In a dominant display at the DeMarini Invitational, No. 3 Texas Softball continued their impressive run, securing a 12th consecutive victory by run-ruling No.
16 Arizona, 12-2, in just five innings. This win capped off a flawless 5-0 weekend for the Longhorns, featuring three victories over ranked teams, including two 10-run triumphs against Arizona and a tight 4-3 win over No.
10 Stanford.
The Longhorns, now boasting a 14-1 record, showcased their offensive prowess with a 13-hit performance, including four doubles, outmatching Arizona’s four hits. The pivotal moment came in the bottom of the third inning when Texas exploded for 10 runs, turning a close game into a rout.
Junior right-hander Teagan Kavan, hailing from West Des Moines, Iowa, was instrumental in this victory, earning her third ranked win of the weekend. Kavan’s solid four-inning performance saw her limit Arizona to just two runs on four hits while striking out five.
She skillfully navigated through tight spots, stranding runners at third in consecutive innings. Freshman Hannah Wells closed out the game with a perfect fifth inning, striking out two and inducing a groundout to seal the win.
Offensively, Texas was firing on all cylinders. Senior left fielder Kaiah Altmeyer led the charge against her former team, Arizona, going 2-for-2 with three RBIs.
Junior center fielder Kayden Henry matched her season high with a 3-for-4 outing, contributing an RBI and a run. Senior right fielder Ashton Maloney added a two-RBI double, while senior designated player Reese Atwood and junior shortstop Viviana Martinez each recorded multi-hit games.
Freshman third baseman Jaycie Nichols and senior second baseman Leighann Goode also made significant contributions, with Goode scoring three times.
The scoring started in the first inning when an errant throw by Arizona allowed Goode to score, putting Texas on the board. The third inning was a showcase of offensive depth, beginning with Katie Stewart being hit by a pitch to drive in a run. Altmeyer, Wells, Nichols, Maloney, and Henry all contributed to the scoring frenzy, with Altmeyer capping the inning with a two-RBI single.
Arizona managed to score two runs in the fourth, but Texas answered back in the bottom half, with Caigan Crabtree grounding out to score Nichols, finalizing the score at 12-2.
Looking ahead, Texas returns home to McCombs Field to host Southeastern Louisiana on February 25, with the game available on SEC Network+. Following that, they will host the Longhorn Invitational from February 27 to March 1. The Longhorns are certainly a team to watch, as they continue to build momentum with each game.