2026 WCWS: Kavan blanks Tennessee, leads Texas back to champ series
Teagan Kavan felt that she let her team down after their Women’s College World Series loss on Thursday. She’s certainly made up for it since. The reigning WCWS Most Outstanding Player dealt another gem, leading Texas to a 4-0 win and back into the WCWS championship series.
Kavan had dominated in the vertical plane with her rise-and-dropball combination. She created far more swing and misses against the Lady Vols than she did back on Opening Day of the WCWS. For example, in the third inning, she struck out the side. Makenzie Butt swung over a dropball, Bella Faw missed a riseball out of the zone and Taelyn Holley watched a low rise paint the bottom part of the zone.
“I think I was able to mix a little bit more than I did the first day. I think I hit corners a little better than I did,” Kavan said. “I missed a pitch, and they capitalized on it the first day. I was able to keep them off the board today, and so that was huge just to keep our team in the game.
“I think (Pitching )Coach (Pattie Ruth Taylor) adjusted really well, and Coach White and them calling pitches, we were able to keep them off balance all day. Reese was talking to me the whole time. Throwing after Cit, I think we complement each other, so that also helps.”
The junior righty threw well on the river, especially outside, against left-handed batters. Kavan used her drop more effectively in this outing against Tennessee, but in a different way than she did against Nebraska. That continues to show the versatility of one of the game’s top pitchers. She ended her complete game shutout, allowing two hits and striking out 10 batters.
“I was looking from the side today, and the drop ball had a lot of bite in it, which was tremendous,” Texas head coach Mike White said. “Able to get some out and keep them guessing. That’s the mentality she needed was the ability to change her game up and get away from being predominantly riseballs. She was able to mix things up.”
Texas kept it short and simple the second time around against Pickens. Similar to the win versus Nebraska, Jaycie Nichols collected the first hit of Texas on an infield single. Kayden Henry dropped a perfect bunt to put two on for Katie Stewart. The SEC Player of the Year showed a first-pitch bunt attempt, but ultimately moved the runners over on a groundball.
Viviana Martinez put the bat on the ball on an outside pitch from Pickens, using her velocity against her. The ball took a huge hop off the Devon Park dirt and over Ella Dodge at third base for an RBI single. Martinez tried to steal second base, and Emma Clarke fell when trying to make the catch and tag. The speedy Henry raced home to score a second run.
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Reese Atwood stayed hot on Monday, driving a double into the left field gap for another RBI. Gabby Leach finally stopped the bleeding to end the inning. Hannah Wells lined a single into right field, but a perfect throw from Leach hosed Atwood trying to score.
“I came into today and yesterday just like wanting to relax up at the plate,” said Atwood, who also homered in the first game. “I think with the offense that we have, it took a lot of pressure off of me to feel like I don’t have to just try too hard. Today I just really wanted to loosen up in the box and swing at good pitches.”
Pickens didn’t feel much pressure from the Texas offense in any other inning. That was until Katie Stewart connected on a 70 MPH riseball in the fifth. The 260-foot blast was Stewart’s 30th of the season, becoming the fourth player this season to reach that mark, which is the most in one year.
That closes the door on Pickens’ historic collegiate career before she joins the Carolina Blaze after being the No. 1 pick in the AUSL Draft.
Texas will defend its national championship pedigree against the winner of Alabama and Texas Tech. The Longhorns split four games against the Tide, losing the series in Tuscaloosa but winning the SEC Tournament title versus Alabama. Game One of the WCWS championship series will take place on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.
