We love it when a plan comes together. As the team awaited the start of the bottom of the sixth Texas Tech juniors Alana Johnson and Lauren Allred were plotting in the dugout exactly how they would throw the last haymaker at Mississippi State to punch this team's ticket to the Regional Final on Sunday. (Get tickets here.)
Step one. Mihyia Davis Walk.
Step two. Alexa Langeliers gets on with a single.
Step three. Allred steps to the plate and sends the ball to the trees past the left field wall for a three-run home run, her fifth RBI on the day and a 10-1 run-run walk off win over the Bulldogs.
“Going into that last at bat me and Lana [Alana Johnson] were in the dugout plotting everything that was going to happen,” explained Allred following the game when asked about the moment. “It actually worked out perfectly so I had no worries going up to bat.”
"Earlier in game I got after her. She was under the ball on all three swings," said head coach Gerry Glasco who has seen Allred grow from her freshman year at Louisiana to now at Texas Tech. "I let her have it. I love that kid. She knows. And she responded like she always does. She immediately made adjustments."
While Allred starred for Tech at the plate, she wasn't alone. Demi Elder was the first to smash one out in the top of the second when the senior sent one deep to left and pushed the lead to 3-0. A four-year Red Raider, Elder is beloved by the Tech fanbase and the pop of the crowd when she got ahold of it was evidence of that.
"Demi Elder. I'm just thrilled to see her, as a senior, get that home run," said Glasco. "It was a sign that we were making the adjustment we needed on that pitcher early."
While the Bulldogs staged some threats, NiJaree Canady was NiJaree Canady all game and finished her day with a line of five innings pitched, one earned run allowed and five strikeouts.
"Anytime you're having to go up against a pitcher like NiJaree Canady we know it's going to be a challenge," said Mississippi State head coach Samantha Ricketts following the game. "I thought maybe we were one big hit away early on from getting some runs but she does a great job when her back's against the wall."
After the Bulldogs broke a 33 inning shutout streak by Tech pitching to put a run on the board in the top of the fifth, Canady got that run and more right back on a two-run home run to center in the bottom half. This was her second home run in as any days. ALL AROUND BALL PLAYER Y'ALL!
Chloe Riassetto entered to close out the game from there and did so with relative ease along with some once again stellar defense behind her. MSU staved off elimination in a wild 11-10 victory over Washington on Saturday night and sets up a rematch with Texas Tech in the Regional Final on Sunday.
Since Tech has yet to lose in the Regional, the Bulldogs will have to beat them twice to make the Super Regionals. The Red Raiders need just one win to punch their ticket. Game one will start up at 2 pm and a limited number of tickets are available. If necessary the teams will play a second game beginning at approximately 4:30 pm.
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