UCLA facing WCWS elimination after comeback sputters in loss to Texas Tech
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OKLAHOMA CITY — UCLA had plenty of opportunities Saturday to avenge last season’s early departure from the Women’s College World Series.
But the Bruins, who walked off with a win against Oregon early Friday morning, failed to duplicate the same magic against a familiar foe — Texas Tech’s NiJaree Canady — as the sun began to set on Devon Park.
Canady, the hard-throwing former Stanford ace who reached the national semifinals twice with the Cardinal and knocked out UCLA in 2024, pitched a four-hitter with seven strikeouts and two walks to help secure a 3-1 win for the Red Raiders and a spot in Monday’s semifinals.
Jessica Clements hits a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift UCLA to victory in its first game at the Women’s College World Series.
The Bruins stranded five runners against Canady — three in the second inning and two more in the seventh — and fell victim to a steal of home they didn’t see coming.
Back-to-back singles by Alexis Ramirez and Rylee Slimp to lead off the seventh gave UCLA hope against Canady. But Kaniya Bragg popped out to second, pinch-hitter Sofia Mujica struck out and Slimp was tagged out to end the game.
“Hard-fought battle, and they played their game,” UCLA coach Kelly Inouye-Perez said. “I prepared our girls that they would do whatever it takes to be able to get a run on the board, but didn’t prepare them for the opportunity to steal home. With that, gutsy. It worked.
“But I’m proud of my team. I’m proud of how they fought. I’m proud of how they played. We did what we do, and the quality at-bats that we had, the ability to put balls in play, and great teams put themselves in a position to win, and we were one swing away from winning that ballgame again.”
The Bruins (55-12) now must travel a different path if they are going to challenge for a 13th national title. UCLA plays Tennessee on Sunday at noon (PDT) and must win to extend its season.
Taylor Tinsley (15-5) pitched a four-hitter with one walk and two strikeouts for UCLA, which scored on a solo home run by Bragg, a freshman, in the fifth to tie it.
“It’s honestly an honor just to be a part of this team and just being able to play with all these amazing players and also being able to play against them,” Bragg said. “Just like having the confidence in myself and knowing that somebody else is going to have my back if I don’t have my own just gives me the confidence to like be able to know that I can do it, and if I don’t, somebody else will.”
Texas Tech (52-12) needs just one win to reach the championship series. The Red Raiders, in their first World Series appearance, will face either four-time defending champion Oklahoma or Oregon, who play Sunday.
“I guess you’ve got to start everything with NiJa in the circle,” Texas Tech coach Gerry Glasco said. “She’s just so fantastic, and I thought she pitched a gem of a game. I thought she did a tremendous job against a very good hitting team. And in a World Series strike zone, I thought she was outstanding.”
Canady, last season’s USA Softball collegiate player of the year for Stanford, entered the transfer portal and signed a $1 million NIL deal to head to Texas Tech.
She sailed through the first inning but struggled in the second against UCLA. Megan Grant walked, Slimp bunted for a single and Bragg walked to load the bases with one out. Canady responded by striking out Taylor Stephens on a change-up and getting Kaitlyn Terry to ground into a force play at home to end the threat.
Tinsley pitched no-hit ball through four innings. But Lauren Allred singled to lead off the fifth for Texas Tech’s first hit before Canady helped herself with a double down the right field line to put runners at second and third with one out. The next hitter, Demi Elder, grounded to first and Allred was tagged out trying to score. Pinch runner Makayla Garcia then stole home to give the Red Raiders a 1-0 lead.
With Victoria Valdez at the plate, Garcia took off from third base apparently unnoticed by catcher Ramirez, who threw the ball to Tinsley before Garcia slid through her legs to to reach the plate.
The advantage was short-lived. Bragg homered to right field off Canady in UCLA’s half of the inning to even the score. But Tech answered with a solo homer by Hailey Toney to retake the lead, and then added some insurance in the seventh with an RBI single by Raegan Jennings to make it 3-1.
The Bruins enter the Columbia Super Regional after their sluggers had 13 RBIs in winning their own regional; they have combined for a record 161 this season.
Now the Bruins turn their sights toward Tennessee and their hard-throwing pitcher, Karlyn Pickens.
“I let them be them,” Inouye-Perez said. “A big part of it is the energy and the belief and the excitement. This is a fun tournament. It’s not about you have to win and you have to clutch up. Yes, we know that, it’s captain obvious. Your ability to have fun and enjoy this. You’re here. You’re celebrating playing on the biggest stage, and they’ve earned the right to be here. So I let them be them.
“That’s my goal is getting the team to settle in to play their game. With the youth, it’s important to keep them loose and not get caught up in what just happened, what just happened, and we kind of get to the next pitch. When you see that, that gives me great confidence as a coach that we’re going to settle in and play our game.”
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