Texas Longhorns pitcher Teagan Kavan (17) throws a pitch during the NCAA D1 Softball Tournament Regional against UCF at Red and Charline McCombs Field on Sunday, May 18, 2025 in Austin, Texas. Aaron E. Martinez / American Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Texas Longhorns Stay Alive in Austin Super Regional, Force Game Three vs. Clemson

Originally posted on Texas Longhorns on SI
By Ylver Deleon-Rios | Last updated May 24, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The Texas Longhorns' season stays alive for a bit longer.

While being on the brink of elimination from the NCAA Tournament, the Longhorns scored a resilient 7-5 extra-inning victory in 10 innings, allowing the Longhorns to force a winner-takes-all game three in the Austin Super Regional with a trip to the Women's College World Series on the line.

Longhorns head coach Mike White went with a different approach with the season on the line, starting freshman Cambria Salmon for just her eighth start of the season and first since March 10. He needed four arms from his pitching staff to earn the victory, most importantly, sophomore ace Teagan Kavan, who lights out in relief, giving up just five hits and striking out seven batters in five and two-thirds innings of work.

Junior Leighann Goode got the scoring started with a two-run home run in the second getting the Longhorns out leading early in the ballgame. However, the lead did not last long as the Tigers senior Maddie Moore responded with a two run home run of her own in the third to tie up the game at two a piece.

A quick response from junior Reese Atwood with a solo home run in the top of the fourth tilted the momentum back to the Longhorns, but only momentarily, as Clemson would respond quickly in the bottom fourth, getting its first two at-bats on base, bringing in one run.

Midway through the inning, Salmon would be relieved by senior Sophia Simpson, a pitching change that would not bode well for the Longhorns. She would struggle walking a run in and giving the Tigers the lead before being pulled in the same inning.

With runners on second and third in the fifth inning, Joley Mitchell came up with a key two-RBI double for the Longhorns to retake the lead once more, 5-4, but once again, the Texas lead was short-lived as Clemson would not go away quietly. The Tigers tied the game up once more with a home run from freshman Macey Cintron, given up by junior Citlaly Gutierrez, who replaced Simpson.

Looking to shut down the Tigers, the Longhorns brought out Kavan, who quickly forced a ground out and strikeout to get out of the inning. Both offenses went quietly for the rest of the seven innings of regulation, and the ballgame was headed into extra innings.

In the 10th inning, the Longhorns were the team to break through with a sac-fly from junior Kaydee Bennett, bringing home sophomore Katie Stewart, and a base hit from redshirt junior Ashton Maloney brought home Goode from second base. And in the bottom of the tenth, Kavan would slam the door shut on Clemson, earning the Longhorns the victory.

The Longhorns will keep playing for their lives in game three of the Austin Super Regional, first pitch is slated for Saturday, May 24 at 8 p.m.

This article first appeared on Texas Longhorns on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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