National Champs! Texas softball slams Red Raiders in WCWS final, 10-4
National Champs! Texas softball slams Red Raiders in WCWS final, 10-4
For the first time in program history, the Texas Longhorns softball team are National Champions. This was UT's eight trip to the Women's College World Series. The Horns jumped all over Texas Tech ace NiJaree Canady for five runs in the first inning and never looked back.
Canady had pitched every inning since the Super Regionals for the Red Raiders, but she looked fatigued when the game started. Her pitches looked flat and the spin rate was down. The Longhorns capitalized.
With runners on first and second and one out, Texas catcher Reese Atwood singled through to right side to score Kayden Henry. Katie Stewart then drove in another run on a single. Finally, Leighann Goode drove a three-run home run to center off Canady. It was Goode's fourth home run of the postseason and the 10th of the season.
That was it for Canady. Tech coach Gerry Glasco pulled the star pitcher and put in Chloe Riassetto. Meanwhile, Texas ace Teagen Kavan cruised through four innings of scoreless softball.
In the bottom of the fourth, Texas' Mia Scott smashed a grand slam deep to center field off Riassetto to give the Longhorns a 10-run lead. Tech was suddenly in danger of having the run rule invoked. The run rule or "mercy rule" activates if a team leads by eight runs or more after five innings.
But the Red Raiders fought back with three runs in the top of the fifth on a Scott throwing error. The Red Raiders still still in danger of being run ruled if UT scored one more run in the bottom of fifth or sixth innings. But Texas Tech pitcher Samantha Lincoln held the Longhorns bats at bay.
A third Longhorns error in the top of the seventh inning helped Tech score another run. Texas had an obstruction call overturned get the second out. Kavan got Tech's Lauren Allred to ground out for the third out and the national title.
The Texas players mobbed Kavan on the mound for a well-earned celebration.
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