Texas Tech tops UCLA 3-1 behind Canady's pitching to reach Women's College World Series semifinals

OKLAHOMA CITY — NiJaree Canady gave up just four hits and struck out seven, and Texas Tech defeated UCLA 3-1 on Saturday to reach the Women's College World Series semifinals for the first time.

The Red Raiders (52-12) need one win against Oregon or Oklahoma on Monday to reach the best-of-three championship series.

UCLA (55-12) is still alive in the double-elimination format. The Bruins will play Tennessee in an elimination game on Sunday.

Saturday's contest matched programs with very different histories. UCLA has a record 12 World Series championships while Texas Tech just won its first World Series game on Thursday in its first ever trip.

''It feels amazing, just this being our first time here as a team and just being able to get to the semifinals," Canady said. "I feel like, it's a huge accomplishment by itself, but obviously we're not finished. We're going for the whole thing like every other team here. But it's definitely something to be proud of.''

Canady has plenty of World Series experience. She led Stanford to the semifinals the past two years and eliminated UCLA from the World Series last year before transferring to Tech.

Canady ran into trouble against UCLA a few times on Saturday before coming through, like she did so many times before in a Cardinal uniform.

''I guess you've got to start everything with NiJa in the circle," Tech coach Gerry Glasco said. "She's just so fantastic, and I thought she pitched a gem of a game.''

UCLA loaded the bases with one out in the second, yet Canady, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association's Pitcher of the Year, escaped without allowing a run.

Texas Tech's Makayla Garcia stole home in the fifth to open the scoring. She slid between UCLA catcher Alexis Ramirez's legs to score the run.

''Coach Glasco told me, ‘Hey, we're gonna go and we're going to take a chance,''' Garcia said. "And I had to trust him in that moment, and I trust him -- he's a great coach. And so I was like, ‘You know what? We're gonna do it.' And it had to work in our favor. And luckily it did.''

UCLA's Kaniya Bragg answered with a solo homer in the bottom of the inning.

Hailey Toney's solo blast in the sixth put Tech ahead 2-1 and Raegan Jennings' RBI single in the seventh made it 3-1.

UCLA got two on with no outs in the seventh, and Canady again avoided damage.

''We just found a way to win," Glasco said. "And that's kind of what we've become. We pride ourselves on being a mentally tough team, a resilient team that can go out under pressure and play defense when we have to play defense in tight moments.''

Taylor Tinsley took the loss. She went the distance and gave up three runs on four hits.

Tinsley said the Bruins are ready to move on.

''I feel like the big thing with this team is we have a really short-term memory,'' she said. ''Each play is kind of like in the past. This game is already as old as dirt for us, so we're just ready to get back out there.''

___

AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports