thanks in no small part to the blind commitment of a pinch-runner playing on the biggest stage of her life.

“It took a lot of nerve to trust me right there,” Glasco said. “It could’ve easily looked really silly. But that’s a gamble you have to take at this level.

“It’s not something we practice. I told her, just trust me. I’ll be the one that takes the blame at the press conference.”

Executing the play perfectly, Garcia slid safely between Ramirez’s legs as the catcher stood up to call for the ball.

“I had to trust him in that moment,” said Garcia, a sophomore from Lubbock, Texas. “I trust him. He’s a great coach.

“It had to work in our favor and luckily it did. It got all the momentum in our dugout to let NiJa do her thing and let our offense take confidence to the plate. It was just a crazy moment to slide between someone’s legs at the World Series.”

Even UCLA’s response, a solo home run by Kaniya Bragg in the bottom half of the inning, didn’t dampen the Red Raider momentum.

Toney, a freshman from Magnolia, Texas, launched a solo home run in the top of the sixth to give Texas Tech a 2-1 lead, and pinch-hitter Raegan Jennings singled in a run in the seventh to give Canady an extra bit of cushion.

That was key when UCLA put two runners on with no outs in the bottom of the seventh. But with the winning run at the plate, Canady got a popout to second base, a strikeout and a game-ending groundout to lock down the win.

Texas Tech will be back in action at 6 p.m. Monday against the winner of Sunday’s elimination game between second-seeded OU and 16th-seeded Oregon.

UCLA will face seventh-seeded Tennessee at 2 p.m. Sunday in an elimination game.

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Middle 7: Texas Tech 3, UCLA 1 | Raegan Jennings’ RBI single gives Red Raiders an insurance run

Raegan Jennings drove home Alana Johnson with a two-out, RBI single to give the Red Raiders a 3-1 lead.

Jennings was thrown out trying to steal second to end the inning.

Tech is three outs away from reaching the WCWS semifinals Monday.

—Jeff Patterson, Sports editor

End 6: Texas Tech 2, UCLA 1 | NiJaree Canady shuts down Bruins in sixth

Three up. Three down. Three outs to go for NiJaree Canady and the Red Raiders.

—Jeff Patterson, Sports editor

Middle 6: Texas Tech 2, UCLA 1 | Hailey Toney homers to put Red Raiders back up a run

Taylor Tinsley got two quick outs before Hailey Toney reclaimed the lead for Tech with a home run to right.

Alexa Langeliers was thrown out trying to steal second to end the inning.

It’s Tech 2-1 with Canady and the Red Raiders needing just six more outs to advance to the WCWS semifinals.

—Jeff Patterson, Sports editor

End 5: UCLA 1, Texas Tech 1 | Kaniya Bragg homers off NiJaree Canady to tie it up

It didn’t take long for the Bruins to answer the Red Raiders.

Kaniya Bragg blasted a lead-off homer off NiJaree Canady to right field to get the Bruins on the board.

Canady responded with three quick outs.

—Jeff Patterson, Sports editor

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Middle 5: Texas Tech 1, UCLA 0 | Makayla Garcia steals home to give Red Raiders a lead

After four no-hit innings, the Red Raiders finally broke through in the top of the fifth.

Lauren Allred led off with a single for the Red Raiders’ first hit off Taylor Tinsley.

One out later, NiJaree Canady doubled to right field, but Allred was held at third base.

Allred was thrown out at home one batter later on Demi Elder’s ground out, sending pinch runner Makayla Garcia to third in the process.

With Victoria Valdez at the plate, Garcia broke for home on a double steal, sliding safely under catcher Alexis Ramirez.

Valdez grounded out to end the inning.

—Jeff Patterson, Sports editor

End 4: Texas Tech 0, UCLA 0 | NiJaree Canady keeps rolling

It’s another three-up, three-down inning for NiJaree Canady and the Red Raiders.

—Jeff Patterson, Sports editor

Middle 4: Texas Tech 0, UCLA 0 | Red Raiders still hitless

Texas Tech hitters sent a couple balls to the outfield, but all for naught. Taylor Tinsley continues to hold the Red Raiders hitless through four innings.

Tinsley has allowed just one baserunner, who reached when getting hit by a pitch.