Texas holds off Texas A&M 6-5 to win epic super regional, advance to Women’s College World Series

AUSTIN (KXAN) — No. 1 Texas had enough sixth-inning fireworks left for Sunday.

The Longhorns plated three runs in the frame to stave off No. 16 Texas A&M 6-5 in Game 3 of the Austin super regional at McCombs Field to advance to the Women’s College World Series.

Texas led 6-2 going to the seventh, but like what happened the entire series, nobody gave up. Texas A&M’s Julie Cottrill blasted a majestic three-run homer over the left field wall to pull the Aggies within a run, and then Texas freshman pitcher Teagan Kavan walked two batters to put the go-ahead run on base. Kavan buckled down, however, and struck out pinch hitter Amari Harper to strand the runners and send the Longhorns to Oklahoma City.

Kavan had to work out of a mess in the sixth, stranding the bases loaded with a pair of strikeouts after she issued a walk and hit a batter.

“I’m on cloud nine,” Kavan said. “This has been a dream of mine since I was 10 years old, but we’re not done yet.”

Longhorns head coach Mike White said he trusted Kavan to get the job done under the intense pressure with the season in the balance.

“She was nervous, no doubt about that, but she got over it,” White said. “She got the job done and made the big pitch in the big moment. That should give her more confidence moving forward.”

The Longhorns (52-8) will start WCWS play at 6 p.m. Thursday against Stanford. The Cardinal beat Louisiana State 8-0 to advance. The teams split two games in the regular season.

The whole series was a heavyweight slugfest full of twists and turns, and the Longhorns made a habit of scoring runs late. Texas scored seven runs in the sixth and seventh innings to come from behind and win 9-8 in nine innings to stay alive Saturday and scored five in the frames Friday in a 6-5 loss.

Texas sophomore shortstop Viviana Martinez went 3 for 4 with two doubles, a triple and three RBIs to propel the Longhorns offense. Mia Scott hit a solo home run with two outs in the fifth inning and finished 2 for 4. Bella Dayton had two hits with a double and Katie Stewart also had a double for the Longhorns.

Martinez smacked an RBI triple off the right field wall in the sixth to cap the scoring after the Longhorns scored on a Scott single and an Aggies throwing error. Dayton scored on a wild pitch in the third.

Texas starting pitcher Mac Morgan threw 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on four hits with one strikeout before she was lifted for Kavan.

For the Aggies, first baseman Trinity Cannon went 2 for 2 with a double to finish a tremendous series 5 for 9 with three home runs and eight RBIs. Cottrill’s homer was her only hit of the game and Koko Wooley had a pair of hits.

Shaylee Ackerman allowed three runs on six hits with two strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings for Texas A&M before Emily Leavitt finished the fifth. Emiley Kennedy came in to pitch the sixth and allowed three runs. The Aggies ended their season with a 44-15 record.