Texas Tech WCWS Loss Ends in Handshake Controversy

This is the second time Texas Tech is involved in some sort of controversy surrounding the post-game handshake line in this NCAA tournament.

After the 11-seeded Red Raiders upset No. 6 Florida in the Gainesville Super Regional, the Gators chose not to participate in the customary showing of sportsmanship. That could be due to potential tension involving Mia Williams, the Texas Tech second baseman who transferred from Florida and was hit by a pitch five times in the series against her old team.

Then on Saturday in the Women's College World Series, Taylor Pannell, a Lady Vol last season, had an alleged dust-up with Tennessee coach Karen Weekly after the Red Raiders fell 2-1 to the Tennessee Volunteers in an extra-innings pitching duel featuring some of the biggest names in the sport.

Pannell claims that Weekly, during the handshake line, told her she had made the wrong decision to transfer.

"We were walking through the [handshake] line, and she said that I made a mistake instead of saying, 'Good game,' which is kind of crazy," Pannell said in the post-game press conference. "Like, celebrate with your team. I just think it's funny she's still thinking about it. It's old news. Whatever."

When asked about it in her presser, Weekly denied the allegation, calling it an "outright lie," according to Knox News.

"If you rewatch the tape of the handshake line, you're going to see me go just as fast by her as anybody else," Weekly said. "I didn't even know where she was in the handshake line. ... I said, 'Good game,' like I said to every other player."

The controversy now casts a shadow over what was a great pitching performance on both sides.

The Vols got on the board first off a solo home run by Taelyn Holley off of NiJaree Canady, who had come in in relief of starter Kaitlyn Terry.

Texas Tech would answer in the top of the seventh with Desirae Spearman flying out to center field and Pannell tagging up from third. After initially being ruled out, the Red Raiders challenged the call, which was overturned as Pannell went untouched sliding past the catcher safe at home plate.

In the bottom of the ninth, Terry, Texas Tech's first-team All-American utility star, gave up Tennessee's fifth hit of the game, a walk-off home run by Emma Clarke.

The Red Raiders' strong offense matched with only five hits themselves. Terry pitched 4.1 innings, giving up three hits and a run. Canady accounted for 3.2 innings, two hits, and one run allowed.

The first-team All-American pitching tandem for Tennessee, Karlyn Pickens and Sage Mardjetko, both appeared. Pickens threw 6.2 innings, allowed all five Texas Tech hits, and walked three while striking out six. Mardjetko held the Red Raiders hitless in her 2.1 innings to fend off a rally before Clarke's game-ender.

"I thought it was a really good softball game," Texas Tech coach Gerry Glasco said. "Tip your hat to Tennessee, they won. They shut our offense down the way that I don't think we've been shut down like that in the postseason. I thought their defense made several really nice plays, especially in big situations. I thought their defense came up big for them.

"We left eight runners on. In nine innings, we need to have more than five hits. I thought we gave away some important at-bats, especially leading off the innings. When we got runners in scoring position, I don't think we valued the at-bats as much as we should on the offensive side."

Glasco says he was not aware of the situation between Pannell and Weekly.

"I thought everything was normal," he said. "It happened behind me. So I don't know exactly what happened."

Texas Tech now prepares to face No. 8 seed UCLA. The Bruins, who have hit an NCAA record 206 home runs this season, were beaten by top-seed Alabama 6-3 to begin the WCWS. UCLA fended off elimination by blowing out Arkansas 11-0 in five innings on Saturday.

The elimination game is scheduled for 6 p.m. on ESPN.