The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Tennessee
Shift in momentum turns No. 1/1 Softball away against No. 7/5 Tennessee
04.12.2025 | Softball
Texas and Tennessee set for regular season series finale on Sunday at 12 p.m.
AUSTIN, Texas – Following Texas' 3-1 loss to Tennessee on Saturday afternoon, Longhorn softball head coach Mike White iterated how the contest was determined by mere inches.
It started in the top of the first when a Mac Morgan (7-2) 2-1 pitch to McKenna Gibson missed its location by an inch and resulted in a two-run home run over the left-centerfield fence to push the Volunteers ahead 2-0, the first Tennessee lead all weekend.
Five innings later, an inning after Texas cut its two-run deficit in half with a two-out single up the middle off the bat of Katie Cimusz to score Joley Mitchell from second, the Longhorns appeared in prime position to tie the game while riding a huge wave of momentum.
In the top of the fifth, Kayden Henry orchestrated an 8-3 double play while standing in left field that recorded the first two outs of the inning, before Citlaly Gutierrez struck out a Volunteer batter to end the frame.
Henry, in the bottom half of the frame, drew a five-pitch walk with one away to give the Longhorns their eighth base runner since the bottom of the third. On a 1-1 pitch to Mia Scott, Henry appeared to have successfully stolen second base and took third on a throwing error by the Tennessee catcher. However, Tennessee's coaching staff elected to challenge Henry's timing of leaving first base, which they won, and Henry was called out.
Two pitches later, Scott sent a 2-1 pitch through the left side for a two-out single that would have scored Henry and tied the game had she not left first base too soon.
The Henry and Scott sequence was the final offensive threat for the Longhorns as Tennessee's Karlyn Pickens (16-4) went on to retire the next seven consecutive Texas batters over the final 2.1 innings.
FROM HEAD COACH MIKE WHITE
"It was really just a game of inches. You know, Mac (Morgan) made one mistake the whole afternoon and then we nearly had a runner on third with one out there in the fifth looking to tie the game, but Kayden got called for leaving first base early, so that really changed the wave of momentum in their favor. We made some outstanding plays throughout the game. We turned a couple double plays and made some nice catches, so we did do some good things today that we want to build on tomorrow."
GAME NOTES
- By earning three official plate appearances throughout the afternoon, Mia Scott (702) joined Janae Jefferson (853) as the only Longhorn softball student-athletes with 700-or-more career at bats throughout their collegiate softball careers on the Forty Acres. \
- By recording two hits in three trips to the dish during Saturday's seven-inning contest, Texas senior Mia Scott has now been credited with 82 career multiple hit games throughout her four-year collegiate softball career.
- Saturday's result marked the first-ever loss for Texas against Tennessee in games played in Austin.
- Texas became the third different SEC team to draw three-or-more walks off Tennessee pitcher Karlyn Pickens.
- The Longhorns, who drew three walks in seven innings on Saturday, join Oklahoma (3; March 30, 2025) and Arkansas (4; March 22, 2025) as the only conference opponents to earn three-or-more walks off Pickens in a single game.
- Saturday's contest marked the 230th career start for Texas senior Mia Scott.
- Scott, a four-year senior, is now tied with Keely Franks (1997-00) and Jodi Reeves (1997-00) for seventh on the program's career games started list.
UP NEXT
- Texas (39-4, 11-3) will look to bounce back from its first home loss on the season when the Longhorns and Volunteers (33-9, 8-6) square off for the series finale of the weekend's three-game slate at 12 p.m. CT on Sunday, April 13.
FOLLOW US
- For the latest information on the team, follow @TexasSoftball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. General athletic news can also be found at @TexasLonghorns on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
