Texas Tech crushed Mississippi State 8-0 behind Jackie Lis’ early homer and NiJaree Canady’s dominant WCWS opener in Oklahoma City.
Texas Tech softball didn’t tiptoe into the Women’s College World Series; it kicked the door open.
Behind a first-inning blast from Jackie Lis and another ruthless outing from NiJaree Canady, Texas Tech crushed Mississippi State 8-0 in a run-rule win on Thursday at Devon Park.
It was fast, loud and exactly the kind of opening statement a national title contender wants in Oklahoma City.
The Red Raiders improved to 58-7 and moved into the winner’s bracket, where they’ll face Tennessee at 2 p.m. Saturday.
Mississippi State, now 43-20, drops into an elimination game against Texas on Friday.
Tech wasted no time setting the tone.
Canady retired Mississippi State in order in the top of the first, needing only nine pitches and striking out two.
Then Mia Williams took one for the team to start the bottom half, and Lis made the Bulldogs pay with a two-run homer to left.
Just like that, it was 2-0 before Mississippi State could breathe.
Lis finished 2-for-3 with three RBI, while Williams, Kaitlyn Terry, Mihyia Davis and Lauren Allred also drove in runs.
Davis added two hits, and Williams and Allred each doubled as Texas Tech finished with seven hits.
Canady was exactly what she’s been all season: a problem. She threw four scoreless innings, allowed two hits, struck out three and improved to 26-6.
Even bigger picture, her career numbers are getting ridiculous. She’s now 101-23 with 1,103 strikeouts and is playing in her fourth straight WCWS.
Terry handled the fifth with a clean inning on just seven pitches, then helped finish the game with an RBI single during Tech’s four-run bottom half.
That final frame turned the opener from comfortable to savage. Williams walked, Lis singled her home, Terry brought in Lis, Davis added another RBI single and Taylor Pannell scored on a throwing error to trigger the run rule.
Now Texas Tech gets rest, rhythm and control of its side of the bracket. In Oklahoma City, that’s gold.
