Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
UCLA
Tech, UCLA set for WCWS elimination game
May 31, 2026 | Softball
OKLAHOMA CITY – No. 11 Texas Tech and No. 8 UCLA are set to clash in a Women's College World Series elimination game at 6 p.m. tonight on ESPN at Devon Park with their seasons and a Monday night matchup against No. 1 Alabama on the line. The Red Raiders (58-8) have not lost back-to-back games all season and are looking to respond and advance after a 2-1 extra-inning loss against No. 7 Tennessee on Saturday while the Bruins (53-9) bounced back from a 6-3 loss against the Crimson Tide on Thursday with an 11-0 victory over Arkansas on Friday to set up Sunday's matchup.
"I know they're a great hitting team, a great offensive team," Texas Tech coach Gerry Glasco said. "I know they've got a great pitcher that's throwing a lot for them. I know they're well-coached. I know they've got a lot of momentum. I watched the game with Arkansas. That was a great offensive performance and great all-around performance by UCLA. They have momentum. When the game starts, the first couple innings are going to be really important."
Tech and UCLA are meeting in OKC for the second straight WCWS after the Red Raiders earned a 3-1 last season in the second round. The Bruins are 5-1 against the Red Raiders in the all-time series but were stifled last season by NiJaree Canady who earned the win after striking out seven and scattering four hits in the win. Tonight's winner advances to play top-seeded Alabama which has opened the WCWS with the 6-3 win over UCLA and then securing a 5-1 win over Nebraska on Saturday. Tech will need to beat the Bruins tonight and then take two games from the Crimson Tide on Monday night to advance to the WCWS championship series for the second straight season.
The Red Raiders lead the nation with 640 total hits this season and rank third with 137 home runs and a .380 team batting average. The team ranks second with 620 total runs and has recorded a national-leading 37 run-rule victories this season. Tech is led by a program-record four NFCA All-Americans in Kaitlyn Terry, Canady, Mia Williams and Jackie Lis while senior Mihyia Davis also earned all-America honors from D1Softball and Softball America. Williams leads the Red Raiders with 24 home runs, 24 doubles and 83 RBI while Lis has hit 21 home runs and has 74 RBI after hitting a two-run shot in the first inning in the win over Mississippi State in the team's WCWS opener. Williams comes into tonight's game ranking second nationally in doubles, third in runs scored, seventh in the RBI category and ninth with her 24 home runs. Davis tops Tech and is fourth nationally with 95 hits and 37 stolen bases and Terry is hitting a team-best .448 and has 15 doubles, 10 home runs and 56 RBI. The Red Raiders have hit a program-record 137 home runs this season and features a lineup with eight players hitting 10 or more, including Jasmyn Burns (17), Desirae Spearman (13), Taylor Pannell (12), Lagi Quiroga (12) and Lauren Allred (10). Davis led Tech against Tennessee by going 2-for-4 at the plate but was stranded on base three times in a game where the Red Raiders left eight on base in the loss.
Terry (24-2) played her first two seasons at UCLA where she went 41-8 and recorded 333 strikeouts and a 2.50 ERA in 73 pitching appearances (50 starts). This season with Tech, Terry owns a 1.67 ERA and has recorded 162 strikeouts through 138 2/3 innings of work. Canady (26-6) earned the win against Mississippi State on Thursday in OKC after throwing four scoreless innings and striking out three. She is now 101-23 in her career with 1,106 strikeouts, including striking out three Lady Volunteers on Saturday in 3 2/3 innings of relief where she allowed one run and two hits. Canady is a three-time consensus all-America and has played in the WCWS four straight seasons. She comes into tonight's game with 232 strikeouts and a 1.74 ERA through 41 appearances (28 starts) this season. Terry and Canady both rank in the top-10 nationally this season in victories and top-15 in ERA.
UCLA stayed alive in the WCWS with an 11-0 win over Arkansas on Friday after scoring nine runs in the second inning and finishing the game with three home runs to extend its NCAA record with 206 home runs this season. UCLA, which swept through UCF in the Super Regionals to advance to OKC but opened the WCWS with a 6-3 loss to No. 1 Alabama on the first day, had three NFCA All-American selections with Megan Grant and Jordan Woolery earning first team selections and Rylee Slimp taking third team. Grant has set a new NCAA single-season record with 42 home runs this season, including hitting one against Alabama and Arkansas in her first two games in OKC. She now has 91 career homers which is the UCLA program record. Along with Grant, Garcia hit her 22nd home run of the season and Berry hit her fifth in the win over the Razorbacks. Woolery leads the Bruins with a .492 batting average and comes into the game against Tech with 34 home runs and 112 RBI while Slimp is hitting .423 with 17 home runs and has scored a team-high 97 runs in 62 games played.
Taylor Tinsley scattered three hits and struck out three in five scoreless innings in the run-rule shortened win over Arkansas. Tinsley improved to 33-7 with the win and comes into the matchup against Tech with 186 strikeouts, a 3.07 ERA and 26 complete games. She has made 32 starts and 47 appearances to lead the Bruin pitching staff, including earning two wins over UCF in the Super Regional with 11 strikeouts in the win to advance to the WCWS.
The Texas Tech-UCLA game will follow a matchup between Texas and Nebraska which is set for 2 p.m. this afternoon. The Longhorns and Cornhuskers find themselves in the same position as the Red Raiders and Bruins – needing a win to advance in the tournament where their game's winner will play Tennessee at 11 a.m. on Monday.
The double-elimination championship final is set to begin at 7 p.m. on Wednesday with each game on ESPN.Â
