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Oh, Canady: FSU bats silenced by All-America pitcher in Game 1 loss to Texas Tech

On3 imageby: Corey Clark05/23/25Corey_Clark
On3 image
Florida State's Ashtyn Danley delivers a pitch Thursday against Texas Tech. (Courtesy of FSU Sports Information)

The million-dollar woman has Texas Tech one win away from the Women’s College World Series. And the Florida State Seminoles one loss from elimination.

Stanford transfer NiJaree Canady sure did look like the part of the best player in the country on Thursday night in leading the Red Raiders to a 3-0 win in the first game of the NCAA Tallahassee Super Regional.

Not only did she throw a two-hit shutout, but she also hit a solo home run in the seventh inning as well.

It was the second solo homer of the game for the Red Raiders, who also got a long bomb to center from cleanup hitter Alana Johnson in the fourth inning. Canady picked up her 29th win of the season in the circle, and that was by far the bigger story on Thursday night.

“I thought she did a great job pumping strikes,” Florida State senior catcher Michaela Edenfield said, noting that Canady needed just 79 pitches to get through the seven innings.

Florida State is one of the top hitting teams in the country, but had absolutely no answers for the All-America pitcher. The Seminoles didn’t get a baserunner until the fifth inning as Canady’s 73-74 mph rise ball — and well-timed change-ups — kept FSU hitters from making much solid contact at all.

Canady, who received an NIL deal worth over $1 million when she signed with Texas Tech in the off-season, only had four strikeouts in the game, as the Seminoles routinely but the ball in play. But the Red Raiders’ defense made every play in the field and never really allowed the Florida State offense to mount any serious threats.

In fact, the only time FSU got multiple baserunners on was in the fifth inning. Michaela Edenfield drew a leadoff walk. And after Hallie Wacaser flew out to right field, the Seminoles got their first hit when freshman Shelby McKenzie hit a groundball that the first baseman fielded but nobody was covering first.

But with runners on first and second and one out, Jaysoni Beachum popped out in foul territory to left field and then Angelee Bueno struck out.

Katie Dack started the bottom of the seventh with a single to right field, but three straight pop-outs ended the game and pushed the Seminoles to the brink of elimination.

Florida State actually had more errors (3) than hits (2) in the game, and one was costly as an Edenfield throw to second was errant and allowed Texas Tech leadoff hitter Mihyia Davis to score the game’s first run in the top of the first inning.

Florida State will look to get off to a better start on Friday in Game 2. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.

“Tomorrow is grit time, and our backs are against the wall,” FSU coach Lonni Alameda said. “And we’ve got to go compete.”

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