Against the nation's leading offense in terms of hits coming into the game, Texas Tech's NiJaree Canady did not allow a base runner until the fifth inning and finished her night with a complete game two-hit shutout win. Oh and she also blasted a solo home run in the seventh to help her cause as the Red Raiders won the first Super Regional game in school history 3-0 over Florida State.
True to her nature though, it was all about her teammates when asked if she enjoyed the shutout or home run more.
"Honestly when my team scored in the first inning, that felt really good." Canady told ESPN's Kevin Brown following the game. "Whenever we can get ahead, I feel really good in the circle."
Mihyia Davis, as she does as one of the best lead off hitters in the country (pencil me in as a vote for the best), led the game off with a single and Alexa Langeliers followed with a single of her own to get Davis to second. Lauren Allred did her job to move Davis to third on a fielder's choice and started the chaos machine stealing second and forcing an errant throw from FSU which allowed Davis to come into score the game's first run.
A run that moved Davis just one away from tying the all-time record for run's score by an individual player at Texas Tech in a season. It also extended Tech's record when scoring first in a game to 43-5 on the year.
It's also worth noting Davis scored that run during an Alana Johnson at bat in which Johnson ultimately struck out but you could see her getting her timing figured out as she fouled a few off versus the Seminoles starter Ashton Danley. Next time up, the right-handed power hitter did not miss when Danley left one up and out over the plate as Johnson yaboomed it deep over the centerfield wall.
FSU's most threatening opportunity came in the fifth inning when they worked themselves into two on, only one out with eleven home runs on the year Jaysoni Beachum at the plate. NiJa Canady is NiJa Canady however and forced her to pop up and then struck out Angelee Bueno to follow - complete with the most powerful NiJa Stomp of the season.
"It just fires us up to know that she's that hype," explained Johnson when asked what it's like seeing her teammate show that emotion in such a big moment. "Obviously one of the best pitchers in the country so it's fun to get to play behind her."
Canady would follow this with her aforementioned solo shot in the seventh to complete the scoring on the day for both sides and finish her night with a line of seven innings pitched, two hits, one walk and four strikeouts. The win marked the first Super Regional victory in program history, in the first Super Regional game in program history.
Friday's game two is a chance for one more first - the first trip to the Women's College World Series as Tech now sits one win away from doing what they have been talking about since the fall.
First pitch is set for 2 p.m. central and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN 2.
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