Texas Longhorns Softball Defeats Nebraska in Women's College World Series Elimination Game

Texas Longhorns softball rallied against Nebraska to secure a 3-1 victory in an elimination game at the Women's College World Series, keeping their championship defense alive. Katie Stewart's record-setting home run in the sixth inning proved decisive as pitcher Teagan Kavan threw a complete game at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.

How Texas Broke Through Nebraska's Dominant Performance

Nebraska's two-way star Jordy Frahm, the national player of the year, controlled much of the game. She opened with a solo home run and maintained near-perfect form through five innings, allowing no hits until Texas broke through in the sixth. The breakthrough came after freshman third baseman Jaycie Nichols recorded an infield single, followed by a single from Kayden Henry. Stewart capitalized on the opening, launching her 28th home run of the season—a school record—into the left-field bleachers to give Texas a 3-1 advantage.

Texas coach Mike White credited patience and pitch recognition for the turnaround. "We knew we had to start hunting pitches because she was so good out there really mixing it up," White said. Stewart echoed this approach, emphasizing the importance of presence at the plate and waiting for pitches she could attack effectively.

Kavan's Composure Secures the Win

Pitcher Teagan Kavan delivered her eighth career complete-game victory in Women's College World Series play, limiting Nebraska to four hits despite Frahm's early home run. Kavan, who has appeared in the WCWS in all three of her seasons at Texas, remained composed after the opening-inning setback. "I thought it was an OK pitch that she hit," Kavan said of Frahm's home run. "I knew that I wasn't going to give her that same one again."

What Comes Next for Texas

The Longhorns (49-12) advanced to face Tennessee on Monday in a loser-out matchup. Texas must win both games of that series to reach the best-of-three championship series later in the week and pursue their second consecutive national title. Nebraska's season ended at 52-8, concluding the program's first Women's College World Series appearance since 2013.