A bunt that Texas Tech couldn’t contain set up Katie Stewart’s backdoor-curveball swing, and the junior’s two-run homer ignited Texas’ first-inning surge. Texas Tech’s pitching changes came fast after that, and the Longhorns went on to win Game 1 of the best-o
OKLAHOMA CITY — The bottom of the first inning at Devon Park on Wednesday night started with confidence and quickly turned into urgency for Texas Tech. The Red Raiders had built a one-run lead in Game 1 of the Women’s College World Series final. and head coach Gerry Glasco said his mood was good heading into the frame.
Then Texas Tech allowed a small mistake to become a spark. Longhorns leadoff hitter Kayden Henry reached first base on a bunt. Glasco said Texas Tech “weren’t ready for the bunt” and “didn’t anticipate it,” and the moment that changed the feel of the night arrived right after.
Katie Stewart stepped into the batter’s box, and Glasco said his instincts were uneasy. “And then you get Katie Stewart up and she’s having an unbelievable year. and she did what she’s been doing all year. ” he said. “She’s so clutch, just a great hitter and having a great season. And then we just couldn’t get out of the inning.”.
On the second pitch she saw from Kaitlyn Terry. Stewart took a backdoor curveball that didn’t break the way Terry intended. The pitch landed in the middle of the plate instead of riding the outside chalk. and Stewart met it with the barrel. The ball carried 263 feet deep into centerfield, with an exit velocity of 80.8 miles per hour.
Glasco pointed to the matchup reality after the homer. “A great hitter can take advantage of that, so that’s part of the game,” he said. “When you play Texas, you know Katie Stewart’s going to get her licks in.”
Stewart’s two-run homer put Texas back in front and shifted momentum in a single swing. The blast was the start of an offensive burst: Texas scored three more runs in the first inning and ultimately won Game 1 of the best-of-three series 7-3.
Stewart finished 1 for 2 with that two-RBI homer and a walk. She now has 31 home runs on the season and four straight games with at least one long ball. After the game, she tied it to staying simple at the plate. “Just keeping my approach simple, really not overthinking anything in the box. Just not missing my pitch when I get it,” Stewart said. “Really, that was just the whole approach I took to that at-bat.”.
Texas’ first-inning swing began well before Stewart connected. Texas head coach Mike White said the game started “with a bang, literally,” and described what his team was trying to do right away.
White said Texas had two goals in the first inning: wear down Texas Tech’s pitching staff and respond when the Longhorns fell behind. In the top of the first, Texas Tech’s Mihyia Davis hit a home run. Texas’ offense answered quickly and repeatedly after that, and White said Stewart’s bat was the spark.
“We talked about the No. 1 thing is confidence. You know, what comes first, confidence or success?. I think the confidence has to come first, and it comes from different hard work and preparation,” White said. “We got answer innings. When we get down, we’ve got to answer back. Momentum is everything in this game, and you can tell that (Texas Tech) had a chance to swing things.”.
The pitching changes came in a hurry. Terry threw 16 pitches in 0.2 innings before being replaced by NiJaree Canady, who then gave up three more runs. Canady was removed after 1.1 innings, and sophomore Samantha Lincoln took over.
Texas Tech entered the game with one of the strongest pitching profiles in the country. Terry and Canady were both in the top 20 nationally in ERA entering Game 1, with figures below 1.86. Together, they had combined for 421 strikeouts. But as soon as the third inning started, neither Terry nor Canady was in the circle.
That shift turned into the kind of opening Texas needed. Stewart said Texas was able to pressure early, chase Terry out faster, and build from there. “I think we were able to attack early,” Stewart said. “We were able to chase Terry out the game quickly.”
Offensively, Stewart has become the centerpiece for the Longhorns. A junior first baseman from Frankfurt, Illinois, she leads Texas in batting average (.430), home runs (31), RBIs (79), walks (45), and OPS (1.556). Her OPS ranks eighth-best in the nation.
Her importance to Texas has been tied to more than just statistics. On Monday, Stewart left Texas’ second win over Tennessee early after a groundball hit her in the face. She said she suffered nothing more than a split lip. and fans were left wondering whether the injury would affect her. By Wednesday. she was fine—and again. a major reason Texas is one win away from its second consecutive national championship.
WCWS Women’s College World Series Texas vs Texas Tech Katie Stewart Gerry Glasco Mike White Devon Park Mihyia Davis Kayden Henry Kaitlyn Terry NiJaree Canady Samantha Lincoln Kayden Henry bunt 263 feet homer best-of-three final
So basically they lost cause of one bunt??
That bunt sounds like a trick play. Like how you not ready for that one thing. Also 263 feet is nuts for softballs lol.
Wait I thought Texas Tech was up 1 in the first inning? Then the article says it flipped quick. Maybe they just panicked after the leadoff bunt and then the pitcher got yanked too early? idk.
Backdoor curveball landed middle of the plate… that’s on the pitcher. Like she left it there and Katie Stewart did her thing. But honestly bunt blaming always cracks me up, like bunts been a thing forever. Anyway congrats to Texas I guess.