Texas Tech Opens WCWS With 8-0 Run-Rule Win Over Mississippi State
After scoring 62 runs across the Regional and Super Regional rounds, Texas Tech’s high-powered offense carried that momentum straight into Oklahoma City.
The Red Raiders opened the 2026 Women’s College World Series with the first run-rule win in program history at the event, rolling past Mississippi State 8-0 Thursday morning at Devon Park behind another dominant outing from NiJaree Canady and an offense that wasted no time delivering.
“Being a pitcher, I feel like it allows me to attack batters, especially when we got to four runs right off the bat,” Canady said. “One home run isn’t going to hurt us right now. It gives me confidence because I know I can go right at hitters.”
Texas Tech never scored more than four runs in a game during its entire 2025 run to the championship series. This year’s team matched that total by the end of the second inning.
A very familiar sight to last year however was Canady immediately establishing control in the circle. After inducing a first-pitch groundout to begin the game, the now four-time All-American right-hander struck out the next two Mississippi State hitters in a nine-pitch first inning before the offense ever came to the plate.
“I thought NiJa came out, the very first inning she had two strikeouts,” head coach Gerry Glasco said. “She set the tone.”
The offense followed right behind her.
Mia Williams opened the bottom of the first by getting hit by a pitch — continuing a trend from the Florida Super Regional where she wore five pitches — before Jackie Lis stepped in for her first career Women’s College World Series at-bat.
Two pitches later, Lis launched a two-run homer to left field and the Red Raiders had an early 2-0 lead.
“If we learned nothing else from last weekend, when your teammate gets hit, you take that personally….and you step up for your team in those moments,” said Lis to Holly Rowe postgame.
One day after earning All-American honors, one of the more under-the-radar portal additions in the country had her Oklahoma City moment immediately. The Southern Illinois career home run leader looked anything but overwhelmed. She is simply, built for it.
“We practiced a lot of sitting on her off-speed,” Lis said about the matchup with the lefty Alyssa Faircloth who entered the game with a 2.19 ERA during the Bulldogs postseason run. “I was making sure to see the ball up. Change-ups are going to drop. So just making sure that if she throws something hard at me, I get a flat barrel on it.”
And of course true to her nature she was quick to turn it back to the team.
“I was more excited we scored first because I knew that was going to be huge for us,” Lis said. “I was more focused on getting around the bases and celebrating with my team.”
And yes, for those wondering her now famous golden retriever puppy Peanut deserves some credit too. Lis joked after the game that her golden retriever has been good luck ever since making a family deal tied to her reaching 10 home runs earlier this season.
“Ever since we made that deal, I’ve been on a tear,” Lis said. “I like to credit a lot of it to Peanut, yes.”
Texas Tech kept pouring it on in the second inning.
Mihyia Davis started the frame with an infield single before Lauren Allred ripped her 11th double of the season down the left field line to score Davis and make it 3-0. Williams followed with her team-leading 23rd double of the year to bring home another run and chase Mississippi State starter Aspen Faircloth from the circle after only 1.1 innings.
“I always keep either Lauren or somebody right behind her [Davis],” Glasco said. “Since they were freshmen, Mihyia is one and Lauren is three. They just work together so well. I like that combination down there. It makes us very powerful at the bottom of our order.”
Davis finished 2-for-3 with an RBI while also covering ground all over center field, making several difficult catches look routine. Allred added a double and RBI as the longtime Glasco recruits — both of whom played for him at Louisiana before following him to Lubbock — continued producing in Oklahoma City.
“It’s definitely sad that this is coming to an end,” said the senior Davis about her connection with Glasco and Allred. “I’m trying to just enjoy the season, enjoy the moments.”
Glasco became emotional afterward while discussing Davis and what the veteran outfielder has meant to him throughout four seasons together.
“She’s just a money player. I’ve been so lucky to be with her for four years,” Glasco said before pausing. “I don’t know what I’ll do next year when I have to write that lineup without Mihyia Davis in it. She means so much to me.”
With four runs behind her almost immediately, Canady attacked hitters aggressively allowing only two hits and one walk across four shutout innings while throwing just 47 pitches. Her All-American partner in the circle Kaitlyn Terry closed things out with a perfect fifth inning before Texas Tech finished off the run rule in the bottom half putting up four runs to end it.
And throughout it all, Devon Park was echoing with Raider Power chants from the large contingent of Texas Tech faithful tha packed the stands despite the 11am Thursday start.
“I was laughing yesterday, like we’re the villains of America,” Glasco said. “I’m telling you, we’re the Cinderella of Lubbock, Texas. They love us in Lubbock, Texas. We’re right there with Buddy Holly right now.”
Texas Tech will now face the winner of Texas and Tennessee on Saturday at 2 p.m. with a spot in the semifinals on the line.
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