The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
1-0
#9 Nebraska
1-1
No. 1 Softball overpowers No. 9 Nebraska, 15-10, in season opener
02.06.2026 | Softball
The Longhorns earned the second-highest season-opening victory in program history and are now 30-0 all-time in season openers.
SAN ANTONIO – No. 1 Texas Softball (1-0) combined for 16 hits to defeat No. 9 Nebraska (1-1), 15-10, in its season opener Friday night at Roadrunner Field.
It marks the second-highest season-opening victory in program history (2007 vs. UCLA). Texas is 30-0 all-time in season openers with five of those wins coming against ranked opponents.
Texas' bats were the highlight of the night with the Longhorns combining for eight extra-base hits, including three home runs. Eight different Longhorns recorded at least one base knock. In her first game back since the 2024 season, junior shortstop Viviana Martinez powered Texas with four RBI after going 2-for-3 at the plate, including a double and sacrifice fly. Junior center fielder Kayden Henry matched her career high in doubles with two after putting together a 3-for-5 performance at the plate with three RBI, four runs scored and a stolen base. Along with Henry, junior first baseman Katie Stewart also led UT in hits with three highlighted by her solo blast in the fourth. Senior catcher Reese Atwood increased her career home run total to 56 – just two shy of tying Taylor Hoagland's program record of 58 – with a two-run shot in the seventh. Atwood concluded the night with two hits and three RBI. Senior second baseman and San Antonio native Leighann Goode had a strong outing, finishing 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in the second. In her first game in the Burnt Orange, senior transfer left fielder Kaiah Altmeyer went 2-for-4 with an RBI double. Senior right fielder Ashton Maloney and freshman designated player MaTaia Lawson each added a hit.
In the circle, junior RHP Teagan Kavan earned the nod and spun 3.1 frames, surrendering five earned runs on seven hits while striking out three. Kavan did not allow a walk. After giving up a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the first, Kavan went on to retire five of the next six batters she faced. Senior RHP Citlaly Gutierrez (1-0) picked up her first win of the season after taking over in the fourth inning for Kavan. Gutierrez went on to toss the next 3.1 innings, limiting Nebraska to three runs on four hits while fanning a pair of batters before being replaced by freshman Hannah Wells in the bottom of the seventh. Making her collegiate debut, Wells recorded the save after entering with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh. Wells then struck out Nebraska's leadoff Hannah Coor to secure the win.
Once Big 12 Conference foes, Texas and Nebraska played one another for the first time since 2012. Texas now holds a 21-18 series advantage over the Cornhuskers, including a 7-3 neutral site mark.
How It Happened
- Bottom 1: Nebraska jumped to a 1-0 lead on a Jesse Farrell home run.
- Top 2: Leighann Goode put the Longhorns in front on her two-run home run, scoring MaTaia Lawson.
- Top 3: Kayden Henry smacked an RBI double to left center, scoring freshman Jaycie Nichols from second, to extend the lead to 3-1. Henry advanced to third on the throw home from left field.
- Top 3: Viviana Martinez's sac fly to left field pushed UT's lead to 4-1.
- Bottom 3: Jordyn Frahm's RBI single to center cut Texas' lead to 4-2.
- Top 4: Katie Stewart's solo home run gave Texas a 5-2 lead.
- Top 4: MaTaia Lawson scored for the second time on the night after a wild pitch allowed her to take home.
- Top 4: Kayden Henry's two-RBI double to left scored Kaiah Altmeyer and Alisa Sneed, increasing the UT advantage to 8-2.
- Top 4: Viviana Martinez brought home another run on an RBI single to score Kayden Henry.
- Bottom 4: Nebraska fought back and scored five to cut Texas' lead to 9-7.
- Top 6: Reese Atwood's RBI single to center scored Kayden Henry from third, giving Texas a 10-7 edge.
- Top 7: Kaiah Altmeyer's double down the right field line scored Leighann Goode from second base for a 11-7 lead.
- Top 7: Viviana Martinez connected for a two-RBI double to left field to score Kaiah Altmeyer and Kayden Henry.
- Top 7: Reese Atwood bashed a two-run home run for a 15-7 lead.
- Bottom 7: The Cornhuskers scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh on a bases-loaded walk and two-run single to single.
Up Next
Texas will play a doubleheader Saturday at Roadrunner Field, beginning with a 1:05 p.m. CT first pitch against No. 25 Washington. Texas will then face No. 9 Nebraska again at 3:35 p.m. Both games will be available to stream on ESPN+.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Gutierrez, Citlaly (1-0)
L: Frahm, Jordyn (0-1)
S: Wells, Hannah (1)
Batting:
2B: Stewart, Katie 1 ; Henry, Kayden 2 ; Martinez, Viviana 1 ; Altmeyer, Kaiah 1
HR: Atwood, Reese 1 ; Stewart, Katie 1 ; Goode, Leighann 1
RBI: Atwood, Reese 3 ; Stewart, Katie 1 ; Henry, Kayden 3 ; Martinez, Viviana 4 ; Goode, Leighann 2 ; Altmeyer, Kaiah 1
SH: Goode, Leighann 1
SF: Martinez, Viviana 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Atwood, Reese 1 ; Stewart, Katie 1 ; Henry, Kayden 4 ; Martinez, Viviana 1 ; Nichols, Jaycie 1 ; Lawson, MaTaia 2 ; Goode, Leighann 2 ; Altmeyer, Kaiah 2 ; Sneed, Alisa 1
SB: Henry, Kayden 1 ; Martinez, Viviana 1 ; Bennett, Kaydee 1
Batting:
HR: Coor, Hannah 1 ; Farrell, Jesse 1
RBI: Hoffmann, Kacie 1 ; Camenzind, Lauren 1 ; Coor, Hannah 3 ; Farrell, Jesse 1 ; Felix, Alina 2 ; Muhlbach, Carlie 1 ; Frahm, Jordyn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Camenzind, Lauren 1 ; Coor, Hannah 2 ; Farrell, Jesse 2 ; Bland, Samantha 1 ; Caneda, Katelyn 1 ; Camenzind, Hannah 2 ; Frahm, Jordyn 1
HBP: Frahm, Jordyn 1
