Texas Tech Begins Historic Super Regional Against Florida State

TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Texas Tech, the No. 12 seed in the NCAA softball tournament, will make its first appearance in the Super Regionals as they face No. 5 seed Florida State. The teams will meet starting Thursday at 6 p.m. CT at JoAnne Graf Field.

Texas Tech earned its spot in the Super Regionals by sweeping the Lubbock Regional, winning all three games including two victories over Mississippi State and a win over Brown. This marks the first time in program history that the Red Raiders have hosted a regional.

NiJaree Canady, a standout pitcher for Texas Tech, headlines the roster as one of three finalists for the national player of the year. She holds an impressive 0.92 ERA and a 28-5 season record. Alongside her, teammates Demi Elder and Mihyia Davis contribute significantly to the team’s offense.

Florida State enters the series with a 49-10 record, having powerfully defeated their opponents to reach this stage. The Seminoles hosted their own regional, winning their first two games by run-rule but faced an elimination game after losing 8-3 to Auburn. Florida State then secured a 4-0 victory over Auburn to advance.

The first game of the Super Regional is part of a best-of-three series, with the second game set for Friday at 2 p.m. CT and a possible third game at 6 p.m. CT on Saturday, all available on ESPN2. Whoever wins two out of three games will advance to the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.

Both Texas Tech and Florida State present strong talents; however, Texas Tech’s pitching staff has a combined 1.84 ERA, creating a compelling matchup against Florida State’s pitching, which boasts a 2.23 ERA. The Red Raiders’ success will heavily rely on Canady’s performance in the circle.

A win for Texas Tech would mark a significant milestone in their program’s history, potentially advancing them to the Women’s College World Series for the first time. The series promises to be closely contested, with Texas Tech looking to capitalize on their strong pitching against a seasoned Florida State team.