Texas Tech softball mounts epic eight-run comeback with one out remaining to stun Ole Miss in Lubbock Regional

After Lauren Allred reached first on an infield single to start the bottom of the seventh, Logan Halleman lined out and Mihyia Davis struck out to put Texas Tech down to its final out. That's when things got wild. Two batters later, it was 8-3 after a home run from Jackie Lis. Three singles and a walk after that, Allred was back at the plate, where she delivered a game-tying grand slam against Ole Miss starter Emilee Boyer, who threw 159 pitches before being pulled.

Texas Tech needed another comeback, albeit from a meager one run, in extras after Ole Miss scored in the top of the eighth, and it got two across the plate, winning on a sacrifice fly.

With the win, Texas Tech (54-6) avoids playing a double-header in an elimination game later Saturday against Marist or Boston U. It also gets two chances to advance to the Super Regionals if it fails to win Monday's Lubbock Regional Game 6.

The Red Raiders were also able to survive an uncharacteristically poor pitching performance from star NiJaree Canady, who allowed five earned runs in five innings. She entered Saturday with an incredible 1.24 earned run average, allowing 26 earned runs in 146.1 innings, and last pitching on May 9. After her outing, Canady's ERA for the season has ballooned to 1.44. (We think she's going to be okay.)

Texas Tech may need her as soon as its next game. Canady has pitched on one-day rest multiple times this season, so endurance won't be an issue.

Last season, the Red Raiders finished a win short of their first softball national championship, losing the best-of-three WCWS finals, 2-1, to the Texas Longhorns. It's going to need more heroics like Saturday's to do what last year's squad couldn't. After watching that unbelievable, historic comeback, we know better than to say it's impossible.