What Went Wrong for Texas in Loss Against Tennessee in Women's College World Series

The Texas Longhorns returned to Oklahoma City for the Women's College World Series, looking to defend their national championship from a season ago. However, that quest hasn't gotten off to the best of starts.

The Longhorns opened their journey in the Women's College World Series on Thursday, taking on a team from the SEC in the Tennessee Volunteers. And the Longhorns would not be up for the opening contest, with the Volunteers taking the game 6-3 to book their spot in the winners' bracket.

For the Longhorns its a setback that now puts them on the brink of elimination and the end of their 2026 season at risk. Texas will look to keep its championship hopes alive, taking on the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Friday in an elimination game. Taking a look at the Longhorns loss to the Volunteers, here are two of the biggest things that went wrong in the losing effort.

Teagan Kavan Wasn't Her Usual Self

Texas Longhorns pitcher Teagan Kavan (17) throws a pitch in the second inning against the Tennessee Lady Volunteers. | Brett Rojo-Imagn Images

The Longhorns have largely depended on junior ace Teagan Kavan to lead the Texas pitching staff throughout the season and especially in the postseason. The junior started all three games of the Austin Super Regional just a week ago, and a few weeks ago started every game for Texas in the SEC Tournament.

However, in the Longhorns' opening game of the Women's College World Series, Kavan wouldn't live up to the former performances that she's had on this stage. The junior only went three innings in her start, surrendering three hits, a walk, and three earned runs to just three strikeouts, an unusually low number for the strikeout artist.

"I felt like she wasn't quite as sharply as she's normally been," Mike White said. "We had to try and conserve some energy in our pitching staff... she was already up to 60-something pitches, I believe, so I kind of was looking ahead a little bit.

Kavan's biggest struggles came in the second inning of the ballgame, where the Volunteers would strike first with a three-run inning. The frame started with two free bases given up by Kavan in a hit by pitch and a walk, and in the ensuing at-bat, Tennessee freshman Elsa Morrison would jump on the first pitch she saw for a three-run home run.

Texas' Batting Order Couldn't Figure Out Tennessee's Starter

Texas Longhorns utility Katie Stewart (20) gets a base hit in the sixth inning of a Women's College World Series softball game. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Volunteers have the best pitching staff in the country, hands down, leading the nation in ERA, WHIP, and opposing batting average. And Tennessee proved its strength from inside the circle, holding the Texas batting order that is top 20 in the country in runs batted in per game to just three runs.

The Longhorns wouldn't get their first hit of the ballgame until the third inning and wouldn't score a run until the fifth. Keeping the Texas batting order in check for most of the game was Tennessee junior Sage Mardjetko.

Mardjetko would keep a dangerous Longhorns lineup at bay for the majority of her four-inning start, with Texas managing just three base runners against her. The junior would surrender just a single hit and two walks with a strikeout in four shutout innings.

While the Longhorns found success late off of senior Karlyn Pickens, who came in relief in the fifth inning as they notched three runs in the fifth and six inning. The tone was set by Mardjetko, and the Longhorns' late rally fell short.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google