Texas Longhorns Take Game 1 of Women's College World Series Championship

The Texas Longhorns will be one win away from clinching history after a narrow 2-1 victory in Game 1 of the Women's College World Series championship series against the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

As many expected, Game 1 of the WCWS championship series was a pitchers' duel between Longhorns ace sophomore Teagan Kavan and Texas Tech ace junior Nijaree Canady.

Both pitchers were in command, with Kavan allowing just three hits, with three strikeouts, and the run from Tech was not earned. Canady was equally in control, allowing just four hits paired with seven strikeouts, but the crucial two earned runs given up were enough for the Longhorns' victory.

Texas utility Leighann Goode (43) throws to first but is unable to complete the double play after forcing out Tennessee utility Amanda Ahlin (88) at second base in the fifth inning of a Women's College World Series softball game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Texas Longhorns at Devon Park in Oklahoma City, Monday, June 2, 2025. Texas won 2-0. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Texas Tech threatened early in the first inning with the bases loaded and no outs, but Kavan managed to get out of the early jam, forcing a double play and a ground out to end the inning with no damage done.

The Red Raiders managed to score the first run of the championship series in the fifth inning in controversial fashion. An obstruction call was given, after junior catcher Reese Atwood threw a dart down to second base and junior Leighann Goode applied the tag to catch the runner stealing, however, after a challenge, Tech was awarded second base. And in the very next at-bat, junior Mihyia Davis managed to get just enough of the ball to drive in the runner on second with a hit into the outfield.

With the game coming down to the wire and Texas on the brink of going down in the Women's College World Texas finally managed to break through in the sixth inning.

With runners on the corners, Atwood stepped into the box, and Texas Tech decided to intentionally walk Atwood. However, on the 3-0 pitch to Atwood, Canady's pitch was far too inside, and Atwood managed to capitalize on the mistake, driving in two runs and taking the lead heading into the seventh inning. The two-RBI single was Atwood's first hit at the Women's College World Series and was the decider in the ballgame.

To close out the game, Kavan rang in a flyout, a strikeout, and got the third out with another flyout to seal the game.

The Texas Longhorns will try to close the series and win their first national championship in Game 2 on Thursday, June 5 at 7 p.m.