Texas Tech is headed back to the Women’s College World Series after surviving Florida in a 16-7 blowout Sunday in the decisive Game 3 of the Gainesville Super Regional. The Red Raiders turned a tight, delayed game into a runaway, using a barrage of home runs and a late relief effort from NiJaree Canady to close out the Gators.
Mia Williams helped set the tone early and again after the weather delay. She was hit by a pitch in the first inning, then later scored on Jasmyn Burns’ single to left field as Texas Tech built a 2-0 lead. Burns drove in both Williams and Jackie Lis on that same play, and Taylor Pannell added a lineout to left field that brought home Hailey Toney for a 3-0 advantage.
Florida answered in a hurry. Kendall Grover doubled to center field to score Taylor Shumaker and Jocelyn Erikson, trimming the deficit to 3-2, and Kenleigh Calahan followed with a two-run home run that flipped the game to a 4-2 Florida lead. Kaitlyn Terry had allowed three runs on four hits in 0.2 innings pitched before Canady came on in relief.
Then lightning stopped the game and pushed the restart to about 1:50 p.m., and the break seemed to reset Texas Tech more than Florida. Williams launched a two-run home run after the delay to put the Red Raiders back in front 5-4. Jackie Lis followed with a two-run shot of her own to make it 7-4, and Florida turned to Keagan Rothrock after she had already worked two innings and allowed eight runs on six hits.
Florida was not done. Ava Brown tied it again with a three-run home run to make it 7-7, but Texas Tech answered immediately. Pannell hit a solo home run on a 3-1 count to restore an 8-7 lead, then Lis blasted her second home run of the day, a three-run shot that pushed the margin to 11-7. Pannell later added a second home run, a two-run drive that made it 12-7 and broke the game open for good.
Leah Stevens took over in the circle for Florida, and Allison Sparkman relieved her after Stevens had pitched 1.1 innings and allowed four runs on four hits with two strikeouts. Canady finished the job in the bottom of the fourth after Florida loaded the bases, getting the final out to preserve Texas Tech’s control and end the threat.
The victory gave No. 11 Texas Tech a 2-1 series win after it beat Florida 10-8 in Game 1 and lost 10-2 in Game 2. For No. 6 Florida, the loss ended a comeback bid after it had forced the decisive third game by splitting the first two contests. For Texas Tech, the result delivered what it came for: a return to the Women’s College World Series and a shot at a second straight trip to Oklahoma City.
