Texas Longhorns Punch Ticket to Women's College World Series Championship

The Texas Longhorns book their return to the championship series of the Women's College World Series after defeating the Tennessee Volunteers.

Texas pitcher Teagan Kavan (17) celebrates with infielder Joley Mitchell (9) after an out during a Women's College World Series softball game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Texas Longhorns at Devon Park in Oklahoma City, Saturday, May 31, 2025. Texas won 4-2. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Texas Longhorns will once again play for a national championship, advancing to the championship series of the Women's College World Series.

The Longhorns knock off the Tennessee Volunteers with a shutout 2-0 victory to book their trip to the championship series.

Texas got a huge boost from senior Mac Morgan, who started in the circle for the Longhorns. The senior set the tone in her four innings of action, she surrendered just three hits with zero earned runs, and her season-high of four strikeouts. Sophomore Teagan Kavan came out of the bullpen and continued to shut down the Volunteers' offense in the last three innings, giving up no hits and striking out three

May 31, 2025; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Texas Longhorns utility Katie Stewart (20) hits a single in the sixth inning against the Oklahoma Sooners during the NCAA Softball Women's College World Series at Devon Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-Imagn Images | Brett Rojo-Imagn Images

The Longhorns threatened first in the game with the bases loaded with one out in the third inning but could not capitalize, as Tennessee's ace junior Karlyn Pickens forced a pop-up and got herself out of the jam.

Pickens would also be dialed in through the first three innings of the game, giving up three hits and striking out four Texas batters. However, in the fourth inning, the Longhorns managed to put themselves on the scoreboard.

Breaking the deadlock would be the Longhorns in the fourth inning. A solo home run from sophomore Katie Stewart put the first run on the board for the Longhorns and would be the lead the Longhorns managed to hold onto for the rest of the ballgame.

With the one-run lead, head coach Mike White went to his bullpen to close out the final stretch of the game, and Kavan came out in the fifth to shut down the Volunteers.

Kavan carried the momentum from her huge win against the Oklahoma Sooners and was in control from the start. After giving up a walk to the first batter she faced, she forced a ground out, struck a batter out, and forced a fly-out. And in the sixth, Kavan stayed hot with a 1-2-3 inning, ringing in a strikeout, a fly-out, and a ground out.

A throwing error from the Tennessee infield added a run for the Longhorns in the bottom of the sixth inning, increasing the Longhorns lead to 2-0.

With the chance to clinch the Longhorns' spot in the championship series, Kavan forced a line out, a ground out, and a strike out in quick succession to close out the game

The Texas Longhorns will take on either the Texas Tech Red Raiders or the Oklahoma Sooners in the championship series beginning on Wednesday, June 4, at 7 p.m.