Texas Tech Beats Texas to Force Game 3 in 2025 College Softball World Series Bracket

Texas Tech remains alive in the Women's College World Series championship series after edging out Texas 4-3 in Game 2 on Thursday night.

The Longhorns launched a late comeback bid, getting two runs on the board in the seventh. Red Raiders ace NiJaree Canady notched the last of her six strikeouts to secure the win.

It probably got a little too close for comfort for Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes:

History isn't on Texas Tech's side as almost 80 percent of the Game 1 winners have gone on to claim the Women's College World Series. But the opener was decided by the slimmest of margins, and the Red Raiders had Canady back on the mound. All was not lost.

Early on, fans who loved good pitching and better defense were in their element.

Getting a hit off Canady is difficult enough without her making diving grabs like this:

Longhorns right fielder Ashton Maloney responded in kind in the bottom half of the inning. She went full extension to rob Bailey Lindemuth of a base hit:

Texas threatened to break the deadlock in the fourth. Third baseman Mia Scott, who led off with a walk, made her way to third on a two-out single by Katie Stewart. That was as far as Scott got, with Victoria Hunter grounding out to end the inning.

In the fifth, Cambria Salmon was one strike away from escaping a bases loaded jam. Instead, a pair of errant pitches allowed two runners to come home.

The right-hander went a little too far in on Alana Johnson and hit the Red Raiders right fielder on the leg. On her very next effort, Salmon's changeup landed short of the plate and went between the legs of the catcher to the backstop.

All of a sudden, the momentum shifted in a massive way, and a two-run deficit felt more imposing than that for Texas given how dominant Canady has been all year.

The Longhorns showed some signs of life in the sixth thanks to a solo homer by Scott.

That was the extent of the damage, however, with Canady getting the next two Longhorn batters out. That meant the two-time All-American was assured of having the lead when she came back out for the final frame.

The Red Raiders tacked on two insurance runs thanks to a sacrifice fly by Lindemuth and a heads up piece of baserunning by Victoria Valdez, who ran through a stop sign and scored when Longhorns first baseman Joley Mitchell mishandled a ground ball.

Those two runs proved crucial.

The winner-take-all Game 3 is scheduled for Friday night at 8 p.m. ET. If the first two contests were any indication, then fans can count on a dramatic affair.

With Canady pitching this well, you wouldn't bet against Texas Tech, though fatigue could become an important factor if she needs to go seven innings again for the third straight day.