Vintage NiJaree Canady Makes WCWS History, Leads Texas Tech Softball Back to Championship Series

The senior pitcher appeared in an NCAA record 19th WCWS game against Alabama.

Texas Tech pitcher Nijaree Canady (24) celebrates getting a strikeout in the first inning of the second softball game between Texas Tech and Alabama at the Women’s College World Series at Devon Park in Oklahoma City, on Monday, June 1, 2026. | NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Texas Tech Red Raiders became the 12th team in Women's College World Series history to lose their first game, fight through the loser's bracket, and reach the championship series.

Texas Tech beat Alabama twice on Monday by scores of 5-4 and 2-0 to set up a rematch of the 2025 championship series against the Texas Longhorns which begins Wednesday.

NiJaree Canady was in vintage form for the if-necessary game as she was nearly untouchable, allowing just two hits and one walk. She also made history, appearing in her 19th WCWS game.

The win that sent us back to the WCWS Championship!

Game 2 vs. Alabama Highlights 🎥 | Tech 2, Alabama 0 pic.twitter.com/tWg2O0HIXY

— Texas Tech Softball (@TexasTechSB) June 2, 2026

“That was the 2025 version of NiJa Canady,” head coach Gerry Glasco said.

Canady struck out six Crimson Tide batters and pitched her first complete game of the NCAA Tournament. She also became the fourth pitcher in college softball to record a shutout at the WCWS in four different tournaments.

"I don't have any doubt that was her best performance of the year," Glasco said. "That's a great confidence builder for our team and NiJa to go into the finals with that effort."

The senior's struggles coming into the semifinals didn't go unnoticed. In eight NCAA Tournament appearances, she had given up 21 runs on 28 hits over 22.1 innings. If there was any doubt that she might not be able to get it done against the No. 1-overall seed, she put it to bed.

“Obviously, this postseason hasn't gone the way I wanted it to go,” Canady said. “I feel like I haven't been my best. But like Coach Glasco said, it's about when you peak. I don’t know, if I’m going to be good, at least it’s toward the end of the year.”

Oh @CanadyNijaree, you're REALLY good!! pic.twitter.com/LJq44dF7zC

— Texas Tech Softball (@TexasTechSB) June 2, 2026

It was just the second time that Alabama had been shut out this season.

"I think she just controlled the zone really well," said Alabama senior Marlie Giles, who homered off Canady in the first game. "She started off getting a lot of first pitch strikes and then would make us chase, whether that was change, whether that was up in the zone. She's a really good pitcher, and she had a really good game against us, and we just didn't adjust fast enough.

In the first game, Mia Williams was the hero once again for the Red Raiders, hitting a walk-off home run. A game-tying two-run home run from Taylor Pannell set up her moment.

The game-winner in the second game belong to Jasmyn Burns, who gave Texas Tech a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning with a solo blast of her own.

Before 2025, Texas Tech had never appeared in the WCWS, now the Red Raiders join Texas A&M as the only two programs to reach the championship in their first two trips to the WCWS.

"This is a big reason why we all came here," said Kaitlyn Terry, who transferred to Texas Tech from UCLA after losing to the Red Raiders in Oklahoma City in 2025. "The job's not finished."