Toney, Canady propel Texas Tech to first Big 12 Tournament title in 4-0 victory over Arizona

By Canadian Press on May 10, 2025.

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (AP) — Hailey Toney had a two-run double, and the top-seeded Texas Tech Red Raiders rode Big 12 pitcher of the year NiJaree Canady to a 4-0 victory over the second-seeded Arizona Wildcats on Saturday for their first conference tournament softball championship.

Texas Tech (45-12) will play in its seventh NCAA Tournament after earning the automatic bid. The Red Raiders won their first regular-season title in their first season under head coach Gerry Glasco — who was named the conference’s coach of the year. Texas Tech hadn’t played in the championship game before this season.

Canady allowed two hits and two walks in seven innings. She struck out eight in the complete-game effort to go to 26-5 on the season — the second most single-season wins in program history. It was the Red Raiders’ 23rd shutout of the season.

All the runs came in the second inning off Arizona starter Ryan Maddox (3-2).

Bailey Lindemuth led off with a single and stole second before moving to third on a wild pitch. Canady drew a walk and gave way to courtesy runner Makayla Garcia. Lindemuth scored on a one-out base hit by Victoria Valdez for the lead. Toney added a two-out two-run double and Mihyia Davis made it 4-0 with an RBI single.

Canady ran into trouble just once — in the sixth. Dakota Kennedy walked on a 3-2 pitch with one out and moved to second on a single by Regan Shockey. But Devyn Netz hit the ball to Canady and she turned it into a 1-5-3 double play to end the inning.

Miranda Stoddard pitched four hitless innings in relief of Maddox, allowing two walks.

Texas Tech advanced with an 18-0 romp over Arizona State in the semifinals — setting a tournament record for runs in a game. Arizona (45-11) rallied from a two-run deficit to beat Iowa State 6-3 to advance.

Arizona — in its first season in the Big 12 — has won seven national championships but none since 2007. The Wildcats have been runners-up five times, advancing to the Women’s College World Series in 25 of their 32 tournament appearances.

Texas Tech last made the NCAA tournament in 2019 and has never played in the WCWS.

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AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports

The Associated Press

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