No. 3/4 Softball forces Game 3 of NCAA Austin Super Regional

Friday, May 23

Austin, TX

8 PM CT

University of Texas

50-12

Clemson

48-13

Texas

Clemson

No. 3/4 Softball forces Game 3 of NCAA Austin Super Regional

05.24.2025 | Softball

Box Score

Texas keeps season alive with a victory in its longest NCAA Super Regional game in program history.

By: Chris Allen Brown

AUSTIN, Texas – With their backs against the wall at Red & Charline Field on Friday night, Texas softball head coach Mike White gave the softball to his ace sophomore pitcher Teagan Kavan with the go-ahead run on second base and one out in a tied game in the bottom of the fifth.

Kavan (24-5) not only got out of the inning unscathed, but the Iowa native also went on to toss five more scoreless frames while the Longhorn offense rallied in the top of the 10th to earn a 7-5 win over Clemson.

Tabbed a Second Team All-American by Softball America earlier in the week, Kavan retired the first five batters she faced out of the bullpen, before surrendering a leadoff single to Julia Knowler to start the bottom of the seventh. But Knowler was thrown out at second base by left fielder Katie Stewart to erase the would-be Tiger base runner and eventually send the game into extra innings.

Kavan, again, worked out of trouble after Clemson had runners at second and third with no outs in the bottom of the eighth. She got Kylee Johnson to strikeout looking, before Jamison Brockenbrough lined out to Leighann Goode at shortstop. Alex Brown, who had three hits off Kavan in Game 1 of the series on Thursday, hit a ground ball back to Kavan for the inning's final out.

In the top of the ninth, Texas was on the verge of a two-out run following a triple off the bat of Mia Scott, before Joley Mitchell flew out to left field to strand the senior in scoring position.

The momentum was already in the Longhorns' dugout, though, as Kavan returned to circle for the bottom of the ninth and recorded all three outs of the inning via swinging strikeouts, while working around a one-out single by Knowler.

And then damn busted for the Longhorn offense in the top of the 10th.

Stewart led off with a single to right field, before Goode reached via a fielding error. Katie Cimusz, off the bench in a pinch-hit role, laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance both Stewart and Goode. Kaydee Bennett, out of the ninth spot in the order, sent the first pitch of her at bat to left field, plenty deep enough to score Stewart from third and give Texas a 6-5 lead.

On the very next pitch, Ashton Maloney was credited with an infield single to second base that allowed Goode to come all the way around from second and extend the Longhorn lead out to 7-5.

It was a lead that withstood two two-out Clemson base runners in the bottom of the 10th with Brown hitting into a game-ending fielder's choice as Goode flipped the ball to Scott at third.

FROM HEAD COACH MIKE WHITE

"Another late night of softball, but you have to give credit to both teams for the way the game was played tonight. It was a nail biter from start to finish with a lot of changes and different strategies being deployed. It was fun to be a part of it. You have to give credit whether you won or lost that game. We know Clemson is going to come out tomorrow and fight like heck to get a (Women's College World Series) berth and so will we. It should be another classic game tomorrow and I'm looking forward to it."

FROM SOPHOMORE TEAGAN KAVAN

"Yeah, there was never a doubt (during the eighth inning). I looked at Leighann (Goode) and said, 'Stay with me,' and tried to stay locked in with her every time I turned around. She had my back the whole time; the whole defense did the whole game. I had to rely on my defense in some of those moments and really just wanted to keep the ball in the infield."

GAME NOTES

By earning the victory, Texas picked up its 50th win on the season, marking the first time in program history the Longhorns have won 50-or-more games in back-to-back seasons after tying the program record with 55 in 2024.
- 2025 marks just the fifth time in program history Texas has won 50-or-more games in a single season and is tied with the 2002 squad (50-13) for the fourth most wins in a single season.
With her triple with two outs in the top of the ninth, Mia Scott broke a three-way tie with Lindsey Stephens (2013-16) and Shannon Thomas (2006-07) for sole possession of second place on the program's career triples list with 14.
Texas now moves to 7-2 (.778) all time in Game 2's of a NCAA Super Regional in program history.
- The Longhorns have now won six of their last seven Game 2's dating back to the 2013 season.
By earning the win in the pitching circle on Friday night, Teagan Kavan tied Hailey Dolcini's 24 wins during the 2022 for 10th place on the program's single season wins list.
By starting Friday's game, Mia Scott started her 248th career game, which moves the fourth-year senior ahead of Desiree Williams (2005-09) for second place on the program's career starts list, behind only Janae Jefferson (269).

UP NEXT

With the victory, Texas (50-11) forced a decisive third game with Clemson (48-13) to determine the winner of the NCAA Austin Super Regional with first pitch slated for 8 p.m. CT at Red & Charline McCombs Field with a television designation to be determined.

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