OKLAHOMA CITY — Teagan Kavan pitched her fifth career shutout in the Women’s College World Series and Texas defeated Tennessee twice Monday to advance to the championship series.
The second-seeded Longhorns, who had to come through the loser’s bracket after falling to the Vols in the tournament opener, won Monday’s first game 5-2, then rolled again 4-0 behind Kavan’s gem.
The defending national champs will face No. 11-seeded Texas Tech in a best-of-three series, beginning Wednesday night. The Red Raiders, who fell to Texas in three games in last year’s national championship series, had to win two Monday night against top-seeded Alabama to advance.
Texas joined Oklahoma as the only other program to reach three straight WCWS championship finals.
“When you win the first game of the two-game series, you get the momentum,” Longhorns coach Mike White said. “We were able to do that. Of course, you need the pitching to be able to get that done.”
Texas had the pitching.
Kavan, who surrendered three runs before being pulled after three innings in the WCSW opener, rebounded to cruise past the Vols, outdueling Tennessee ace Karlyn Pickens.
Kavan surrendered only two hits and struck out 10 in the deciding game.
“I knew that they didn’t get my best game [in the opener],” Kavan said. “So I was going to try my best to give a better one today.”
The Longhorns also got a sterling performance on the circle from Citlaly Gutierrez in the first game. The senior went 6â…” innings, allowing just one earned run, before handing the ball to Kavan, who picked up the one-out save.
“I think it worked out so well with Citlaly,” Kavan said. “We’re not in the [second] game if she doesn’t give the game she gave for us. I think we complemented each other really well.”
Despite making its 10th WCWS, Tennessee will enter next season still looking for its first national championship. Of teams without a national title, only Oklahoma State has more WCWS appearances with 12, according to ESPN Research.
“I take full responsibility for it,” Vols coach Karen Weekly said. “Knowing how to handle the moments when somebody is dealing, like Teagan Kavan was today. I thought we got a little bit frustrated at times, and that took us out of some at-bats. … Ultimately it falls on my shoulders.”
With her performance, Kavan passed Cat Osterman for the most WCWS shutouts in Texas history. She has now allowed one or fewer earned runs in nine of her 11 career WCWS starts.
“We just wanted to empty the tank,” Kavan said. “We are able to do that.”
