The bracket held form in the Big 12 Softball Championship.
It’s No. 1 vs. No. 2 for the title. Big 12 Pitcher of the Year vs. Big 12 Player of the Year.

The Wildcats surround Sydney Stewart (21) at the plate after her three-run homer gave Arizona a 6-3 lead over Iowa State in the fifth inning of the semifinals of the Big 12 Softball Championship on Friday, May 9, 2025, at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.
No. 2 seed Arizona rallied to defeat No. 3 seed Iowa State 6-3 Friday in the tournament semifinals at Devon Park in Oklahoma City. The victory set up a matchup in the championship game Saturday morning with top seed Texas Tech, led by star pitcher NiJaree Canady.
UA standout Devyn Netz started against the Cyclones and delivered 5⅔ solid innings, as well as a two-RBI single. Her batterymate, junior catcher Sydney Stewart, gave Arizona the lead in the fifth inning with a three-run homer, her 17th of the season. Netz and Stewart combined for half of the Wildcats’ eight hits.
It appeared that former Cyclone Saya Swain would earn the save. She got the last three outs in the top of the sixth and retired the leadoff hitter in the top of the seventh. Then Swain lost her command, walking two straight batters on eight pitches to bring the tying run to the plate.
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Arizona's Devyn Netz delivers a pitch against Iowa State in the semifinals of the Big 12 Softball Championship on Friday, May 9, 2025, at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.
Netz re-entered the circle and finished what she started. She needed just two pitches to secure the final two outs and send the Wildcats (45-10) to the title game.
Arizona took command of a back-and-forth contest in the bottom of the fifth. With runners on second and third and one out, Stewart clubbed an 0-2 pitch from reliever Jaiden Ralston over the left field wall for a three-run homer to give the Wildcats a 6-3 lead.
For the second day in a row, Arizona faced an early deficit. After throwing a 1-2-3 first inning, Netz surrendered a two-run homer to Karlee Ford in the second that gave Iowa State a 2-0 lead.
As she did Thursday, Netz helped her own cause. After Arizona loaded the bases in the bottom of the third via a hit batter and two infield singles, Netz ripped a two-RBI single to center to tie the score at 2-2.
The tie was short-lived as Iowa State’s Angelina Allen led off the top of the fourth with a solo home run.
Netz has pitched with elite control this season, but she has been susceptible to the long ball. She entered Friday having allowed 18 home runs, tied for third most in the Big 12.

Arizona's Dakota Kennedy slides into second safely for a stolen base in the first inning vs. Iowa State in the semifinals of the Big 12 Softball Championship on Friday, May 9, 2025, at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.
Arizona responded in the bottom of the fourth. Kaiah Altmeyer led off with a double into the right field corner and advanced to third on an error. She scored on Jenna Sniffen’s sacrifice fly to center. Altmeyer executed a perfect head-first slide at the plate to avoid Ford’s tag.
Texas Tech (44-12) advanced to the title game by obliterating No. 5 seed Arizona State 18-0 earlier Friday. The 18 runs were the most scored by a team in a single game in Big 12 Softball Championship history.
Texas Tech took two of three from Arizona April 17-19 in Tucson. The Wildcats won the opener 2-1 before losing the next two, 10-1 and 5-2.
Canady pitched in all three games in the series, allowing four runs on 11 hits in 17 innings. She walked six batters and struck out 13.
After yielding just one hit and fanning 13 in 6â…” innings vs. Baylor in the tournament quarterfinals Thursday, Canady pitched three innings against the Sun Devils. She allowed one hit and one walk while striking out five. She was lifted after the Red Raiders scored 11 runs in the bottom of the third.

Texas Tech players celebrate after defeating Arizona State 18-0Â in the semifinals of the Big 12 Softball Championship on Friday, May 9, 2025, at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.
Contact sports reporter/columnist Michael Lev at mlev@tucson.com. On X (Twitter): @michaeljlev. On Bluesky: @michaeljlev.bsky.social