It has been a year of change for both UCLA softball and NiJaree Canady, the former of which is wrapping up its first season in the Big Ten and the latter of whom is nearing the end of her first season at Texas Tech.
On Saturday, though, both got a dose of familiarity. And it came with a familiar result.
One year after defeating the Bruins in 3-1 in an elimination game in the Women’s College World Series while a star pitcher for Stanford, Canady pitched a complete game, allowing only one run and striking out seven batters to lead No. 12 Texas Tech to a 3-1 victory against No. 9 UCLA on May 31 in a winners’ bracket game at the 2025 WCWS at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.
The Red Raiders’ offense came alive late, getting one run in each of the final three innings off of UCLA pitcher Taylor Tinsley. The game’s decisive play came in the top of the sixth inning, when freshman Hailey Toney hit a solo home run to right center field to break a 1-1 tie. Texas Tech padded that lead in the top of the seventh inning with an RBI single from Raegan Jennings.
The victory sends Texas Tech, which went 8-16 in Big 12 play last season before hiring coach Gerry Glasco and signing Canady to a million-dollar name, image and likeness deal, to the WCWS semifinals, where it will play Monday against the winner of a Sunday game between No. 16 Oregon and No. 2 Oklahoma, the latter of which is the four-time reigning national champion. The Red Raiders became just the third team since 2000 to start 2-0 in its WCWS debut.
UCLA, meanwhile, will face off against No. 7 Tennessee Sunday in an elimination game. The Bruins’ lone run of the day came on a solo home run from freshman Kaniya Bragg in the bottom of the fifth inning. They got runners on first and second with no outs against Canady in the bottom of the seventh inning, but were unable to do any more damage.
Here’s a look at the score, updates and highlights from Texas Tech’s win against UCLA in the 2025 WCWS:
Texas Tech vs UCLA softball live score
This section will be updated throughout the game
Texas Tech vs UCLA softball live updates
Final: Texas Tech 3, UCLA 1
Despite allowing runners on first and second with no outs, NiJaree Canady gets into a groove and records three straight outs to seal the win for Texas Tech, which is on its way to the semifinals of the Women’s College World Series in its first-ever appearance in the event.
Texas Tech pads lead to 3-1
As NiJaree Canady looks to finish off UCLA, she’ll have a little more wiggle room.
With a runner on second base and with two outs, sophomore Raegan Jennings hits a bloop single into center field to bring home a run and double Texas Tech’s lead to 3-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning.
NiJaree Canady perfect inning shuts down UCLA
Texas Tech is now three outs away from another win in the Women’s College World Series.
NiJaree Canady faces three All-Americans in the UCLA lineup and gets all three of them out, retiring Savannah Pola, Jordan Woolery and Megan Grant in order in the bottom of the sixth inning.
The Red Raiders take a 2-1 lead into the top of the seventh inning, with a chance to add on to their lead.
Hailey Toney homer allows Texas Tech to reclaim lead
Just as quickly as Texas Tech lost its lead, it gets it back.
Another freshman, this time Hailey Toney from the Red Raiders, hits a solo home run, with Toney’s shot to center field off UCLA’s Taylor Tinsley giving Texas Tech a 2-1 lead in the top of the sixth inning.
It’s Toney’s seventh home run this season — three of which have come in the NCAA tournament.
Kaniya Bragg homer ties it up for UCLA
Against most teams, a one-run lead for Texas Tech would be insurmountable with NiJaree Canady in the circle. UCLA isn’t one of those teams.
Staring at a one-run deficit in the bottom of the fifth inning, freshman Kaniya Bragg ties it up with a single swing, belting a solo home run to right field to even the game at 1-1.
It’s Bragg’s 10th homer of the season and only the 10th home run Canady has allowed in 64 games this season.
Texas Tech steals home, takes lead
In a low-scoring game in which offense has been at a premium, Texas Tech has stolen a run — literally.
With runners on first and third with two outs, a setup made possible by a double earlier in the inning from NiJaree Canady, Red Raiders coach Gerry Glasco, who also serves as the team’s third-base coach, sent home pinch-runner Makayla Garcia after a pitch to Victoria Valdez. UCLA catcher Alexis Ramirez didn’t appear to notice Garcia running, instead throwing the ball back to pitcher Taylor Tinsley and allowing Garcia to score.
UCLA challenged the play, believing Garcia might have left third base before Tinsley’s pitch was thrown, but the call was upheld upon review.
It’s a 1-0 Red Raiders lead, which, given the way Canady has pitched so far, may be enough.
Three up, three down for UCLA
UCLA’s batters go down in order in the bottom of the fourth inning, with a strikeout and a pair of flyouts. There hasn’t been a runner on base from either team in three of the four innings so far. A fun duel between Texas Tech’s NiJaree Canady and UCLA’s Taylor Tinsley
Texas Tech goes three up, three down
Is it an offensive struggle or a pitching masterclass? Regardless of how you may want to describe it, it’s still 0-0 between Texas Tech and UCLA heading into the bottom of the fourth inning. Taylor Tinsley is still working on a no-hitter for the Bruins.
Texas Tech gets UCLA out in order
Three up and three down for UCLA against NiJaree Canady as the Bruins and Texas Tech remain locked in a scoreless tie.
UCLA with another perfect inning
UCLA pitcher Taylor Tinsley continues to largely have her way against the Texas Tech lineup, with a second three-up-and-three-down inning. While she has accidentally hit a batter with a pitch, Tinsley still hasn’t allowed a hit.
NiJaree Canady gets out of bases-loaded jam
This game is, improbably, still scoreless.
UCLA loaded the bases with one out against NiJaree Canady after a pair of walks and a bunt single. Just as there appeared to be trouble, with Texas Tech even getting a pitcher warm in the bullpen, the Red Raiders’ ace got out of it, striking out Taylor Stephens on a nasty changeup and getting a force out at home after a Kaitlyn Terry ground ball to third.
That could stand as a major missed opportunity for the Bruins against one of the sport’s best pitchers.
Base-running error costs Texas Tech
The Red Raiders get the game’s first base-runner after Lauren Allred was hit by a pitch, but Texas Tech doesn’t mount any kind of threat beyond that. NiJaree Canady popped out to second base and Allred, who was perhaps a little too aggressive on the basepaths, was thrown out at first base, unable to get back in time after beginning her sprint to second.
The double play ended the top of the second inning.
UCLA held scoreless
Through one inning, neither UCLA nor Texas Tech has produced a base-runner. NiJaree Canady gets a lead-off strikeout and forces the next two batters, including Bruins star Jordan Woolery, to ground out.
Texas Tech retired in order
Three up and three down for Texas Tech vs. UCLA starter Taylor Tinsley in its first time to the plate Saturday. Now, NiJaree Canady will aim to be similarly effective against UCLA.
Texas Tech softball lineup
Here’s the lineup the Red Raiders will trot out against UCLA Saturday in the Women’s College World Series:
UCLA softball lineup
Here’s the lineup the Bruins will roll out against Texas Tech in the Women’s College World Series Saturday:
Texas Tech softball uniforms vs UCLA
The Red Raiders will be wearing their white jerseys and pants in their biggest game of the season to date, with the team’s official social media account revealing it Saturday.
What time does Texas Tech vs UCLA softball start?
Date: Saturday, May 31
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Devon Park (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
First pitch for Texas Tech and UCLA’s softball game in the 2025 Women’s College World Series is set for 7 p.m. ET from Devon Park in Oklahoma City.
Watch Texas Tech vs UCLA softball in the WCWS live with ESPN+
What TV channel is Texas Tech vs UCLA softball on today?
TV channel: ESPN
Live stream: ESPN app | ESPN+
Saturday’s WCWS winner’s bracket game between Texas Tech and UCLA will air on ESPN. Kevin Brown (play-by-play) and Amanda Scarborough (analyst) will be on the call while Taylor McGregor will serve as the sideline reporter.
Streaming options for the game include the ESPN app, which requires a valid cable login to access, and ESPN+ the latter of which serves as ESPN’s subscription streaming service.
Texas Tech vs UCLA softball predictions, picks, odds
Odds are courtesy of BetMGM
Moneyline: UCLA (-170) | Texas Tech (+130)
Prediction from the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech 3, UCLA 2
Texas Tech beat writer Nathan Giese says of the matchup:
The key for the Red Raiders will be to generate runs and get some fly balls, something they weren’t able to do against Ole Miss pitcher Aliyah Binford. Even if the UCLA offense does strike against Canady, the damage will likely be minimal, and the offense has shaken off the jitters of Game 1 and should be ready for whatever the Bruins throw their way.
Texas Tech softball schedule 2025
Here are Texas Tech’s past five results. To see the Red Raiders’ full 2025 schedule, click here.
Saturday, May 17: Texas Tech 10, Mississippi State 1 (6 innings)
Sunday, May 18: Texas Tech 9, Mississippi State 6
Thursday, May 22: Texas Tech 3, No. 5 Florida State 0
Friday, May 23: Texas Tech 2, No. 5 Florida State 1
Thursday, May 29: Texas Tech 1, Ole Miss 0
UCLA softball schedule 2025
Here are UCLA’s past five results. To see the Bruins’ full 2025 schedule, click here.
Sunday, May 18: UCLA 12, UC Santa Barbara 1 (5 innings)
Friday, May 23: No. 8 South Carolina 9, UCLA 2
Saturday, May 24: UCLA 5, No. 8 South Carolina 4
Sunday, May 25: UCLA 5, No. 8 South Carolina 0
Thursday, May 29: UCLA 4, No. 16 Oregon 2
WCWS schedule
Women’s College World Series: May 29-June 5/6
WCWS finals: June 4-5/6
The Women’s College World Series began May 29 and will run through either June 5 or June 6. The WCWS three-game championship series will begin on June 4 and end on June 5 or 6, depending on whether the series concludes in two or three games.