Texas Tech ends Oklahoma's four-year WCWS title run to set up all-Texas final series
Texas Tech ended softball titan Oklahoma's four-year reign at the summit of college softball to set up an all-Texas Women's College World Series (WCWS) finals against the UT Longhorns.
While Texas advances to the finals for the second consecutive season – and third time in four years – Tech had to get through the Sooners, who beat the Longhorns in all three of those finals, in order to reach its first ever WCWS championship. Oklahoma went into this postseason as the winner of the last four NCAA Division I softball titles.
It took a walk-off in the bottom of the seventh for the No. 12 seeded Red Raiders to beat the No. 2 Sooners.
Tech had a 2-0 lead heading into the final inning when a two-run home run from junior outfielder Abigale Dayton saw that lead evaporate.
There was one out in the bottom of the 7th when a string of hits and a sacrifice fly from Red Raiders' RBI leader Lauren Allred sent Mihyia Davis home to score the walk-off winner.
The historic victory comes only days after Tech beat the winningest team in WCWS championship history, UCLA, 3-1 to reach the semifinals.
'It's been our motto all year: 'Our chance forever.' And we can leave a legacy at Texas Tech that will be remembered forever in the minds of the people that are able to watch this ballclub,' head coach Gerry Glasco said after the win.
'I think our team, they've left a legacy that will be remembered forever among sports fans that have been able to watch us this year.'
The Longhorns beat No. 7-seeded Tennessee 2-0 after a shutout performance from starter Mac Morgan to reach the WCWS finals.
Morgan gave up three hits, one walk and had four strikeouts over four scoreless innings. The senior's fantastic outing combined with a solo Katie Stewart home run – her 17th of the season – and Joley Mitchell's run on a throwing error in the sixth were enough to seal the win.
Sophomore pitcher Teagan Kavan became the program's record saves leader when she came on in relief in the fifth inning and earned her eighth career save.
The Longhorns' win sets up the first intrastate finals in 21 years – when UCLA beat California 3-1 in the 2004 championship game.
'We're a different team than we were back in February when we last played Tech and so just sticking to what we're doing now and … sticking with our game plans and I think we'll be just fine,' sophomore Stewart said.
The best-of-three championship series kicks-off Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET.
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