Texas Longhorns light the tower with first College World Series championship
The post Texas Longhorns light the tower with first College World Series championship appeared first on ClutchPoints.
After years of heartbreak and near-misses, the Texas Longhorns softball team finally completed the climb. With a dominant 10-4 win over Texas Tech on Friday night in Game 3 of the Women's College World Series championship series, the Longhorns captured their first-ever national title and put an emphatic end to years of waiting.
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It was Texas' eighth trip to the WCWS and the third time in the past four seasons they'd reached the championship round. But unlike in 2022 and 2023—when they fell to Oklahoma—this time, they refused to be denied.
Texas came out swinging early and never looked back. The offense exploded for five runs in the first inning, capped off by a three-run blast from Leighann Goode. Mia Scott delivered the knockout punch just an inning later with a grand slam, a moment that sent the Texas dugout into a frenzy.
On the mound, sophomore ace Teagan Kavan once again showed why she's been the heart and soul of the Longhorns this postseason. She tossed 31 2/3 innings in the WCWS without allowing an earned run, a tournament record, and went 4-0 with a save along the way. Her dominance earned her the WCWS Most Outstanding Player award.
Texas softball brings a National Championship to Austin
© DOUG HOKE/THEOKLAHOMAN
'It means the world,' Kavan said on ESPN after the game. 'I'm so happy for this team. We did it.'
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The title is also a monumental achievement for head coach Mike White. After coming up short twice in the finals, White finally got his Gatorade bath and the national recognition he has long deserved.
'It's surreal,' White said in a postgame interview. 'We've worked so hard to get to this point. These girls showed so much fight, and I couldn't be prouder.'
Scott, whose impact throughout her career has been immense, delivered one of the most clutch performances of her life in the final. Her grand slam not only padded the lead but also put an exclamation mark on an already stellar WCWS run.
Texas Tech, meanwhile, was forced to pull star pitcher NiJaree Canady after just one inning. After throwing 686 consecutive pitches dating back to the start of Super Regionals, she simply ran out of gas at the worst possible time. Not even the support of Patrick and Brittany Mahomes in the stands could swing the momentum back in the Red Raiders' favor.
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With the win, Kavan also surpassed Longhorn legend Cat Osterman for the most wins in WCWS history for Texas. And with Kavan only a sophomore, she's just getting started. After years of falling just short, the Longhorns have finally reached the mountaintop—and lit the tower in championship gold.
Related: Former NCAA athletes to be paid $2.8 billion for lost NIL earnings
Related: NCAA conference commissioners applaud House settlement that 'prioritizes fairness'
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