OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Hannah Wells’ bases-loaded single in the fifth inning broke open a tight game and Texas forced a second semifinal game at the Women’s College World Series, defeating Tennessee 5-2 on Monday.
Facing elimination for the fifth time in this NCAA Tournament, Texas (50-12) won to set up a win-or-go-home game between the two teams later in the day.
Tied 1-1 through four innings, the Longhorns added three runs in the fifth. Katie Stewart’s one-out home run to left field made it 2-1, then Texas loaded the bases on a double, a walk and a single. Wells drove a 2-0 pitch off the center field wall to score Reese Atwood and Viviana Martinez.
In the circle, Citaly Gutierrez (10-3) cruised into the seventh inning, holding Tennessee (49-11) to one run. But the Lady Vols rallied and had the bases loaded with one out. With two out, Emma Clarke drove in a run with an infield single, making it 5-2 with the bases still loaded.
Teagan Kavan, the hero of the Longhorns’ run to the 2025 WCWS championship, relieved Gutierrez and struck out Elsa Morrison to end the game.
In Tennessee’s 6-3 win over Texas to open the World Series, Gutierrez allowed three runs in four innings. On Monday, she took a no-hitter to the fourth inning before allowing Gabby Leach’s RBI triple.
Martinez and Stewart had three hits each for Texas, but Stewart struggled at first base, committing three of the Longhorns’ four errors.
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AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports
