Texas Tech’s run-rule win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs was more than just a simple victory for the Red Raiders. That wasn’t just something that allowed the Texas Tech softball team to move on in the Women’s College World Series.
In addition to letting Texas Tech advance, that win over MSU allows the Red Raiders to build momentum and also to get some very important rest before facing off against the Tennessee Lady Vols in the next game of the WCWS.
So much of it just has to do with the way things are structured at this point in the season. If you win on Day 1 of the Women’s College World Series, you avoid playing on Day 2 in one of the elimination games. So, a win on Thursday and you rest on Friday. That’s a pretty straightforward and good deal for all involved.
Had the Red Raiders lost to Mississippi State to open the Women’s College World Series, then we would have seen Texas Tech play against the Texas Longhorns in a loser-goes-home situation. Instead, the Red Raiders got to take a little break before facing Tennessee in what will be Game 7 of the WCWS.
There’s value in that. And of course, Texas Tech’s head coach is aware of that.
Texas Tech softball’s Gerry Glasco explains why it was great for the Red Raiders to be in the winners’ bracket
“You want to stay in the winners’ bracket,” Glasco explained plainly. “As long as you can win, you get a day of rest. It just makes the pace of the tournament where the kids can really enjoy it. And yeah, we want to just keep trying to play every other day. Every other day, it gives you a lot of time to prepare.”
Given Glasco’s background, he definitely seems to favor having as much time to prepare as possible.
“We’ll have a hit around tonight, we’ll have a hit around early in the morning, we’ll have a hit around tomorrow night, and then we’ll have pregame hitting off site” Glasco said on Thursday after beating Mississippi State. “So we’ll have four practices before our next game. As a hitting coach, that’s unbelievable to get that opportunity and we’ll take advantage that.”
There is another benefit. Because of the win (in a shortened game to where the Red Raiders didn’t have to play the last two innings against the Bulldogs), the Red Raiders won’t have to play an additional game. And that means less wear and tear on Texas Tech’s pitching staff.
“It eliminates playing as many innings, when you’re in the winners’ bracket,” Glasco stated.
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