TEXAS:
The Longhorns powered their way back to the WCWS championship series for the third straight year by sweeping No. 8 Tennessee in a Monday doubleheader, winning 5–2 and 4–0. Texas advanced to their fourth finals appearance in five seasons and remained perfect in elimination games in that time at 6–0.
In the first win-or-go-home against the Vols, senior right‑hander Citlaly Gutierrez set the tone early. She retired the first 11 batters she faced and held Tennessee to one earned run across 6 and two-thirds innings. Texas broke a scoreless tie in the fourth when senior catcher Reese Atwood launched her 19th home run. After Tennessee briefly tied it, Texas answered with a three‑run fifth, highlighted by Hannah Wells, who knocked in two runs on her single off the center field wall. Teagan Kavan entered with two outs in the seventh and recorded a strikeout to secure the win.
Kavan started and dominated Game 2, throwing a two‑hit shutout with 10 strikeouts to clinch the finals berth. She retired the first 11 batters without allowing a walk or extra‑base hit. Texas turned in three runs in the third, sparked by Viviana Martinez’s RBI single and a double‑steal sequence that allowed Kayden Henry to score. Atwood added an RBI double, and Katie Stewart crushed her program‑record 30th home run in the fifth.
Texas outhit Tennessee in both games and continued its record‑setting power surge, reaching 97 home runs on the season, looking to do more damage in the final series of the year.
TEXAS TECH:
Texas Tech earned its second straight trip to the WCWS Finals by knocking off No. 1 Alabama twice on Monday, capped by a 2–0 shutout behind ace NiJaree Canady. The Red Raiders have now won over 60 games this season.
Texas Tech forced the second semifinal match with a 5–4 walk‑off win in Game 1. Mia Williams, hitless in her first three at‑bats, delivered the game‑winner with her 26th home run after Alabama tied the game in the seventh. Tech hit three homers in the opener, including a two‑run shot from Taylor Pannell and a solo blast from Lauren Allred. Canady earned the win in relief, striking out four and allowing one run in two and two-thirds innings.
In Game 2, Canady returned to the circle and dominated. She threw a complete‑game two‑hit shutout with six strikeouts. Jasmyn Burns provided the early spark, drilling a leadoff home run in the fourth for a 1–0 lead. Tech added insurance in the seventh when Allred singled up the middle, scoring Mihyia Davis from first after an errant throw. Davis went 2‑for‑3 and extended her program‑record hit total to 100.
The Red Raiders finished with 10 hits, including two each from Williams, Davis, Allred and Burns. Alabama managed only two hits against Canady, who improved to 29–6 after throwing 57 pitches in the first game and returning to finish the night.
The Longhorns won the 2025 national title over Tech in three games, but the Red Raiders enter this year’s rematch with momentum and an improved pitching staff.
