Mia Williams stepped to the plate in Lubbock already carrying a target on her back—she'd been hit by a pitch five times in just three games. When the opposing pitcher threw in the first inning of Texas Tech's Super Regional deciding game against No. 6 Florida, Williams took another one, this time with the bases loaded. The moment sparked something electric: the Red Raiders would go on to demolish the Gators 16-7 in five innings, punching their ticket to the Women's College World Series for the second consecutive year with an offensive display that rewrote the history books.
This was more than just an advance to Oklahoma City. Texas Tech's victory marked the highest-scoring game three Super Regional in NCAA history and the highest-scoring Super Regional series ever played, a testament to the relentless hitting on both sides that made this May matchup unforgettable. For the home crowd in Lubbock, the moment carried extra weight: these Red Raiders had earned their way back to the national stage through grit, precision, and an offense that refused to be silenced even as weather delays and a resilient Florida team tested their resolve.
The game itself unfolded in waves of momentum. Williams's hit-by-pitch sparked a three-run first inning for Tech, but Florida answered with four runs of their own before an hour and fifty-minute weather delay halted play. When the teams returned, the bats came alive on both sides. Williams crushed a two-run homer, followed by another two-run shot from Jackie Lis, who would go on to hit two home runs on the night and reach the 20-home run mark for the season. Florida clawed back with a three-run homer to tie the game at 7-7, but that would be their last moment of offensive success.
The turning point came in the fourth inning when Taylor Pannell—making her first career multi-homer game—smashed the go-ahead home run. Pannell struck again shortly after, and Lis delivered the knockout blow with a three-run shot that made it 13-7. In the fifth inning, errors and walks sealed Florida's fate as Texas Tech tacked on three more runs to invoke the run-rule mercy win at 16-7.
On the mound, pitcher NiJaree Canady earned her 100th career win in the biggest moment of the season, sharing pitching duties with Kaitlyn Terry, who finished the game. The Red Raiders' defense was equally sharp, committing zero errors for the second straight game—a detail that often goes unnoticed but speaks to the complete team effort that earned this advancement. Mia Williams added another chapter to her historic season with her 24th home run, breaking her own school record in the process.
Now Texas Tech turns its focus to Oklahoma City, where they'll face Mississippi State in the first round of the Women's College World Series. For a program that has claimed back-to-back trips to the national stage, the momentum is undeniable. Five home runs on one night, zero errors on defense, and a pitcher who reached her 100th career victory all at once—this Red Raider team is built for this moment.