OKLAHOMA CITY — NiJaree Canady and her Stanford teammates are used to playing with their backs against the wall.
The Cardinal faced elimination for the sixth time in the NCAA Tournament on Monday night and needed to beat No. 1 seed Texas to stay alive in the Women’s College World Series.
This time, Stanford came up short.
The Cardinal’s season ended after a crushing 1-0 loss to the Longhorns, who scored the only run of the game in the seventh inning, following a fielding error, a double and a botched rundown.
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the seventh, the Cardinal went down in order against Texas ace Teagan Kavan to end their season after dropping two games to Texas during their time at Devon Park.
Texas (55-8) advanced to the best-of-three championship series starting Wednesday. The Longhorns will face either Oklahoma or Florida, who play Tuesday to decide the final championship series berth.
Five times in the tournament, including twice in the world series against Oklahoma State and UCLA, did Stanford win elimination games, with Canady carrying the load and getting ample support from the offense.
“Obviously the season coming to an end, didn’t end the way that we wanted it to,” Stanford coach Jessica Allister said. “Still just a lot to be proud of. When (you) end the season in Oklahoma City, that’s the goal every single year.
“Like I told the team in the locker room, you just got to keep tossing your hat in the ring, get your heart broken a couple times, stand back up and try again. “I couldn’t be more proud of the group of women on the team. They played for each other. They took care of one another. They worked hard.”
Canady, the U.S. Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, did her part Monday, limiting Texas to no runs, striking out seven and walking none through six innings.
Canady got Texas’ Allysa Washington to ground to second to start the seventh inning, but second baseman Taryn Kern muffed the ball for an error, allowing the Longhorns to get their lead runner aboard.
The next batter, Joley Mitchell, doubled to left field and Texas was in business, with runners at second and third and no outs. Ashton Maloney then bunted, Canady fielded the ball and threw home.
Catcher Aly Kaneshiro caught Washington in a rundown and threw the ball back to third baseman Jade Berry, who attempted to run down the speedy Washington. Berry then threw the ball back to Kaneshiro, who tagged Washington too late.
“I think something I’m most proud of honestly is the way this team fought until the very last out,” Canady said. “I’ll pick us every single time. I feel like every loss hurts. This being the last one definitely does. Again, just like Coach Allister said, you have to keep going in the ring. One day it will pay off.”
Stanford (50-17) was once again done in by freshman pitcher Kavan, who shut out Stanford for the second time in the series. Kavan, who improved to 20-2, allowed just one hit and no walks. She struck out seven.
“Hats off to her,” Allister said of Kavan. “She threw two good games, kept us guessing. She did a phenomenal job. She’s a great pitcher.”
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The Cardinal reached the semifinals Sunday when Canady pitched a complete game three-hitter with eight strikeouts and no walks in a 3-1 win over UCLA.
“Obviously NiJaree was fantastic all week, fantastic today,” Allister said. “I mean, maybe one of the best performances in Oklahoma City that I’ve seen at least. None of us that are around here all the time are surprised. Just gritty and tough and phenomenal. Sad for this year to be over. But proud. Really, really proud.”
Sunday’s win meant Stanford wound up being the last Pac-12 softball team to play a game – a consolation prize that won’t soon soothe the pain from Monday night’s loss.
Stanford pitcher NiJaree Canady and shortstop River Mahler celebrate an out against Texas in the Women’s College World Series on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Bob Drebin / ISI Photos)
