When two of the nation’s most elite college softball programs collide, the stakes are always high, and the margin for error minuscule. On Friday night, in front of a packed crowd and a national television audience, No. 1 Texas and No. 7 Tennessee delivered a showdown that lived up to the billing—at least until one side simply refused to break.
At the heart of Texas’ 3-0 win over Tennessee in Austin was sophomore ace Teagan Kavan, whose brilliance in the circle was both relentless and, for the Volunteers, unforgiving. Kavan, who has anchored Texas’ rise to the top of the national rankings this season, turned in one of the most commanding performances of her career, shutting down one of the SEC’s most powerful lineups and further solidifying her place among the sport’s top young arms.
Kavan was electric from the first pitch, working efficiently and confidently against a Tennessee squad that came in riding high after a dominant sweep of LSU last weekend. But the moment, the opponent, and the stage didn’t faze her in the slightest. With her sharp rise ball, pinpoint command, and a calm demeanor that defied her age, Kavan set the tone early and never let up. Over seven innings, she struck out nine, allowed just four hits, and didn’t issue a single walk. The Volunteers didn’t advance a runner past second base all night.
“She was lights out,” said Texas head coach Mike White after the game. “That’s a really good Tennessee team, and she went right at them. Teagan has this quiet confidence that spreads to the rest of the team. When she’s locked in like that, it’s tough for anyone to beat us.”
Indeed, Texas looked every bit the part of the No. 1 team in the country. Despite facing one of the SEC’s top arms in Payton Gottshall, the Longhorns showed patience at the plate, executed in the clutch, and made the most of their opportunities. It was the kind of composed, mature performance that championship teams are built on.
The scoring started in the bottom of the third, when freshman standout Reese Atwood lined a double into the right-center gap with two outs. Sophomore shortstop Alyssa Washington followed with a sharp single to center, bringing Atwood around to score the game’s first run. The roar from the crowd was deafening, and with Kavan dealing, that one run already felt significant.
Texas wasn’t done. In the fifth, they added two more insurance runs after capitalizing on a rare Tennessee defensive miscue. With runners on first and second and one out, a slow roller off the bat of Viviana Martinez was bobbled at third, loading the bases. Gottshall nearly worked her way out of it, getting a pop-up for the second out, but freshman Joley Mitchell came through with a clutch two-run single down the left field line that just evaded the diving third baseman’s glove.
That was all the Longhorns needed. Every inning that followed, Kavan took the circle with a little more confidence and a little more command, and Tennessee could do nothing to knock her off rhythm. Even the heart of the Volunteers’ order—Kiki Milloy, McKenna Gibson, and Zaida Puni—went a combined 1-for-9 with four strikeouts, each of them looking increasingly frustrated as the game wore on.
“We had our chances,” said Tennessee head coach Karen Weekly. “You have to tip your cap to Kavan. She was in control all night. We chased a bit more than we wanted to, but that’s a credit to how she was mixing speeds and hitting her spots. You can’t afford to leave runners stranded in games like this.”
The Longhorns, meanwhile, have now beaten four top-10 opponents in the last month and have only continued to build a resume worthy of the nation’s top ranking. With a balanced offense, solid team defense, and a pitching staff headlined by Kavan and fellow star Mac Morgan, Texas looks poised to make a deep run in the postseason—and possibly return to the Women’s College World Series for the first time since their runner-up finish in 2022.
“We’ve talked a lot about staying present, playing each pitch, each inning,” said Kavan. “It’s easy to get caught up in the rankings or who we’re playing. But Coach White tells us to just focus on what we can control. That’s what I did tonight. I knew if I just kept throwing my game, my team would have my back.”
Her teammates certainly did. Texas turned in a clean defensive performance, made all the routine plays, and kept the pressure on Tennessee all night with aggressive baserunning and timely hitting. The Longhorns didn’t need the long ball—instead, they worked counts, manufactured runs, and wore down a Volunteer pitching staff that couldn’t afford any mistakes.
It was a tough loss for Tennessee, who came into the series looking to make a statement of their own. Still, the Volunteers showed plenty of fight and demonstrated why they remain a dangerous contender in the SEC and beyond. Gottshall, despite taking the loss, was sharp through the first few innings, striking out five and walking only one. But the margin for error against a team like Texas is razor thin, and the Volunteers found themselves just a step behind all night.
“You learn from nights like this,” said Milloy, Tennessee’s All-American center fielder. “We’ve been in big games before, and we’ll be in more before the season ends. We have to stay hungry and keep pushing. I have no doubt we’ll bounce back.”
For Texas, the win was about more than just preserving their place atop the rankings—it was about sending a message to the rest of the country. This is a team that doesn’t rely on one or two stars. They play together, trust each other, and rise to the moment when it matters most. And at the center of it all is a 19-year-old pitcher who looks like she’s been doing this for a decade.
“We know what our goals are,” said White. “But we also know that every team we face is going to give us their best shot. What I love about this group is that they don’t back down. They want the challenge. They want to be tested. And tonight, they passed a big one.”
With the win, Texas improves to 38-4 on the season and continues to lead the Big 12 standings. Tennessee, now 34-7, remains near the top of the SEC but will have to regroup quickly with another tough stretch ahead. The series continues this weekend, and there’s no doubt the Volunteers will come out with renewed energy, hoping to avoid a sweep and reclaim some momentum.
But if Friday night was any indication, it won’t be easy. Texas has the look of a team that’s not just aiming for Oklahoma City—they’re aiming to win it all. And with Teagan Kavan in the circle, they just might.
As fans filed out of the stadium and the lights dimmed over Red & Charline McCombs Field, there was a buzz in the air that lingered. College softball, in all its intensity and emotion, had delivered another classic. And this time, it was the Longhorns who stood tallest.
In a sport increasingly defined by parity and unpredictability, Texas is showing that dominance still has a place—especially when anchored by a pitcher who throws with ice in her veins and fire in her heart.