A first look at Texas Tech softball ahead of weekend series against South Carolina

Heading into this weekend, the South Carolina softball team competed against top-15 opponents in each of its first three series. The Gamecocks are set to take on another when Texas Tech travels to Columbia for a three-game set.

This weekend’s South Carolina-Texas Tech series will serve as a temporary break from SEC play for the home squad. But the eyes of the college softball world will be locked on Beckham Field, as the Gamecocks find themselves engaged in yet another nationally-relevant matchup.

Before the series begins, here’s what Texas Tech brings to the table.

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How they got here

The Red Raiders are currently one of the top teams in the country, as well as the premier squad in the Big 12. Texas Tech possesses a 23-7 overall record, which includes a 5-1 mark against conference opponents. Every other team in the Big 12 has at least two conference losses.

The Red Raiders went 18-6 in non-conference play and, during that time frame, faced off against multiple SEC teams. Those specific matchups would prove to be the source of Texas Tech’s struggles – the Red Raiders went a combined 1-4 against Mississippi State, Texas, and Texas A&M, with their lone SEC victory coming against the Aggies on March 1.

Gerry Glasco’s team took on their first in-conference opponent, Oklahoma State, the following weekend. After picking up shutout wins in games one and two, Texas Tech suffered a 10-1 loss in the series finale. The team has since recovered from that defeat, sweeping Baylor in a three-game set before this weekend’s series against South Carolina.

Last time out

The Gamecocks and the Red Raiders have only faced off three times in their program’s histories. South Carolina has yet to earn a victory against Texas Tech, which carries a 3-0 all-time series lead into the weekend.

The two teams last faced off on Feb. 13, 2020, in both squad’s first games at that year’s St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitational. Despite the Gamecocks taking an early lead, the Red Raiders would eventually emerge victorious by a 5-1 score.

South Carolina opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning. With two runners in scoring position, Cayla Drotar hit a sacrifice fly that brought Kenzi Maguire home to score. Texas Tech later plated three runs in the fourth inning and two more in the fifth, out-hitting the Gamecocks 6-2 over the course of the seven-inning contest.

Where they sit in the rankings

There are four major polls in NCAA softball: D1Softball, Softball America, ESPN.com/USA Softball, and NFCA Coaches. The Red Raiders are ranked in all of them.

Two commonalities regarding where Texas Tech ranks in all four of these polls exist – that the team is not only ranked in the top half of each list but also exactly one place behind South Carolina.

The Red Raiders are rated most highly in the D1Softball poll, where they check in at No. 11, the same position they held in the poll last week. The Gamecocks cracked the top 10 in the outlet’s most recent rankings.

Texas Tech is the No. 12 in the country in the ESPN.com/USA Softball, NFCA Coaches and Softball America polls. Meanwhile, South Carolina is tied with Arizona for 10th in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll and 11th in the other two.

Players to watch

NiJaree Canady (Junior, pitcher/utility player) – As things stand, the best hurler in the Big 12 dons a black and red jersey. Canady has carried plenty of positive momentum from her sophomore year at Stanford, where she was named USA Softball’s Collegiate Player of the Year, into her first season with the Red Raiders. She leads the conference in earned run average (0.62), pitching to a 10-3 record and striking out 124 batters across 79 2/3 innings. Canady is versatile and has shown her chops at the plate, too – she possesses a .319 batting average and has totaled four home runs and 20 RBIs on the season.

Lauren Allred (Redshirt sophomore, infielder) – Allred’s sophomore season at Louisiana-Lafayette was cut short after just 15 games due to injury. An offseason move to Texas Tech, along with a healthy beginning of the 2025 campaign, has provided her with a fresh start. Allred is the Red Raiders’ leader in on-base percentage (.506), slugging percentage (.736), and OPS (1.242). She is also one of the team’s top power hitters, with four round-trippers and 22 RBIs to her name.

Mihyia Davis (Junior, outfielder) – Davis, like Allred, moved to Lubbock after spending the first two years of her college softball career at Louisiana-Lafayette. The reigning Sun Belt Player of the Year has quickly found her footing with a new team in a new conference. Davis has started in all 30 of Texas Tech’s games, where she has gone 41-108 (.380) at the plate. She has also driven in nine runs and stolen 16 bases, the most of any player on the team.

Series details

South Carolina’s full schedule for the weekend series is below:

• Game 1: Friday, March 21 (6 p.m.)
• Game 2: Saturday, March 22 (3 p.m.)
• Game 3: Sunday, March 23 (noon)

All three contests will be held at Beckham Field in Columbia. They will also be available for streaming on SEC Network Plus.

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