Texas Longhorns Clinch First Softball National Championship
In a thrilling showdown at the Women’s College World Series (WCWS) last night, the Texas Longhorns secured their first-ever national championship by defeating Texas Tech 10-4. The victory was powered by standout performances from an array of Texas players, including a grand slam by Mia Scott and another stellar outing from starting pitcher from Teagan Kavan, the MVP of the series.
The Longhorn bats got going early in their third game against Texas Tech pitcher NiJaree Canad,y wasting no time in establishing their dominance. In the first inning, they chased Texas Tech’s ace pitcher Canady off the mound with a five-run blitz. Leighann Goode’s three-run home run capped off the explosive start, giving Texas a commanding 5-0 lead early.
The fourth inning saw Mia Scott, playing with a torn right ACL, deliver the decisive blow with a grand slam, extending the Longhorns’ lead to 10-0. Scott’s slam put Texas firmly in control and on the brink of invoking the NCAA mercy rule, which ends a game if one team leads by eight runs or more after five innings.
Despite the deficit, Texas Tech showed resilience. They managed to score three runs in the fifth inning, staving off the mercy rule and keeping their hopes alive. However, the Longhorns’ defense held strong, preventing any further comeback attempts.
Longhorn ace Teagan Kavan’s complete game performance was instrumental in securing the win. She kept the Red Raiders at bay, allowing only four runs throughout the game.
The championship marks the first for head coach Mike White as the Texas coach, and the first ever for the Texas Longhorns softball program. They had reached the WCWS finals three times in the past four seasons but had never clinched the title.
