No. 1/1 Softball remains undefeated through Opening Weekend

Sunday, February 9

Huntsville, TX

11:30 AM CT

University of Texas

5-0

Tulsa

3-2

Texas

Tulsa

No. 1/1 Softball remains undefeated through Opening Weekend

02.09.2025 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Texas begins season 6-0 for 12th time in program history.

By: Chris Allen Brown

HUNTSVILLE, Texas – The final stages of Texas' six-games-in-three-days-in-three-cities stretch to begin the 2025 season began to take its toll on the Longhorns, but UT pushed through in the closing stages of its 4-2 win over Tulsa and 8-3 victory over Sam Houston on Sunday.

A game slated for an 11:30 a.m. first pitch after Texas arrived in Huntsville 12 hours prior, the Longhorns took an early one-run lead against the Golden Hurricanes when All-American Reese Atwood scored Ashton Maloney from third just 10 pitches into the game. The lead was extended to 2-0 two innings later when Atwood scored from third on a throwing error by a Tulsa infielder.

The Golden Hurricanes cut their deficits in the bottom half of the third on a one-out, solo home run, marking the first run allowed by freshman right-hander Cambria Salmon (2-0) in her three appearances in the pitching circle over the weekend. The one-run margin stood for the next three frames until Joley Mitchell sent a 2-0 pitch over the centerfield fence for a two-run home run with one away in the top of the seventh. Citlaly Gutierrez (S, 1) worked around a one-out throwing error – that allowed a second Tulsa run to score – in the bottom of the seventh to earn her first save of the season.

By the time Teagan Kavan (2-0) took the circle nearly 40 minutes after the conclusion of Texas' win over Tulsa, she was already given a two-run lead after Katie Stewart drew a bases-loaded walk followed by a Mitchell sacrifice fly in the top of the first inning against Sam Houston.

Kavan went on to set down the first 11 consecutive Sam Houston batters before a hit by pitch broke up the perfect game bid with two away in the bottom of the fourth. Meanwhile, the Longhorn continued to work as Texas added a single run in the second and two in the third to take a 5-0 lead into the fifth, when the Bearkats broke up the no-hit and shutout bid with a one-out solo home run.

Atwood (2-run) and Victoria Hunter (solo) combined to drive in three runs on two home runs in the top of the seventh to balloon the Longhorn lead to 8-1, which was enough to withstand Sam Houston's late-game rally when the Bearkats added two runs in the bottom of the seventh.

FROM HEAD COACH MIKE WHITE

"We were playing on a different surface today with the artificial turf on the infield (at Sam Houston), so the infield was a little bit slower and that took us a little bit getting used to. We were able to capitalize late in the first game (against Tulsa) and come away with a good win. I thought Citlaly (Gutierrez) threw well in that game and so did (Cambria Salmon). Then, in the second game, Teagan Kavan was in control the entire time. Obviously, she let up a few home runs late, but for the most part did a good job. You know, Sam Houston's pitchers did a good job against us by mixing pitches, but we were able to figure it out there late. Overall, this was a grueling trip by playing six games across three cities in three days and it made it tough of us, but that's what they used to do in the old days."

GAME NOTES

As a result of her seventh-inning, two-run home run against Sam Houston, Reese Atwood now has 36 career home runs, which ties the junior with Lexy Bennett (2009-12) and Amy Hooks (2008-11) for fifth on the program's career home runs list.
Atwood climbed another Texas career leaderboard against the Bearkats as her first-inning hit by pitch was the 14th time she's been hit by a pitch throughout her collegiate career, the 10th most by a Longhorn.
Sunday's contest against Sam Houston marked the 10th career complete game for Longhorn sophomore right-handed pitcher Teagan Kavan.
When Kavan struck out the side in the bottom of the second against the Bearkats, it marked the second time this season she's accomplished the feat after doing so in the bottom of the sixth at Lamar on Saturday night.
With the win over Sam Houston, Kavan remains undefeated (8-0) in 13 appearances against softball programs from institutions based in Texas.
With her single down the left field line to begin Sunday afternoon's contest at Sam Houston, Ashton Maloney became the first player to have at least one hit in all six Longhorn softball games so far this season.
Texas' Kayden Henry tied her career high of three hits in a single game against the Bearkats, it marked the sixth career three-hit contest for the sophomore centerfielder.

UP NEXT

After opening the 2025 season on the road, the Texas Longhorns (6-0) will open the home portion of its regular season slate on Friday, Feb. 14, when UT plays Maryland (4 PM) and No. 13/10 Texas Tech (6:30 PM) on the first day of the Bevo Classic.

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