Texas vs – Texas roared back into the Women’s College World Series Finals for the third straight year by sweeping Tennessee, while Texas Tech punched in for a second straight trip after knocking off No. 1 Alabama twice. The championship series now sets up a clash of elit
By the time the second game ended on Monday, the Women’s College World Series Finals were no longer a question of “who could” — it was about who could finish.
Texas did it the cleanest way possible, sweeping No. 8 Tennessee in a doubleheader. The Longhorns won 5–2 in the first game and 4–0 in the second. powering their way back to the championship series for the third straight year. Texas advanced to its fourth finals appearance in five seasons and stayed perfect in elimination games during that span, going 6–0.
In the first win-or-go-home against the Vols, senior right-hander Citlaly Gutierrez set the rhythm immediately. She retired the first 11 batters she faced and held Tennessee to one earned run across 6 and two-thirds innings. Texas broke the scoreless tie in the fourth when senior catcher Reese Atwood launched her 19th home run. Tennessee answered with a brief tie, but Texas pulled away in the three-run fifth. Hannah Wells became one of the key sparks, knocking in two runs on her single off the center field wall. In the seventh, Teagan Kavan entered with two outs and recorded a strikeout to close it out.
Texas didn’t slow down in Game 2. Kavan started and dominated, throwing a two-hit shutout with 10 strikeouts to clinch the finals berth. She retired the first 11 batters without allowing a walk or an extra-base hit. The Longhorns put three runs on the board in the third. sparked by Viviana Martinez’s RBI single and a double-steal sequence that allowed Kayden Henry to score. Atwood added an RBI double. and Katie Stewart capped the power surge in the fifth with her program-record 30th home run.
Texas outhit Tennessee in both games, and the bigger picture was impossible to ignore: the Longhorns kept adding to their record-setting season total, reaching 97 home runs. With the final series of the year ahead, Texas will look to carry that momentum into the biggest stage.
Texas Tech’s Monday looked different—but the result was just as decisive. The Red Raiders earned their second straight trip to the WCWS Finals by knocking off No. 1 Alabama twice. Texas Tech capped the run with a 2–0 shutout behind ace NiJaree Canady. The Red Raiders have now won over 60 games this season.
The path wasn’t gentle. In Game 1, Texas Tech forced the second semifinal match with a 5–4 walk-off win. Alabama tied the game in the seventh, but the Red Raiders found a way through it. Mia Williams, hitless in her first three at-bats, delivered the game-winner with her 26th home run. Texas Tech had already been swinging hard earlier in the opener. hitting three home runs. including a two-run shot from Taylor Pannell and a solo blast from Lauren Allred. Canady earned the win in relief, striking out four and allowing one run in two and two-thirds innings.
Game 2 brought Canady back to the circle—and the kind of control that can shut down an entire lineup. She threw a complete-game two-hit shutout with six strikeouts. Tech grabbed the lead with a leadoff home run from Jasmyn Burns in the fourth for a 1–0 advantage. They added insurance in the seventh when Allred singled up the middle. scoring Mihyia Davis from first after an errant throw. Davis finished 2-for-3 and extended her program-record hit total to 100.
By the end, the numbers told the same story: Texas Tech finished with 10 hits, including two each from Williams, Davis, Allred and Burns. Alabama managed only two hits against Canady. She improved to 29–6 after throwing 57 pitches in the first game and returning to finish the night.
The Longhorns did win the 2025 national title over Tech in three games, but this year’s rematch comes with Texas Tech arriving with momentum—and with an improved pitching staff—after proving it could handle both urgency and pressure across two games.
For the Finals. the matchup now feels built on contrasts: Texas steamrolled Tennessee with Gutierrez’s early command and Kavan’s shutout dominance. then kept the bats rolling with Atwood’s 19th home run and Stewart’s program-record 30th. Texas Tech, meanwhile, rode Canady’s shutout in Game 2 and the walk-off punch of Williams’ 26th home run in Game 1. Between them sits a season-long streak of power and pitching precision—exactly the kind that can turn a best-of format into a matter of inches. swings. and who refuses to blink.
Texas vs Texas Tech 2026 Women’s College World Series Finals Citlaly Gutierrez Reese Atwood Teagan Kavan NiJaree Canady WCWS NCAA softball Hannah Wells Katie Stewart Mia Williams
So Texas Tech is in the finals again?? Seems like every year it’s the same teams lol.
Gutierrez retiring 11 straight batters is crazy, but Tennessee scoring one earned run… like did they just forget how to bat? Also Reese Atwood’s 19th HR?? I didn’t know catcher can do that.
Wait I’m confused, Texas swept Tennessee but then Texas Tech beat Alabama twice, so is Alabama actually still in it or did I miss something? Championship series now sets up a clash of elit… like what does that even mean, elite??
Doubleheader sweep and then 4-0?? That’s wild. I saw one highlight where the pitcher basically never threw a walk, which is kinda suspicious in a way, like how is that even fair. Also I swear Viviana Martinez was on another team last year but maybe I’m mixing it up with softball TikTok.