No. 11 seed Texas Tech and No. 8 seed UCLA will face off at the Women’s College World Series in an elimination game Sunday. For Red Raider pitcher Kaitlyn Terry, it is her first matchup against her former team. Daily Toreador sports editor Ty Kaplan and Daily Bruin sports senior staffer Felicia Keller each predict how their respective schools will fare in the upcoming matchup.
Daily Toreador
Ty Kaplan
Sports editor
Texas Tech coach Gerry Glasco harped on his players’ “value” of at-bats following the loss to the University of Tennessee. He emphasized that players didn’t take control of advantageous scenarios with runners on base and leadoff at-bats. The second-year Red Raider coach has not lost consecutive games in 2026, so changes are expected.
Glasco makes a habit of changing batting orders regardless of win or loss. Sophomore infielder Hailey Toney was left out of the batting order Saturday, allowing senior ace NiJaree Canady to take at-bats. Toney has taken 96 more at-bats during the season than Canady, so Toney re-entering the lineup is the most likely major change.
With the added motivation of a win-or-go-home scenario, Glasco emphasized the value of early runs. Tech made a habit during the regular season of scoring early, forcing a nation-leading 37 run-rules. To accomplish this, Tech needs to get back to drawing walks and putting leadoff batters on base.
The Red Raiders have drawn 302 blanks, which is a top-five mark in the nation. They struggled against Tennessee ace Karlyn Pickens, having 13 consecutive batters retired at one point, but scored their lone run because they drew walks to load the bases in the seventh inning.
Canady and junior pitcher Kaitlyn Terry will do what premier pitchers do, but to beat a heavy-handed UCLA team, Tech’s bats will have to match the firepower.
Daily Bruin
Felicia Keller
Sports senior staff
The long ball has been the key to everything for the Bruins this season.
Every batter in the lineup has hit home runs in clutch moments.
So it is safe to say this team will live and die by the homer.
When UCLA provides senior pitcher Taylor Tinsley with room on the scoreboard to work with, she plays her best. Even if Tinsley implodes, we’ve already seen the UCLA bats back her up, with the squad recovering from a ten-run single inning deficit against Cal Baptist to walk it off in its first regional contest.
The dangerous Texas Tech pitching duo of Canady and Terry will throw some heat. And Terry will surely be fired up to throw her best stuff against her former team.
Senior utility and NCAA single season home run record holder Megan Grant has been on fire in OKC thus far.
But one Bruin Bomber has been quieter than usual in the last few weeks – senior infielder Jordan Woolery.
Since becoming just the fifth player in NCAA history to record 100 RBIs in a single season April 18th, Woolery has just 12 RBIs across her last 16 games – and she has yet to plate a runner at the WCWS.
So the obvious choice is to say UCLA will win if Grant homers, or if Tinsley pitches well.
But I believe it will take the reemergence of Woolery for UCLA to keep its national championship hopes alive.
If Woolery homers, the Bruins win.
And if she doesn’t, down go the Bruins.
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