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After Disastrous Start, Texas Tech Takes Two of Three from Arizona

In what may end up being the most important series of the Big XII schedule this year, No. 2 Texas Tech took two of three from visiting No. 12 Arizona. The Wildcats stunned the Red Raiders in Friday night's series opener, winning 9-0 via run rule after five innings. U of A knocked TTU starter NiJaree Canady out of the game with none out in the top of the fifth, after Canady had given up a grand-slam to Grace Jenkins to make it 9-0. Canady also allowed a pair of homers in the third, a three-run blast also from Jenkins and a solo shot by Anyssa Wild. Jalen Adams pitched all five inning for the Cats, allowing four hits and one walk.

The opener of Saturday's doubleheader didn't start much better for Tech. An Addison Duke three-run homer off of Kaitlyn Terry gave Arizona a 5-1 lead in the top of the second. However, the Raiders put up five-spots in the second and fourth innings en route to a 14-6 run rule win of their own (six innings). Rylie Holder, the Wildcats' starter in Saturday's Game 1, could not hold the line, exiting with none out in the second after allowing five runs in that inning (plus one in the first on a Terry homer, her first of two in the game). Adams relieved Holder, but could not match her Friday night mastery, giving up seven runs in three and two-thirds innings. Samantha Lincoln pitched two and one-third scoreless innings in relief of Terry to close things out for the Raiders.

The series finale (Game 2 of the Saturday doubleheader) went to Tech 8-0 in yet another run-rule affair (five innings). Canady (five innings, two hits, no walks) overcame whatever problems she had on Friday night to dominate Arizona. The Wildcats started Holder again and she struggled, giving up five runs in three innings.

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