Texas Longhorns Shutout Florida in Women's College World Series Opener

The Texas Longhorns get their journey in the Women's College World Series started on the right foot with a shutout 3-0 victory against the Florida Gators.

The Longhorns were powered by a stellar shutout and two-hit allowed performance from sophomore Teagan Kavan and a huge contribution from the longball. Headlined by a two-home run display from graduate Joley Mitchell and another solo shot from sophomore Katie Stewart.

The game through six innings was a pitchers' duel between Kavan and sophomore Keagan Rothrock who the Longhorns did not face in their series earlier in the season. Kavan allowed just two hits through the full game shutout. Kavan had just one strikeout in the ballgame, which for the strikeout artist is low, but the Longhorns' defense fielded any ground or fly ball flawlessly to help out their pitcher.

Texas infielder Joley Mitchell (9) celebrates after hitting a home run in the second inning of a Women's College World Series softball game between the Texas Longhorns and the Florida Gators at Devon Park in Oklahoma City, Thursday, May 29, 2025. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Getting the first run for the Longhorns in OKC was Mitchell, who in her first at-bat got a hold of one, hitting a solo home run into left field, opening the scoring. The solo shot was Mitchell's 15th home run of the season.

The Gators struggled at the plate getting their first hit of the ballgame until the fourth inning and could not capitalize on the slim chances they had with a runners on base.

Both pitchers were in control of the game, outside of Rothrock giving up the one run home run in the second, she was also in command, striking out four batters and getting out of a couple of jams when the Longhorns managed to get runners on the base path. However, the game would get out of her control in the sixth inning.

After three scoreless innings from both teams, the Longhorns added to their lead once more. It was Mitchell for the second time in the game, with her second solo home run of the game, increasing the lead to two, and in the very next at-bat, Stewart added another insurance run with a 252-foot opposite-field shot to add to the Longhorns' 3-0 lead.

Kavan slammed the door on the Gators in the bottom of the seventh ringing in a fly out and forcing back-to-back grodundouts to end the game.

With a victory against the Gators, the Longhorns find themselves in the winner's bracket and will take on the winner of the Oklahoma Sooners and Tennessee Lady Volunteers on Saturday, May 31, at 3 p.m. in the next round of the Women's College World Series.