WCWS Game 2: Texas Tech evens series with 4-3 win, setting up decisive Game 3

The 2025 Women’s College World Series will go to a third and deciding game after Texas Tech evened the best-of-3 matchup with a 4-3 victory on Thursday night.

Red Raiders pitcher NiJaree Canady struck out Longhorns outfielder Kayden Henry to send the series to a decisive game on Friday night. Texas had a runner on third after an Ashton Maloney groundout. But Canady ended the game on three consecutive pitches.

Texas pitcher Cambria Salmon hit Texas Tech’s Alana Johnson with the bases loaded to break a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth inning.

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The Red Raiders then added another run on a wild pitch that went too low for Longhorns catcher Reese Atwood to block.

The Longhorns cut the lead to 2-1 in the top of the sixth on a solo home run by Mia Scott. But Texas Tech’s NiJaree Canady struck out Atwood and got Joley Mitchell to foul out to third base to maintain the lead.

Texas Tech added two runs in the bottom of the sixth. An error by Texas pitcher Citlaly Gutierrez fielding a chopper by the Red Raiders’ Victoria Valdez gave the Red Raiders runners on first and third base.

Longhorns coach Mike White then brought in pitcher Teagan Kavan, hoping to end the Texas Tech scoring threat. But Bailey Lindemuth hit a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Makayla Garcia for a 3-1 lead.

Mihyia Davis followed up with a line drive that Joley Mitchell couldn’t field at first base for Texas. Valdez ran through a stop sign at third base to score Texas Tech’s fourth run of the game.

Texas rallied to nearly tie the game

In the bottom of the seventh, Red Raiders shortstop Hailey Toney couldn’t field Katie Mitchell’s hard chopper. Canady then hit Victoria Hunter with a pitch to bring Leighann Goode to the plate as the tying run with no outs.

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Goode drove in Toney with a double to cut the deficit to 4-2. The sinking liner just eluded Demi Elder’s diving attempt at a catch in left field.

Texas cut the lead to 4-3 on a sacrifice fly by Katie Cimusz and Goode was the tying run on third base. But Canady got Kayden Henry to swing and miss to end the game.

Canady went the full seven innings for the Red Raiders, giving up 3 runs (two earned) with 6 hits, 2 walks and 6 strikeouts. On the offensive side, Davis batted 3 for 4 with an RBI.

For Texas, Salmon took the loss, allowing two runs and three hits in her three innings. Gutierrez allowed the other two runs, but both were unearned. Scott hit 2 for 2 with her home run.

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Game 3 between Texas Tech and Texas is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on Friday night. Presumably, Canady will pitch again for the Red Raiders, while Kavan will get the nod for the Longhorns with a national championship at stake.

Here is how the action played out in Yahoo Sports’ live blog of Game 2.