What will we see from Texas Techs' NiJaree Canady in the WCWS Championship?
Yahoo Sports senior MLB analyst Jordan Shusterman is joined by Yahoo Sports writer Cassandra Negley who highlights Texas Tech’s pitching as they head into the Women’s College World Series against Texas. Hear the full conversation on the “Baseball Bar-B-Cast” podcast - and subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Spotify or wherever you listen.
Video Transcript
Kennedy is, I mean, Kennedy is the story.
And as, as important as this offense that they've put together is, Kennedy is, is still, she's the whole thing.
What is really interesting this season, and particularly what we've seen in this World Series, is Kaitlin Terry, who they got from UCLA, who is also a hitter and, and one of their best hitters as well.
But in softball, for those unfamiliar, you are allowed to reenter as a pitcher.
What we've seen from Texas Tech with Kaitlin Terry's emergence, and obviously Kennedy's somewhat struggles until this last game where it just looked like, oh my God, she's the best pitcher in, in the world, is them legitimately going back and forth at a- almost on a whim.
I, I know you've kind of written about how you would describe it, which I'll let you do that.
They are literally alternating every two and a half innings, and there was a stretch less yesterday or a couple days ago where it was like, okay, one would allow a homer, and then okay, back to the other one.
and then the other two would allow a homer, and then back to the other one.
Kennedy got in a groove and kind of finished it off yesterday, but just describe that dynamic and how they seem to be pretty bought in on it.
They seem to be okay with it, which I think is really interesting.
And whenever they're asked about it, they're just like, "Oh, we stay ready," like, "That's our job."
There has to be more to it than that, but we'll let that go to the side for now.
Jerry said the other night when he swapped them, I don't even know how many times, like us in the press box were just trying to like help each other count.
but he said he just kind of does it on a hunch, like things happened in doubles in their super regional with Florida, and I think he's just very concerned that it'll happen again.
And so he's haunted by that, and he's just like, seems like, especially knowing Jerry a little bit, and you mentioned his personality, he's just like, "Oh, you know what?"
Like, "Maybe Kaitlin would be good right now."
And then you put her in, and she goes like two batters, and you're like, "Oh, she gave up a single.
You know what?
I want Nijery back in there.
She'll do great."
And he, he just But it's working.
It's working.
And then to get Nijery last night to the point where they're all talking about her peaking, and she has her best stuff, and she's baffling batters, like you wonder what the World Series is gonna look like.
Is he gonna go back to just swapping these, these pitchers like on a whim?
I- that's a great question.
And based on how good Kennedy looked, I have to imagine plan A is to just let her roll until she shows any amount of shakiness.
Um- Yeah but, but the fact that they have that as an option is really compelling.
