Texas softball is a national champion for the first time.
The Longhorns defeated Texas Tech 10-4 in Game 3 of the Women’s College World Series championship series on Friday at Devon Park in Oklahoma City. Texas scored five runs off NiJaree Canady in the first inning and never looked back.
Leighann Goode capped the explosive first inning for the Longhorns with a three-run blast, which turned out to be the only inning for Canady. Texas added four more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning on a grand slam by catcher Reese Atwood, but could not finish the game with a run-rule victory in the fifth inning.
Texas ace Teagan Kavan limited Texas Tech to four runs and eight hits, but none of the runs she allowed were earned. This was the Longhorns’ eighth WCWS appearance, but their first-ever championship. The Longhorns lost to rival Oklahoma in the championship series last season.
USA TODAY Sports has you covered with scores and highlights from Game 3 of the WCWS finals. Catch up with the WCWS Game 3 here:
Watch WCWS finals with ESPN+
Texas vs Texas Tech softball score
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Texas vs Texas Tech softball updates
Final: Texas 10, Texas Tech 4
Texas beats Texas Tech 10-4 for first national championship
Texas defeats Texas Tech 10-4 first-ever national championship in softball. Mia Scott hit a grand slam in the fourth inning, while Leighann Goode had a three-run home run in the first inning. The Longhorns scored five runs in the first inning off Canady.
Teagan Kavan struck out three in a complete game effort, limiting the Red Raiders to four runs, but none of them were earned due to errors by the Texas defense.
Hailey Toney drives in another run
Hailey Toney singles to left field to score Makayla Garcia to make it 10-4. Mihyia Davis is thrown out at third, but obstruction is called. The play is under review.
The call is overturned and Davis is out at third. Texas has two outs.
End of sixth inning: Texas 10, Texas Tech 3
Texas Tech forces seventh inning
Samantha Lincoln strikes out Reese Atwood and Katie Stewart with the game-clinching run in scoring position. Texas Tech forces a seventh inning. The Longhorns are still three outs away from a national championship.
Teagan Kavan keeps Texas Tech off the board in sixth inning
Texas Tech cannot put up a run in the top of the sixth inning. Texas will have another chance to walk it off via run rule in the bottom of the inning. Kavan picked up her second and third strikeouts in the sixth.
End of fifth inning: Texas 10, Texas Tech 3
Texas Tech forces sixth inning
A combination of a three-run fifth for the Red Raiders and a scoreless frame for the Longhorns keeps Texas Tech out of run rule territory. The Red Raiders will get to bat at least once more in the sixth inning.
Hailey Toney keeps Texas Tech alive with 2-RBI single
Texas Tech is not done yet. Hailey Toney with a two-RBI single and it’s 10-3 Texas with the lead in the fifth. The run-rule is off the table, for now.
Mihyia Davis plates first Texas Tech run
Mihyia Davis plates a run on an infield single, followed by a throwing error, putting runners on second and third with two outs for Texas Tech.
End of fourth inning: Texas 10, Texas Tech 0
College softball run-rule, explained
Texas has a 10-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning vs. Texas Tech. The Longhorns are three outs away in the top of the fifth inning from picking up a run-rule victory. Here’s an explanation of how the run-rule works in college softball.
Samantha Lincoln enters to pitch for Texas
Samantha Lincoln is taking over in the circle for Chloe Riassetto. Lincoln will be the third pitcher of the game for the Longhorns.
Mia Scott hits grand slam for Texas
Mia Scott deposits a ball over the center field wall for a grand slam. That’s a 10-0 lead for Texas. The Longhorns are now three outs away from a run-rule victory.
Teagan Kavan with most consecutive scoreless innings in WCWS
Teagan Kavan has now gone 28 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run at the WCWS. That’s the longest streak by any pitcher at the WCWS.
Teagan Kavan allows first hit, scoreless through four innings
Hailey Toney gets the first Texas Tech hit of the game off Teagan Kavan. However, Kavan retires the next three hitters in order and is through four innings without allowing a run. Toney was the first baserunner for the Red Raiders since Lauren Allred was hit by a pitch in the first inning.
End of third inning: Texas 6, Texas Tech 0
Katie Stewart double scores Reese Atwood to extend Texas lead
Reese Atwood leads off the bottom of the third inning with a double and is followed by a double by Katie Stewart, which scores Atwood. The Longhorns are now up 6-0. They are closing in on eight run-rule territory.
Teagan Kavan has set down seven in a row
Teagan Kavan has retired seven in a row, as she records her second straight 1-2-3 inning. Kavan only has one strikeout so far, but has generated five groundouts.
End of second inning: Texas 5, Texas Tech 0
Texas goes quietly in second inning vs Chloe Riassetto
After hanging five runs in the first inning against NiJaree Canady, Texas is unable to add more despite a two-out single from Kayden Henry. Chloe Riassetto, who came in in relief of Canady, holds the Longhorns scoreless to begin her night.
Chloe Riassetto enters for NiJaree Canady
Chloe Riassetto replaces NiJaree Canady in the circle in the second inning. Riassetto will be the first non-Canady pitcher to throw in the WCWS and since the start of the Tallahassee Super Regional.
Teagan Kavan retires Texas Tech 1-2-3 in second inning
Teagan Kavan delivers a shutdown inning by retiring Texas Tech 1-2-3 in the second inning. A quick inning from the Texas pitcher gets the Longhorns back at the plate with a chance to build on the lead.
End of first inning: Texas 5, Texas Tech 0
Leighann Goode hits a 3-run home run off NiJaree Canady
Leighann Goode hits a three-run home run off NiJaree Canady with two outs. Texas now leads 5-0 in the first inning. It’s Goode’s fourth home run of the postseason and the 10th of the season.
The Longhorns had five runs total in the first two games.
Katie Stewart extends Texas lead on NiJaree Canady
Texas has seemed to figure out NiJaree Canady, as Katie Stewart drives in another run on a single. The Longhorns have four straight hits, including back-to-back RBI singles to make it 2-0 Texas in the bottom of the first.
Reese Atwood gives Texas lead in first inning
With runners on first and second and one out, Texas catcher Reese Atwood singles through the right side for an RBI single to score Kayden Henry. The Longhorns have runners on second and third with one out following an E7.
Teagan Kavan fires scoreless first inning
Teagan Kavan throws a scoreless first inning, working around a two-out hit batter. Kavan needed just four pitches to retire the first two hitters, but Lauren Allred forced a 13-pitch at bat before being hit by a pitch. Kavan induces a groundball by Alana Johnson to get out of the inning.
Texas home team for WCWS Game 3
Texas is the home team for WCWS Game 3. That means the Longhorns field and pitch first and would bat last in the seventh inning, if necessary.
Game 3 of WCWS finals underway
Texas pitcher Teagan Kavan fires a first pitch strike and Game 3 of the 2025 WCWS is officially underway.
Pregame
How many innings is a college softball game?
Teagan Kavan starts for Texas in WCWS final Game 3
Teagan Kavan is starting for Texas in Game 3 of the WCWS final. Kavan started and won Game 1, but did not come out of the bullpen until the bottom of the sixth inning in Game 2. Kavan allowed two inherited runners to score, which were key insurance runs for the Red Raiders.
Texas starting lineup for WCWS final Game 3
Here’s the Longhorns’ starting lineup for the third game of the WCWS final:
- Ashton Maloney, RF
- Kayden Henry, CF
- Mia Scott, 3B
- Reese Atwood, C
- Katie Stewart, LF
- Joley Mitchell, 1B
- Leighann Goode, SS
- Katie Cimusz, DP
- Kaydee Bennett, 2B
NiJaree Canady starting for Texas Tech
For the third straight night, NiJaree Canady is the starter for the Red Raiders. Canady has thrown 495 pitches in five games in the WCWS.
Texas Tech starting lineup for WCWS Game 3 final
Here’s the lineup for the Red Raiders in Game 3 of the WCWS final. Texas Tech is the designated road team.
- Mihyia Davis, CF
- Hailey Toney, SS
- Lauren Allred, 1B
- Alana Johnson, RF
- Alexa Langeliers, 2B
- NiJaree Canady, SP
- Demi Elder, LF
- Victoria Valdez, C
- Bailey Lindemuth, 3B
Texas-Texas Tech most watched WCWS final Game 2 in history
Game 2 of the WCWS final between Texas and Texas Tech was the most-watched Game 2 ever with 2.1 million viewers. The game peaked at 2.6 million viewers and was up 5% from 2024’s Game 2 between Texas and Oklahoma.
The game is the fifth-most watched college softball game across ESPN platforms.
NiJaree Canady signs new NIL deal during WCWS
Texas-Texas Tech to play winner-take-all Game 3 WCWS final
Texas and Texas Tech are set to square off in a winner-take-all Game 3 in the Women’s College World Series championship series. Since the format was adopted in 2005, this marks the seventh Game 3. Here’s a look at the history of Game 3s.
What time does Texas vs Texas Tech softball start?
- Time: 8 p.m. ET
- Date: Friday, June 6
- Location: Devon Park (Oklahoma City)
First pitch for Game 3 of the WCWS finals is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET from Devon Park in Oklahoma City.
What TV channel is Texas vs Texas Tech softball on today?
- TV channel: ESPN
- Streaming: ESPN app | ESPN+
Game 3 of the national championship series between Texas and Texas Tech will air live on ESPN, with streaming options on the ESPN app (with a cable login) and ESPN+, the latter of which serves as the network’s streaming service.
WCWS finals schedule
- Wednesday, June 4: No. 6 Texas 2, No. 12 Texas Tech 1
- Thursday, June 5: No. 12 Texas Tech 4, No. 6 Texas 3
- Friday, June 6: Texas vs. Texas Tech | 8 p.m. | ESPN (ESPN+)