The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
43-10
Wagner
22-27
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wagner | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Texas | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 9 | 12 | 0 |
No. 3 Softball’s Wells sets program’s freshman home run record in run-rule win vs. Wagner
05.15.2026 | Softball
Texas opened the NCAA Austin Regional with a 9-1 (five innings) win against Wagner.
AUSTIN, Texas – Freshman Hannah Wells made her NCAA Tournament debut one to remember as she powered No. 3 Texas Softball (43-10) to a 9-1 (five innings) win over Wagner (22-27) in Texas' NCAA Austin Regional opener on Friday afternoon at McCombs Field.
Texas has won 11-consecutive NCAA Regional games. Texas is 20-3 in NCAA Regional games under head coach Mike White and has won six-straight tournament openers. Texas has not lost a regional game since 2022. Texas recorded its 19th run-rule win of the year.
Wells (6-3), a two-way player, set the program's freshman home run record after hitting her 14th of the season – a solo home run in the fourth. Wells surpassed Katie Stewart's previous freshman record of 13 which was set in 2024. The Coahoma, Texas, native earned the victory in the circle after throwing 3.0 scoreless and hitless innings in relief. Wells took over in the top of the third and retired all nine batters she faced with seven strikeouts. Senior RHP Citlaly Gutierrez made the start and surrendered one run on two hits with four strikeouts and two walks.
After Wagner captured a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, Texas scored nine unanswered runs across five innings. The Longhorns outhit the Seahawks at a 12-2 clip, marking Texas' second-consecutive game with 12+ hits. Texas scored seven of its nine runs across the game's final two innings.
Junior shortstop Viviana Martinez led Texas with her 3-for-3, three RBI day at the plate. Three other Longhorns joined Martinez with multi-hit performances, including Wells who finished 2-for-3 with her solo home run. Junior first baseman Katie Stewart went 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI. Freshman third baseman Jaycie Nichols went 2-for-3 with an RBI and also scored.
Martinez evened the score at 1-1 in the bottom half of the first after peppering a double to center to score junior Kayden Henry. The Horns gained a permanent lead in the third thanks to Martinez again, who connected on a one-out single up the middle to score Stewart for a 2-1 lead.
Wells commenced the fourth with her leadoff solo home run to increase UT's lead to 3-1. Nichols hammered a one-out double to left field and then delay stole third base a few pitches later. Senior right fielder Ashton Maloney drew a walk to put runners at the corner for the Horns. Maloney stole second base, drawing an errant throw from the catcher that sailed to center field and allowed Nichols to take home and give UT a 4-1 advantage. With two away, Stewart slashed an RBI single to left field to score Maloney for a 5-1 lead. Martinez cracked a two-out RBI double to left center to score Stewart, and then junior pinch hitter Victoria Hunter smashed a two-out RBI double off the right center wall to score Martinez for a 7-1 lead.
Wells began the bottom of the fifth with a leadoff single to left center, and freshman left fielder Alisa Sneed doubled down the left field line to put two runners in scoring position for Nichols. Nichols mashed a single up the middle to plate a pinch running Adayah Wallace. The Wagner center fielder did not cleanly field the ball in center field which allowed Sneed to come through for the walk-off, 9-1 win.
Up Next
Texas will go up against Wisconsin at Noon CT Saturday, May 16, at McCombs Field. The game will stream on ESPN+ with Cat Osterman (play-by-play) and Alex Loeb (analyst) on the call.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wells, Hannah (6-3)
L: Samantha Lotus (10-12)
Batting:
2B: Payton Janicki 1
RBI: Payton Janicki 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lea Rachal 1
SB: Lea Rachal 1
HBP: Sydnie Trujillo 1
Batting:
2B: Stewart, Katie 1 ; Martinez, Viviana 2 ; Hunter, Victoria 1 ; Sneed, Alisa 1 ; Nichols, Jaycie 1
HR: Wells, Hannah 1
RBI: Stewart, Katie 1 ; Martinez, Viviana 3 ; Hunter, Victoria 1 ; Wells, Hannah 1 ; Nichols, Jaycie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Henry, Kayden 1 ; Stewart, Katie 2 ; Martinez, Viviana 1 ; Wells, Hannah 1 ; Wallace, Adayah 1 ; Sneed, Alisa 1 ; Nichols, Jaycie 1 ; Maloney, Ashton 1
SB: Henry, Kayden 1 ; Nichols, Jaycie 1 ; Maloney, Ashton 1
