Texas Tech knocked off No. 1 Alabama to punch its ticket back to the Women’s College World Series championship series Monday night, closing out a semifinal that stretched to a decisive second game. The 2-0 shutout win sets up a rematch of last year’s title round against No. 2 Texas, which earlier in the day beat No. 7 Tennessee twice to survive elimination and reach its third straight championship series.The Red Raiders, who had already pushed the series to a winner-take-all Game 2 behind Mia Williams’ walk-off home run in its first semifinal game, carried that momentum into the finale and held off an Alabama team that entered the day unbeaten in the postseason. NiJaree Canady once again anchored the effort in the circle, helping No. 11 Texas Tech close out the Crimson Tide and return to the championship stage for the second straight year.Canady allowed just two hits and one walk over seven shutout innings. Texas Tech broke through in the fourth inning when Jasmyn Burns homered to center field. The Red Raiders added an insurance run in the seventh when Lauren Allred singled up the middle, allowing Mihyia Davis to score on a throwing error by Alabama.The rematch between Texas and Texas Tech is the first time the same two programs have met in consecutive championship series since the WCWS adopted the best-of-three format in 2005. The Longhorns defeated the Red Raiders in three games last year.
Texas made its path to a repeat championship far more difficult by dropping its opening game of the WCWS, but the Longhorns responded with a resilient run through the elimination bracket, beating Tennessee twice on Monday to reach the finals. After falling 6-3 in the first meeting last Thursday, No. 2 Texas won four straight in Oklahoma City to stay alive.The Longhorns opened the day with a 5-2 win to force a winner-take-all semifinal, then sealed the comeback with a 4-0 victory in the rematch. Reese Atwood and Katie Stewart homered in the first win as Teagan Kavan worked out of a late bases-loaded jam to close it, while Texas controlled the second meeting from the third inning on and never let Tennessee recover.For the complete schedule and results for every matchup at Devon Park, follow along right here at CBS Sports.
All times ETWomen’s College World Series scheduleChampionship SeriesGame 1: No. 2 Texas vs. No. 11 Texas Tech, Wednesday, June 3 (8 p.m. ESPN)Game 2: No. 2 Texas vs. No. 11 Texas Tech, Thursday, June 4 (8 p.m. ESPN)Game 3 (if necessary): Friday, June 5 (8 p.m. ESPN)Women’s College World Series resultsThursday, May 28Game 1: No. 11 Texas Tech 8, Mississippi State 0 (F/5)Game 2: No. 7 Tennessee 6, No. 2 Texas 3Game 3: No. 1 Alabama 6, No. 8 UCLA 3Game 4: No. 4 Nebraska 5, No. 5 Arkansas 3 (F/10)Friday, May 29Game 5: No. 2 Texas 4, Mississippi State 0Game 6: No. 8 UCLA 11, No. 5 Arkansas 0 (F/5)
Saturday, May 30Game 7: No. 7 Tennessee 2, No. 11 Texas Tech 1 (F/9)Game 8: No. 1 Alabama 5, No. 4 Nebraska 1Sunday, May 31Game 9: No. 2 Texas 3, No. 4 Nebraska 1Game 10: No. 11 Texas Tech 8, No. 8 UCLA 7 (F/9)Monday, June 1Game 11: No. 2 Texas 5, No. 7 Tennessee 2Game 12: No. 2 Texas 4, No. 7 Tennessee 0Game 13: No. 11 Texas Tech 5, No. 1 Alabama 4Game 14: No. 11 Texas Tech 2, No. 1 Alabama 0
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