NiJaree Canady dominates in Texas Tech softball's first-ever WCWS win vs Ole Mis – USA Today

NiJaree Canady continues to dazzle at the Women’s College World Series, and her latest performance served to be a historic one.
In what was her 19th complete game of the season, the Red Raiders’ $1 million arm pitched No. 12 Texas Tech to its first-ever WCWS win in program history, a 1-0 victory against Ole Miss Thursday at Devon Park in Oklahoma City. came on Thursday in Game 1 of the 2025 WCWS against Ole Miss.
With the win, Texas Tech became the first team to throw a shutout in its WCWS debut since 2005, when Monica Abbott pitched Tennessee to a victory over Arizona.
The lone run of the night came in the fourth inning on a double down the left field line from Alana Johnson that scooted away from Ole Miss left fielder Jaden Pone in the corner. Johnson’s double scored Lauren Allred from first, who recorded the first hit of the night for either team.
Canady, who transferred in from Stanford over the offseason and received an NIL deal worth over $1 million, was cutthroat in the circle all night for Texas Tech. The Red Raiders’ ace took a perfect game into the sixth inning against Ole Miss, as she retired her first 16 batters consecutively. The only moment in the game that Canady showed any struggle came after she gave up her first hit of the night in the sixth inning to Angelina DeLeon, as she had to work out of a two-bases jam with one out.
Ole Miss had been a bit of a “Cinderella” team this postseason, as the Rebels took down No. 13 Arizona and No. 4 Arkansas in the regional and super regional rounds of the NCAA softball tournament, respectively. The Rebels were held to just two hits on the night by Canady, who finished with 10 strikeouts on the night.
USA TODAY Sports provided live updates, scores and highlights of Thursday’s WCWS game between Texas Tech and Ole Miss. Follow below for a recap:
This section will be updated during the game
This section has been updated with new information
Behind a masterful seven-inning complete game shutout from NiJaree Canady, Texas Tech picks up its first-ever Women’s College World Series victory as the Red Raiders defeat Ole Miss 1-0. Canady struck out the side in both the first and seventh innings of the game.
With the win, Texas Tech advances further in the “winner’s bracket” of the WCWS, where it will face the winner of No. 9 UCLA vs. No. 16 Oregon on Saturday at Devon Park.
NiJaree Canady flies out to center for the third out of the sixth inning. She will now head back to the circle looking for the final three outs of the night to give Texas Tech its first-ever WCWS.
Texas Tech leads Ole Miss 1-0 after six innings of action in Oklahoma City.
NiJaree Canady gets a strikeout by way of the riseball and a pop-up in foul territory along the third base line to get out of the jam in the sixth inning. After not giving up a hit to her first 16 batters faces, Canady gave back-to-back hits to Angelina DeLeon and Taylor Malvin.
She now has seven strikeouts on the night. Texas Tech heads to the bottom of the sixth leading Ole Miss 1-0.
After retiring 16 straight batters to open up the game, NiJaree Canady allows her first hit of the night on a single up the middle from Ole Miss shortstop Angelina DeLeon.
A masterful start by Canady, who is making her seventh WCWS start on Thursday.
Mihyia Davis keeps Ole Miss off the base paths with a sliding catch in center field to open up the sixth inning. A great read by Davis in center on Tenly Grisham’s swing, which was the first ball out of the infield against NiJaree Canady.
It’s 15 up, 15 down for NiJaree Canady in the circle as she gets Mackenzie Pickens swinging for her sixth strikeout of the night to close out the fifth.
She’s dealing through five innings for Texas Tech, which leads Ole Miss 1-0 at the WCWS.
Aliyah Binford gets Ole Miss and herself out of the bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the fourth inning by getting Victoria Valdez to hit into a 1-2-3 inning-ending double play.
A missed opportunity for Texas Tech, which had the bases loaded with one out in the inning. NiJaree Canady heads back out to the circle working with a 1-0 lead.
Texas Tech coach Gerry Glasco wins his first challenge of the night, as umpires overturn the original call at third that Alana Johnson was out for obstruction. Johnson was originally called out after being tagged out at third in a rundown after a short dribbler in front of the plate from NiJaree Canady.
It’s now runners on first and third with one out in the bottom of the fourth for Texas Tech, as Canady reached first on the fielder’s choice.
As noted by Rule 9.5 of the NCAA softball rulebook, obstruction is when a defensive player inserts themselves into the path of a runner and blocks that player away from attempting to reach that base safely.
More from Rule 9.5.1.1 of the NCAA rulebook:
“Obstruction occurs when a defensive player, neither in possession of the ball nor in the act of fielding a batted ball, impedes a batter’s attempt to make contact with a pitch or impedes the progress of any runner who is legally running bases on a live ball. It can be intentional or unintentional.“
Texas Tech is the first to strike in Thursday’s WCWS game as Alana Johnson hits a double down the third base line into the left field corner, which scored Lauren Allred from first. Allred was able to score on the play as Ole Miss left fielder Jaden Pone kicked the ball away in the left corner after going for the ball. Johnson advanced to third on Pone’s fielding error.
Johnson’s RBI extends Texas Tech’s 21-game streak of being the first team to score in a game, which is the longest active streak in Division I.
The first hit of the night for either team goes to Texas Tech first baseman Lauren Allred, who hits one does the third base line for a one-out single.
Allred is now 6-for-17 with eight RBIs in the NCAA softball tournament.
NiJaree Canady is showing off her WCWS veteran presence as she has retired each of Ole Miss’ first 12 batters of the game. Of her 12 first outs on Thursday, Canady has struck out five of them while getting four ground outs and three fly balls.
Hailey Toney made a marvelous play for the third out of the fourth, as she recovered from a brief bobble on a hard-hit ball to short to retire Ole Miss’ Aliyah Binford. Texas Tech heads to the plate looking for its first hit of the night against Binford.
Got a pitching duel brewing in Oklahoma City as Texas Tech and Ole Miss are still knotted up at 0-0 going into the fourth inning. Aliyah Binford got Texas Tech shortstop Hailey Toney looking for the final out of the bottom of the third inning.
Texas Tech’s NiJaree Canady and Ole Miss’ Aliyah Binford have thrown back-to-back scoreless innings to open up Thursday’s WCWS game. The Red Raiders have had two runners on base, while the Rebels are still looking for their first baserunner.
The Red Raiders leave the first baserunner of the night on base, as Lauren Allred flies out to left field for the third out of the inning. After back-to-back groundouts to second, Alexa Langeliers got on base after being hit near her shin by Ole Miss pitcher Aliyah Binford.
Three batters, three strikeouts to open up the game for NiJaree Canady in the circle. With her three strikeouts in the top of the first, Canady now has 282 strikeouts on the season.
Canady dealing early is a great sign for Texas Tech, which is looking for its first-ever win at the WCWS.
After a 75-minute delay, we are underway in Oklahoma City at Devon Park as NiJaree Canady delivers a first pitch strike to Ole Miss left fielder Jaden Pone on the riseball.
It is the third consecutive year that Canady is pitching at the WCWS, with her two previous trips coming with Stanford.
After a brief weather delay in Oklahoma City, Texas Tech has taken the field at Devon Park ahead of its first-ever WCWS game vs. Ole Miss. NiJaree Canady has begun her warm-ups in the bullpen.
Here’s the starting lineup for Texas Tech vs. Ole Miss at the WCWS on Thursday:
NiJaree Canady is starting in the circle for Texas Tech.
Here’s the starting lineup for Ole Miss vs. Texas Tech at the WCWS on Thursday:
Aliyah Binford is starting in the circle for Ole Miss.
The NCAA announces on X (formerly Twitter) that Texas Tech vs. Ole Miss in the WCWS will start at 8:15 p.m. ET in Oklahoma City barring, of course, any more inclement weather.
Click here for the latest weather updates for Texas Tech-Ole Miss.
As noted by The Oklahoman’s Jeff Patterson, Thursday’s Texas Tech vs. Ole Miss WCWS has been delayed due to lightning in the Oklahoma City area. Per NCAA rules, if lightning strikes within at least six miles of the venue of the event, the game must be suspended for at least 30 minutes.  For every lightning strike that follows the initial lightning strike, the 30-minute clock is reset.
The tarp is on at the WCWS, meaning Thursday’s game between Texas Tech and Ole Miss will start in a rain delay.
The Women’s College World Series starts with eight teams competing in a double-elimination style format in bracket play before going into a best-of-three championship series. The WCWS is broken up into two four-team brackets.
Each team begins WCWS play with a 0-0 record and is guaranteed to play at least two games in Oklahoma City. The loser of Thursday’s Texas Tech vs. Ole Miss game will drop into the “elimination bracket” and play to keep their season alive against the loser of Oregon-UCLA. As for the winner of Texas Tech-Ole Miss, they will advance further in the “winner’s bracket.”
Click here to read more on how the WCWS works.
The Red Raiders have arrived at Devon Park in Oklahoma City to begin WCWS bracket play against Ole Miss. First pitch is roughly 15 minutes away.
As alluded to above, Texas Tech star pitcher NiJaree Canady is the most expensive arm in college softball this season, as the Stanford transfer is making over $1 million this year with the Red Raiders in NIL earnings.
Click here to read more on Canady’s NIL earnings and situation at Texas Tech.
Game 1 of the WCWS between Texas Tech and Ole Miss is scheduled for a 7 p.m. ET start on Thursday, May 29 at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.
ESPN2 will nationally televise Thursday’s WCWS game between Texas Tech and Ole Miss. Streaming options include the ESPN app (with a TV login) and Fubo, which carries the ESPN family of networks and offers a free trial to new subscribers.
Game odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Wednesday, May 28
Here’s a compilation of predictions from those within the USA TODAY Network for Thursday’s Texas Tech vs. Ole Miss game:
Below are Texas Tech’s last five results. To view the Red Raiders’ full 2025 schedule, click here.
Below are Ole Miss’ last five results. To view the Rebels’ full 2025 schedule, click here.
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