Teagan Kavan, Texas Blanks Tennessee 4-0 to Reach National Championship
Image: Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics
By Aidan Sidoti
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Lady Vols season has come to a heartbreaking end.
No. 2 Texas shut out No. 7 Tennessee 4-0 on Monday afternoon behind a dominant complete game from right-hander Teagan Kavan, ending the Lady Vols’ season and sending the Longhorns to their second consecutive national championship series.
Kavan came out firing immediately. The junior West Des Moines (Iowa) native retired the first nine Lady Vols she faced, striking out five through three perfect innings. Tennessee starter Karlyn Pickens matched her early, striking out the side in the first and keeping the game scoreless through two.
Texas broke through in the third. After a leadoff infield single from Jaycie Nichols and a bunt single by Kayden Henry, a groundout moved both runners into scoring position. Viviana Martinez then chopped an RBI single over third to make it 1-0. On the next pitch, Martinez stole second, allowing Henry to steal home for a 2-0 lead. Reese Atwood followed with a line drive RBI double into the right center gap to push it to 3-0 before Gabby Leach threw out Atwood at the plate to end the inning.
Tennessee’s first baserunner didn’t come until the fourth when Emma Clarke singled with two outs, but Kavan stranded her. The Longhorns added on in the fifth as Katie Stewart launched a solo home run to left to extend the lead to 4-0.
Pickens kept Tennessee within reach, throwing a six inning complete game in her final outing. The senior allowed 4 earned runs on 7 hits while walking 3 and striking out 6.
The Lady Vols could never figure out Kavan like they did in the opening game of the WCWS. A one-out single from Gabby Leach in the fifth and a leadoff walk in the sixth were the only other chances Tennessee generated before Kavan closed the door with another perfect inning in the seventh.
Kavan finished with a 112 pitch complete game shutout, striking out a Women’s College World Series career high 10 while allowing just 2 hits and no walks.
Tennessee ends the season at 49-12.
