Kavan goes distance, back-to-back home runs in eighth help No. 5 Softball win series at No. 13 Georgia

Monday, April 20

Athens, Ga.

6 p.m. CT

University of Texas

34-8, 12-6

#13 Georgia

32-13, 10-8

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Texas	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	3	6	13	0
Georgia	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	0	3	9	2

Leighann Goode crosses home following her two-run home run in the top of the eighth.

Kavan goes distance, back-to-back home runs in eighth help No. 5 Softball win series at No. 13 Georgia

04.20.2026 | Softball

Box Score

Senior second baseman Leighann Goode’s go-ahead two-run shot in the top of the eighth was the difference-maker for the Longhorns.

By: Grace Tafolla

ATHENS, Ga. – Back-to-back home runs by senior second baseman Leighann Goode and freshman designated player Hannah Wells in the top of the eighth were the difference maker in No. 5 Texas Softball's 6-3 (8 innings) series-clinching win at No. 13 Georgia Monday night at Jack Turner Softball Stadium.

Texas advances to 35-7 overall, 12-6 in SEC play, 15-7 against ranked opponents and 11-3 on the road. Texas is 2-0 in extra inning games this season.

Texas jumped on board following a three-run third inning, which began with senior catcher Reese Atwood tallying an RBI on a fielder's choice (scoring Ashton Maloney from third) but an errant throw to first by Georgia allowed Kayden Henry to also score. Then, Goode's two-out RBI single that ricocheted off the third baseman's glove allowed Atwood and make it 3-0 Texas.

The Bulldogs cut the Longhorn lead to 3-1 in the fourth on a two-out RBI double down the left field line.

With one away and trailing 3-1 in the bottom of the seventh, UGA bolted a two-run home run to even the score at 3-3 and force extra innings.

The Longhorns responded quickly in the top of the eighth. Junior shortstop Viviana
Martinez kicked off the inning with a two-strike single through the left side to put a runner on for the Horns. Goode then launched a two-run home run to dead center – her ninth long ball of the season – to put the Horns back in front 5-3. Wells followed Goode with a solo home run of her own to increase the lead to 6-3. It was Wells' ninth home run of the season as well and her second of the weekend.

Junior RHP Teagan Kavan (16-3) went the distance in the circle, twirling a season-high 8.0 innings to power UT to victory. Kavan kept a potent Georgia offense in check by curbing the Bulldogs to three runs on nine hits while punching out eight batters. Kavan issued two walks and forced two 1-2-3 innings by the UGA offense. In the second through fourth frames, Kavan caught on fire after retiring eight-straight Bulldogs.

Texas outhit Georgia at a 13-9 clip, highlighted by Martinez's 4-for-4 night. Martinez matched her season high with four hits after last doing so vs. Texas A&M on March 27.

Goode drove in a team-high three runs and went 2-for-3 at the plate with the go-ahead two-run home run in the eighth and RBI single in the third. Junior center fielder Kayden Henry and junior first baseman Katie Stewart each went 2-for-4 at the dish. Wells (solo home run), senior right fielder Ashton Maloney (single) and freshman third baseman Jaycie Nichols (single) collected base hits apiece.

Up Next

Texas returns to the friendly confines of McCombs Field at 7 p.m. CT Wednesday, April 22, against No. 21 Oklahoma State. The game will broadcast on ESPN2 with Matt Schumacker (play-by-play) and Amanda Scarborough (analyst) on the call.