Texas Explodes in the First to Take Game 1 of the WCWS Finals, 7-3

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The Texas Longhorns are exactly one win away from a dynasty. In a highly anticipated rematch of the 2025 national championship series, the No. 2 seed Texas Longhorns used a relentless first-inning onslaught and a masterclass in the circle to down the No. 11 seed Texas Tech Red Raiders, 7-3, in Game 1 of the Women’s College World Series (WCWS) Finals at Devon Park.

With the victory, the defending champion Longhorns (52-12) have pushed the upstart Red Raiders (61-9) to the brink of elimination and can secure their second consecutive national title on Thursday night.

A Shock to the System—and an Immediate Response

Texas Tech, making just their second-ever appearance in the WCWS Finals under coach Gerry Glasco, wasted no time trying to assert dominance. In the top of the first inning, Red Raiders star Mihyia Davis launched a majestic, one-out solo home run to right-center field, silencing the heavily burnt-orange crowd and giving Tech a quick 1-0 lead.

The lead lasted all of five minutes.

Faced with early adversity, the Texas offense responded with the terrifying efficiency that has defined their postseason run. In the bottom of the frame, sophomore sensation Katie Stewart stepped up and absolutely obliterated a two-run home run that cleared the deepest part of the bleachers in center field, instantly flipping the game to 2-1.

A Historic Tear: Stewart’s blast marks her fourth consecutive game with a home run in this year’s tournament, bringing her career WCWS total to seven. She has officially cemented herself as one of the most clutch postseason hitters in college softball history.

The Longhorns weren’t done. Texas continued to cycle through the lineup in the first, stringing together hard contact and aggressive base-running. Kaiah Altmeyer beat out a fiery, run-scoring infield single before Ashton Maloney broke the inning completely open with a blistering, two-run triple into the gap. By the time Texas Tech finally recorded the third out, Texas had pushed five runs across the board, completely shifting the momentum of the series.

Kavan Cruises in the Circle

With a comfortable cushion to work with, Texas ace Teagan Kavan put on a pitching clinic. The 2025 WCWS Most Outstanding Player proved exactly why she owns the circle in Oklahoma City, keeping a potent Red Raider lineup off-balance with a devastating mix of riseballs and changeups.

Kavan retired the side effortlessly through the middle innings, not surrendering another hit until the fifth. Texas Tech showed a flash of life in that frame when Mia Williams turned on an inside pitch for a towering, two-run blast to straightaway center—her 27th home run of the season—cutting the deficit to 6-3.

However, Kavan quickly steadied the ship, retiring the final six batters she faced in order. She finished the complete-game three-hitter with: 6 Strikeouts, 2 Walks, 3 Earned Runs.

Game 1 Box Score Summary

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Texas Tech (61-9)	1	0	0	0	2	0	0	3	3	1
Texas (52-12)	5	1	0	0	0	1	X	7	9	0

The Pitching Strategy Chess Match

Aside from the scoreline, the biggest storyline leaving Game 1 was how Gerry Glasco managed his pitching staff. Red Raiders starter Kaitlyn Terry struggled early, tagged for four runs in just 1.1 innings of work.

Surprisingly, Glasco brought in two-time National Pitcher of the Year NiJaree Canady in early relief. However, after Canady faced just six batters through the late first and second innings, Glasco pulled her back out. It was a clear tactical move: rather than burning his absolute best weapon in a game that was slipping away early, Glasco opted to save Canady’s arm so she could be fully fresh to start a must-win Game 2.

The Verdict

Texas played flawless, veteran softball on Wednesday night. They absorbed an early punch, counter-punched with five runs of their own, and let their championship-tested ace guide them across the finish line.

Texas Tech has the offensive firepower and the elite pitching in Canady to bounce back, but their backs are firmly against the wall. If the Longhorns can replicate this complete-team performance on Thursday night, the national championship trophy will be heading back to Austin once again.