Texas Softball Wins Back-to-Back WCWS National Championships | Defeat Texas Tech 4-1 in 2026
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Texas Longhorns defeated Texas Tech 4-1 in Game 2 of the Women’s College World Series Championship Series on Thursday night at Devon Park, securing back-to-back NCAA National Championships.
Texas (53-12) repeated as national champions after winning the program’s first-ever WCWS title in 2025. The Longhorns became the fifth team in WCWS history to lose their opening game in Oklahoma City and still go on to win the national championship.
Key Performances
Junior right-handed pitcher Teagan Kavan was named the WCWS Most Outstanding Player for the second consecutive year, becoming the first player in history to win the award twice. Junior first baseman Katie Stewart also earned All-Tournament Team honors.Senior right-hander Citlaly Gutierrez (10-3) earned the victory in her final collegiate appearance. She allowed just one run on three hits with three strikeouts in a gutsy performance, working out of multiple jams.
Game Summary
Texas Tech took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning with a one-out RBI single.The Longhorns responded in the top of the fifth. Senior outfielders Kaiah Altmeyer and Ashton Maloney started the inning with back-to-back singles. After an intentional walk to Stewart loaded the bases, junior shortstop Viviana Martinez reached on an errant throw, scoring two runs to give Texas a 2-1 lead.Freshman utility player Hannah Wells provided crucial relief pitching before Gutierrez returned to escape a bases-loaded situation.Teagan Kavan entered in the bottom of the sixth and struck out the side. In the top of the seventh, junior center fielder Kayden Henry launched a solo home run to extend the lead to 3-1. Senior second baseman Leighann Goode added an RBI single to make it 4-1.Kavan closed out the game by retiring all six batters she faced, earning her fourth save of the season and second of the WCWS.With the victory, Texas Softball joins an elite group of programs with multiple national titles and cements its place as one of the premier softball programs in the country.
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