Texas Softball Stays Alive, Shuts Out Mississippi State in Elimination Game

The Texas Longhorns will live to play another day, keeping their hopes alive at the Women's College World Series and their 2026 season alive.

The Longhorns took a misstep to start their week in Oklahoma City, starting their participation at the Women's College World Series with a loss. Texas fell 6-3 to the Tennessee Volunteers on Thursday afternoon and subsequently dropped to the losers' bracket.

The loss put the Longhorns in an elimination game on Friday night against the Mississippi State Bulldogs, and with their backs against the wall, the Longhorns were able to respond. Texas books another few days in Oklahoma City after a shutout 4-0 victory over the Bulldogs.

Texas Grits Out Victory to Keep Breathing in OKC

Texas' Longhorns pitcher Teagan Kavan (17) and Reese Atwood (14) celebrate following a Women's College World Series softball game. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Longhorns struggled to find any momentum from inside the batter's box against the Volunteers; it would be a different story for Texas against Mississippi State. Texas would find its four runs off of six hits that were enough to fuel the win.

Yesterday, Texas wouldn't find its first run of the ballgame until the fifth inning. But with its back agsint the wall, the Orange and White would break through in the second frame on Friday night with help from the bottom of the order.

Getting the scoring started for the Longhorns would be the eighth hole hitter in senior Kaiah Altmeyer, who blasted the first pitch of her at-bat for a two-run home run. The two-run blast would be the seniors' first home run of the season

"Keeping the moment not too big and just playing my game still doesn't affect me," Altmeyer said. "But I think just once the ball went off the bat, I knew it was out, and it was just a good feeling."

That wouldn't be the last ball to head for the stands from a Longhorn batter with junior Kayden Henry getting in on the long-ball action in the fifth inning. The junior would see a 2-0 offering and got hold of it for a solo home run to add a third run to the Texas lead.

And the final touch from the batter's box would be added by junior Viviana Martinez in the seventh inning with a RBI double that scored junior Katie Stewart from first base.

While the Longhorns found their momentum from inside the batter's box, junior ace Teagan Kavan would regain her groove from inside the circle. The ace would go the distance for the complete game shutout. Kavan surrendered just four hits in her seven innings of work as she struck out a pair.

"She just takes it moment by moment," Mike White said. "And we talk a lot about it. being where your feet are and not making a big deal out of it. Just think about winning this pitch, and that's what we really wanted to do in this tournament."

The Longhorns will continue to fight for their season as they continue to play in elimination games for the rest of the Women's College World Series.

Texas will be back in action at Devon Park to take on the loser of the battle between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Alabama Crimson Tide, which takes place on Saturday, May 30, at 6:00 p.m. CT on ESPN. The Longhorns' next matchup is set for Sunday, May 31, at 2:00 p.m. CT on ABC.

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