OU Softball: Oklahoma’s National Title Streak Ends as Sooners Fall to Texas Tech

OKLAHOMA CITY — For the first time in four years, college softball will have a different national champion.

After the No. 2 Sooners tied their WCWS semifinal game against No. 16 Texas Tech in the top of the seventh inning, the Red Raiders walked off in the bottom of the frame to win 3-2.

The loss ends Oklahoma’s four-year national championship streak.

"Just extremely proud of this team, who they are, first, and what they do second," OU coach Patty Gasso said. "One of my favorite years of all time, I must say."

Oklahoma had no luck against star Texas Tech pitcher NiJaree Canady — until the seventh inning.

With two outs and two strikes and a 2-0 deficit, outfielder Abby Dayton hit a two-run home run to tie the game and force Texas Tech to play the bottom half of the inning.

Dayton had just two home runs entering Monday's game. Her heroic homer was a prime example of why Gasso enjoyed the season so much.

"They've done some miraculous things," Gasso said. "And you just witnessed one that happened not long ago with the walk-off with two strikes and it being Abby Dayton. So their ability to believe has been unbelievable this season."

The Red Raiders, though, didn’t let it sink them.

Texas Tech put runners on second and third with one out. And Lauren Allred hit a fly ball to right field, allowing Mihyia Davis to score the winning run.

"I honestly think it was like a very cinematic way to go out," OU infielder Cydney Sanders said. "God's presence was shown."

Canady allowed only five hits in the winning performance, striking out eight Sooners. In three games at the WCWS, Canady has allowed just one run.

While Texas Tech is playing in its first WCWS, this isn’t Canady’s first time in Oklahoma City.

She previously pitched at Stanford, where she led the Cardinal to back-to-back WCWS trips in 2023 and 2024. Before the tournament, Canady won NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) Pitcher of the Year for the second season in a row.

Oklahoma pitcher Sam Landry threw well — but a few mishaps in the second inning allowed the Red Raiders to pull forward.

After Texas Tech’s Alana Johnson reached base with a leadoff walk, Demi Elder drove her across with a triple. Before the Sooners recorded the third out, Bailey Lindemuth brought Elder home, giving the Red Raiders a two-run cushion.

The early deficit marked Oklahoma's fourth game in a row trailing.

The Sooners recovered from the deficits in their wins against Tennessee and Oregon. They did so again on Monday but allowed the Red Raiders to pull forward again in the seventh, sealing the loss.

Landry got credited with the loss, pitching all seven innings for OU. She allowed three earned runs on six hits and three walks, striking out six Red Raiders.

The loss comes against Texas Tech coach Gerry Glasco, who has been a thorn in OU’s side the last two seasons.

Glasco previously coached at Louisiana-Lafayette, which ended the Sooners’ 71-game winning streak on March 3, 2024. He also previously coached Landry, who transferred to Oklahoma after the 2024 season.

Oklahoma finishes the season 52-9. This is the Sooners’ first time not winning the national championship since 2019, and it’s their first time not reaching the WCWS championship series since 2018.

The Sooners opened the 2025 WCWS with a 4-3 walk-off win against Tennessee before losing 4-2 to Texas in the winners bracket. OU beat Oregon 4-1 on Sunday in an elimination game to advance to the semifinals.

"Just looking around at some of these connections and just the growth was so fast and so furious, but so beautiful to watch," Gasso said. "It really, really was. I don't know, it was pretty amazing. I'm at a loss for words because it was so far beyond anything that I thought this season would be like and so incredibly proud of them."

Texas Tech, a first-time WCWS participant, will battle No. 6 Texas in the best-of-three championship series. Games 1 and 2 will be played on Wednesday and Thursday, with an if-necessary Game 3 slated for Friday.