Big 12 softball power rankings: How run-rule loss was good for Texas Tech
· Yahoo Sports
Texas Tech softball coach Gerry Glasco thought his team’s run-rule loss to Arizona was good for it.
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Not that he wants the Red Raiders to make a habit of such things.
“Wasn’t fun for us and wasn’t anything I ever want to do again,” he told reporters in Lubbock after the conclusion of the team’s three-game series. “But it was so good for us because we just weren’t ready. We just weren’t ready to compete.”
The Red Raiders bounced back after the home loss that came with NiJaree Canady in the circle. They scored a pair of run-rule victories against the Wildcats, and because of that, Texas Tech holds the top spot in our first regular-season Big 12 softball power rankings.
But for a time in that second Texas Tech-Arizona game, it looked like the Red Raiders hadn’t learned anything from their 9-0 loss in the opener. They fell behind 5-1 the Wildcats after only an inning and a half, giving up a pair of multi-run homers.
In the bottom of the second inning, though, Texas Tech responded with five runs and never trailed again.
“I thought that was a big moment for our ballclub,” Glasco said Saturday after the 14-6 and 8-0 run-rule wins. “Kind of a season-defining moment. It’s a bunch of new girls that have got to learn how to play as a team, and I thought today, they did a great job of playing as a team.
“Once they got the momentum, they never let go of it.”
Let’s get to the Big 12 power rankings.
1. Texas Tech
Record: 27-2, 5-1 Big 12
Despite that shocking run-rule loss to Arizona at home, Texas Tech still has the best resume in the conference.
2. Arizona
Record: 21-7, 4-2 Big 12
Impressive stuff by the Wildcats with the way they took that first game in Lubbock. Builds on a strong opening Big 12 weekend when they not only swept BYU but also won all three games in run-rule fashion.
3. Arizona State
Record: 22-7, 2-4 Big 12
The Sun Devils got a big series win against Oklahoma State this past weekend, winning a pair of one-run games. They’re playing catch up after being swept by Utah the previous weekend.
4. Oklahoma State
Record: 18-9, 2-4 Big 12
The Cowgirls are off to a rough start in league play, dropping their first two series, first to UCF, then to Arizona State.
5. Baylor
Record: 20-7, 5-1 Big 12
Like Iowa State a season ago, Baylor might be the surprise team of the league this year. The Bears have swept the Cyclones and taken 2 of 3 in Orlando from the Knights.
6. UCF
Record: 23-7, 3-3 Big 12
The Knights were strong in nonconference play, but they’ve been up and down in league play. Good: winning the OSU series. Bad: losing the Baylor series at home.
7. Utah
Record: 23-6, 3-0 Big 12
Are the Utes back? That remains to be seen, but they already have 10 more wins than they had all of last season.
8. Kansas
Record: 20-8, 2-1 Big 12
The Jayhawks were ohsoclose to sweeping their Big 12 opening series against Houston, losing in eight innings, then winning the next two by scoring double-digit runs.
9. Houston
Record: 17-12, 1-5 Big 12
Despite losing its first two conference series being swept by Texas Tech and losing two of three to Kansas, Houston isn’t a team to sleep on. The Cougars had some nice nonconference wins.
10. BYU
Record: 8-18, 0-3 Big 12
The Cougars seemed poised for a breakout year, having just missed the last couple of NCAA Tournaments. But they are scuffling, including being run-rule swept by Arizona in their league-opening series
11. Iowa State
Record: 15-10, 0-3 Big 12
The Cyclones were the league’s surprise team of 2025, but getting swept by Baylor to start Big 12 play isn’t the kind of thing that happened to Iowa State a year ago.
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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Big 12 softball power rankings: Texas Tech bounces back, takes top spot