Texas is one win away from securing back-to-back national championships at the Women’s College World Series after defeating No. 11 Texas Tech, 7-3, in Game 1 of the championship series Wednesday night at Devon Park in Oklahoma City. In a rematch of last year’s WCWS finals, the No. 2 seed Longhorns took control with a massive five-run first inning that included a home run from one of the tournament’s hottest bats. Katie Stewart launched a two-run homer over the bleachers in center field to put Texas in front 2-1. The blast extended Stewart’s home run streak to four straight games.Texas Tech briefly grabbed a 1-0 lead when Davis connected on her 10th home run of the season, sending a shot over the left-field wall against Texas starter Teagan Kavan. The lead lasted only a few minutes.After Stewart’s go-ahead homer, Texas kept the pressure on. Kaiah Altmeyer added an RBI single later in the inning before Ashton Maloney ripped a two-run triple, capping a five-run outburst that gave the Longhorns a 5-1 lead before Texas Tech could escape the frame.
The early offensive explosion also forced a rare pitching change from the Red Raiders. Coach Gerry Glasco turned to sophomore left-hander Samantha Lincoln in relief, marking the first time during this year’s WCWS that Texas Tech used a pitcher other than NiJaree Canady or Kaitlyn Terry.The duo, which had carried Texas Tech through much of its postseason run, combined to allow five earned runs on six hits while recording just eight outs. Terry was charged with four earned runs on four hits, while Canady surrendered one earned run on two hits as the pair totaled just 2 2/3 innings.Texas added another run on an RBI single up the middle by Viviana Martinez in the bottom of the fourth inning, before Mia Williams provided the biggest swing of the night for Texas Tech, blasting her 27th home run of the season over the center-field wall for a two-run shot that trimmed the deficit to 6-3.
Still, Kavan prevented the rally from becoming anything more. Despite surrendering a pair of home runs, the Texas ace limited further damage and kept the Red Raiders from mounting a serious comeback. Kavan allowed three runs on three hits with six strikeouts and two walks in a complete-game effort.The victory gives Texas a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three championship series and moves the Longhorns within one win of another national title. It also mirrors last season’s finals, when Texas captured Game 1 before Texas Tech forced a decisive winner-take-all Game 3.Game 2 of the championship series is scheduled for Thursday at 8 p.m. ET.For the complete schedule and results for every matchup at Devon Park, follow along right here at CBS Sports.
All times ETWomen’s College World Series scheduleChampionship SeriesGame 1: No. 2 Texas 7, No. 11 Texas Tech 3Game 2: No. 2 Texas vs. No. 11 Texas Tech, Thursday, June 4 (8 p.m. ESPN)Game 3 (if necessary): Friday, June 5 (8 p.m. ESPN)Women’s College World Series resultsThursday, May 28Game 1: No. 11 Texas Tech 8, Mississippi State 0 (F/5)Game 2: No. 7 Tennessee 6, No. 2 Texas 3Game 3: No. 1 Alabama 6, No. 8 UCLA 3Game 4: No. 4 Nebraska 5, No. 5 Arkansas 3 (F/10)Friday, May 29Game 5: No. 2 Texas 4, Mississippi State 0Game 6: No. 8 UCLA 11, No. 5 Arkansas 0 (F/5)
Saturday, May 30Game 7: No. 7 Tennessee 2, No. 11 Texas Tech 1 (F/9)Game 8: No. 1 Alabama 5, No. 4 Nebraska 1Sunday, May 31Game 9: No. 2 Texas 3, No. 4 Nebraska 1Game 10: No. 11 Texas Tech 8, No. 8 UCLA 7 (F/9)Monday, June 1Game 11: No. 2 Texas 5, No. 7 Tennessee 2Game 12: No. 2 Texas 4, No. 7 Tennessee 0Game 13: No. 11 Texas Tech 5, No. 1 Alabama 4Game 14: No. 11 Texas Tech 2, No. 1 Alabama 0
Add CBS Sports on Google
