OU Insiders: OU Softball Ousted by NiJaree Canady, Texas Tech in WCWS Semifinals to End NCAA Title Run…
| By OU Insiders Staff
In a stunning and emotional turn of events, the Oklahoma Sooners softball dynasty came to a dramatic close Tuesday evening, as they were eliminated from the Women’s College World Series (WCWS) semifinals by a fearless and unrelenting Texas Tech squad, led by the dominant arm of national pitching sensation NiJaree Canady. The final score: Texas Tech 3, Oklahoma 1.
The game not only marked the end of OU’s 2025 national title run—it might very well signify the closing chapter of one of the most dominant eras in NCAA softball history. With a crowd of nearly 14,000 at Devon Park in Oklahoma City watching on in awe and disbelief, it was Texas Tech, not Oklahoma, who seized the moment and stormed into their first-ever WCWS Championship Series.
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NiJaree Canady: The Giant Slayer
There was no question about the MVP of the night. NiJaree Canady, already regarded as one of the most electrifying pitchers in college softball, delivered a masterclass performance against the five-time national champions. Canady tossed a complete game, striking out 12 Sooners batters, walking just one, and allowing only four hits. Her riseball was nearly untouchable. Her poise? Unshakable.
Her duel with OU ace Kelly Maxwell was a much-anticipated matchup, but it was Canady who outlasted and outmaneuvered the reigning champions, silencing a lineup known for clutch hits and offensive explosions.
OU Head Coach Patty Gasso, holding back tears during the postgame press conference, acknowledged the force they faced:
> “NiJaree was magnificent. We’ve seen great pitching before, but today she had complete control of the game. We tried to adjust, we tried to get momentum, but she never flinched.”
Canady, meanwhile, remained humble in victory:
> “Oklahoma is a championship program. To pitch against them in this kind of environment is something I’ll never forget. We came in with a plan, trusted each other, and now we’re moving forward.”
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Sooners Stunned: A Title Run Ends in Silence
Oklahoma came into this game with high hopes of reclaiming their throne, seeking what would’ve been their fourth consecutive national championship and seventh in nine years. Instead, they walked off the field under a cloud of heartbreak, stunned into silence by a Red Raiders team that refused to play the underdog.
After scoring a single run in the bottom of the third—on a solo home run by Tiare Jennings—the Sooners’ bats fell eerily quiet. Texas Tech’s defense, anchored by Canady’s dominance in the circle, smothered every attempt Oklahoma made to rally.
The defining moment came in the top of the sixth. With the game tied 1-1 and momentum hanging in the balance, Texas Tech outfielder Maya Carter launched a two-run shot over the left-center wall, flipping the script on the heavily favored Sooners. Maxwell’s pitch caught too much of the plate, and Carter didn’t miss it.
OU never recovered.
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A Legacy Worthy of Respect
Despite the painful exit, Oklahoma’s 2025 team still finishes as one of the most accomplished squads in recent memory. The Sooners ended their season with a 58-7 record, winning the Big 12 regular season title and sweeping through the regionals and super-regionals with dominant play.
Throughout the season, the team was powered by veterans like Jayda Coleman, Tiare Jennings, and Kinzie Hansen, all of whom have etched their names permanently into Oklahoma’s record books. But this semifinal loss marks the end of an era, as a number of key seniors are expected to graduate or declare for the professional ranks.
Gasso, who has led Oklahoma to national titles in 2000, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2021, 2022, and 2023, expressed pride and sorrow in equal measure:
> “You don’t define a season by one loss. This team gave everything. They’ve carried the torch of this program with class and courage. I’m heartbroken it’s over, but so proud of what they’ve done.”
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Texas Tech’s Cinderella Run
If there’s a Cinderella story in the 2025 WCWS, it’s Texas Tech.
The Red Raiders entered the tournament as a No. 10 seed, largely overlooked by national media and overshadowed by the traditional powerhouses. But behind the brilliance of Canady, the breakout performances of Carter and freshman phenom Laney James, and the calm, calculated leadership of Head Coach Sammy Ward, Tech has captivated the softball world.
Ward, in her fifth year at the helm, was nearly speechless after the upset:
> “We dreamed of this moment, but to actually be here—it’s surreal. This team believes in each other in a way that’s hard to explain. We just beat the defending champs. And now, we get to play for it all.”
Texas Tech advances to face the winner of the Tennessee–UCLA matchup in the WCWS Championship Series, and for the first time in program history, they’ll have a chance to compete for the NCAA crown.
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Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Oklahoma?
While the championship dream dies in 2025, Oklahoma’s softball legacy is far from over. The Sooners will return a core group of young talent, including pitchers Nicole May and Kierston Deal, slugger Ella Parker, and freshman speedster Reagan Dixon. A top-ranked recruiting class is also set to arrive next fall, which includes multiple high school All-Americans.
Gasso has always been a master of reloading—not rebuilding—and fans across Sooner Nation can expect her to lead a new wave of championship chasers in 2026.
But for now, the players and coaches must come to terms with a season that ended earlier than expected and without the storybook ending they had envisioned.
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A Final Farewell to a Golden Era?
It remains to be seen whether this loss signals the end of a golden era in OU softball, or merely a pause in their ongoing dynasty. Regardless, the impact this group of players—and this coaching staff—has made on the sport is undeniable.
With TV ratings at an all-time high, attendance records shattered, and youth participation in softball surging, many point to Oklahoma’s dominance as one of the key drivers of the sport’s explosion in popularity.
ESPN commentator and former Olympian Jessica Mendoza summarized it best:
> “This OU team didn’t just win titles—they changed the sport. The spotlight they brought to women’s college softball has never been brighter. And even in defeat, they showed why they are the standard.”
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Final Score: Texas Tech 3, Oklahoma 1
Winning Pitcher: NiJaree Canady (Complete Game, 12 K, 1 ER)
Losing Pitcher: Kelly Maxwell (6.0 IP, 3 ER, 2 HR Allowed)
Player of the Game: Maya Carter (2-run HR in the 6th)
Attendance: 13,722
As the Sooners walk off the field one last time in 2025, their heads held high, a new team steps into the spotlight. And while the familiar faces of OU will be missed in the championship series, the legacy they leave behind will echo across softball fields for generations to come.
OU is out. The torch has been passed. And NiJaree Canady just lit the flame.
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