The Texas Longhorns won the first women’s softball national championship in school history, defeating Texas Tech 10-4 in Game 3 of the Women’s College World Series on Friday night.
Facing Texas for the third consecutive night, Red Raiders star pitcher NiJaree Canady gave up four consecutive one-out singles in the first inning. That resulted in a 2-0 Longhorns lead.
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Canady struck out Joley Mitchell and it looked like she might escape with only those two runs allowed. However, Leighann Goode hit the first pitch she saw to left-center field for a 3-run home run and a 5-0 Texas lead.
Chloe Riassetto took over for Texas Tech in the second inning, ending Canady’s evening after five runs and five hits allowed on 25 pitches. Riassetto pitched a scoreless inning, but couldn’t hold Texas back in the third.
Reese Atwood and Katie Stewart began the inning with two consecutive doubles, resulting in another run for a 6-0 Longhorns lead.
The Longhorns put the game out of reach in the fourth inning. Texas got its first three batters on base with two infield singles and a double. Mia Scott followed that up by crushing a ball deep to center field for a grand slam and 10-0 lead.
The NCAA mercy rule was in play
Under NCAA rules, a women’s softball game ends if one team has a lead of eight runs or more after five innings. So Texas Tech faced a loss by that mercy rule going into the top of the fifth. However, the Red Raiders held that off by scoring three runs in the frame.
With two outs in the inning, Mihyia Davis drove in Bailey Lindemuth with an infield single, cutting the deficit to 10-1. Hailey Toney followed that up with a 2-run single to score Davis and Lindemuth, staying alive for at least another half-inning.
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Texas had an opportunity for a walk-off win in the bottom of the fifth. But Samantha Lincoln pitched a scoreless inning for Texas Tech to keep the ballgame going, albeit still trailing 10-3.
The Red Raiders could not score in the top of the sixth, keeping the score at 10-3 and giving Texas another opportunity for a walk-off win. The Longhorns threatened to score and end the game after Kayden Henry reached base on an error by Texas Tech second baseman Alexa Langeliers, followed by Mia Scott drawing a walk.
Henry then advanced to third base on a wild pitch by Lincoln. But the right-hander struck out Atwood and Stewart to escape the jam and give the Red Raiders one last chance to tie the score or take the lead. Texas Tech added a fourth run with Hailey Toney driving in Makayla Garcia. But Texas left fielder Katie Stewart threw out Mihyia Davis trying to get to third.
Texas Tech’s Lauren Allred grounded out to shortstop for the final out, giving Texas a 10-4 win that felt inevitable after the fourth inning.
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Toney batted 3-for-4 with three RBI to lead Texas Tech and Davis added two hits. But the Red Raiders (54-14) couldn’t generate much more offense against Kavan, especially after falling behind 10-0 and facing a major uphill climb. Lincoln pitched three scoreless innings to keep Texas Tech in the game, but Canady and Riassetto each gave up five runs and 12 total hits.
Texas pitcher Teagan Kavan was named the most outstanding player of the Women’s College World Series after allowing four runs (two earned) and eight hits in seven innings. Henry hit 3-for-4, while Scott, Atwood and Stewart each knocked two hits and drove in seven total runs. Goode drove in the other three for Texas with her home run.
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The Longhorns (56-12) were in the Women’s College World Series finals for the third time in four years under head coach Mike White. They lost their first two appearances to Oklahoma amid the Sooners’ four consecutive national championships. But Texas finally broke through on its third try and in White’s seventh season in Austin.
Here is how the action played out in Yahoo Sports’ live blog of Game 3.
