![Texas Tech catcher Lagi Quiroga (4) scores during the super regional game of the NCAA Division 1 softball championship at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Friday, May 22, 2026. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_2847,h_1601/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/275/01ks9p0kek0nqgz2txd5.jpg "Texas Tech catcher Lagi Quiroga (4) scores during the super regional game of the NCAA Division 1 softball championship at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Friday, May 22, 2026. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]")
It’s taken a while for this iteration of the Texas Tech softball team to come together as a collective unit, but the Red Raiders really seem to be thriving right now. And so much of that has to do with how talented this team is, but a not insignificant thing to note here is just how tough this group is.
The Texas Tech Red Raiders went into Game 1 of the Gainesville Super Regional and beat the Florida Gators by two runs in a high scoring 10-8 matchup. Now, Texas Tech is within one win of getting back to Oklahoma City.
While that’s worth celebrating, it’s worth exploring a little deeper what all it took for Texas Tech to get to this point. Because the Red Raiders really had to battle to beat Florida in Game 1.
Texas Tech was holding onto a 6-run lead roughly halfway through this game and things were tied up at 8-8 heading into the seventh inning. Despite the way Florida put up seven runs across the fifth and sixth innings and ultimately put pressure on the Red Raiders, Texas Tech responded in the exact way that it needed to. And Gerry Glasco sure seems impressed.
Gerry Glasco seemed impressed with how the Texas Tech softball team remained cool and collected against the Florida Gators
“I saw exactly what I wanted to see today,” Texas Tech’s head coach explained during a postgame press conference following the 10-8 win over the Gators. “They’re tough, they’re a tough team.”
It may have taken Texas Tech a while for this group to really come together as a collective unit, but there’s a ton to be proud of right now and the development that this group showed (along with the resilience to overcome less-than-ideal circumstances) truly is a remarkable thing.
“They’re talking about staying calm,” Glasco mentioned. “I mean, I’m tearing the dugout up in the sixth inning, seventh inning. I’m not worried about staying calm. I’m tearing them up because we’ve got to be tough. We have to be a tough team.”
Understandable. And also, it worked. It definitely worked out for the Red Raiders. They weren’t overwhelmed by Florida’s comeback bid. They weren’t worried about Glasco’s frustrations. They just focused and managed to get a difficult win in a tough venue to win in.
"They don't even notice that anymore," Glasco said of his late inning frustrations. "So I think that's another indication we're in a really good place."
With the game tied in the top of the seventh, Texas Tech just went back to work. Lagi Quiroga drew a walk. Mia Williams crushed a two-run home run. NiJaree Canady put the game away. Texas Tech now sits just one win shy of getting to the Women’s College World Series.
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