Texas Softball Splits Doubleheader with Washington and Nebraska in Early Top-25 Tests
SAN ANTONIO - Opening weekend for No. 1 Texas Softball came with no shortage of challenges-and no shortage of fireworks.
The Longhorns split Saturday’s doubleheader at Roadrunner Field, taking down No. 25 Washington, 11-6, before falling to No.
9 Nebraska, 8-5.
Three games into the season, all against top-25 opponents, and Texas walks away 2-1, showing flashes of dominance and resilience, while also getting a taste of what needs sharpening moving forward.
Game 1: Texas 11, Washington 6
The opener was a back-and-forth slugfest that saw Texas pull away late, thanks to a momentum-swinging, six-run sixth inning that turned a one-run deficit into a comfortable win.
Junior right-hander Teagan Kavan stepped into a high-pressure spot in the fifth with the game tied at 5-5, two outs, and a runner on. She wasted no time, notching a strikeout to end the inning and then locking in for the final 2.1 frames. Kavan gave up just one unearned run and one hit, striking out four and slamming the door on Washington’s comeback hopes.
But the real spark came from the Texas bats in the sixth. After Washington briefly took a 6-5 lead on a passed ball, the Longhorns answered with a vengeance.
Senior second baseman Leighann Goode drew a walk to get things started. Freshman Jaycie Nichols followed with a walk of her own, and senior right fielder Ashton Maloney delivered a clutch RBI single to tie it up at 6-6. Then came the rally.
Junior shortstop Viviana Martinez punched a two-out RBI single off the left field wall to give Texas the lead. A wild pitch moved the runners up, and senior designated player Reese Atwood made it count-smashing a two-RBI single to center. That was followed by junior catcher Katie Stewart launching her second home run of the season, a two-run shot that capped the six-run frame and gave Texas an 11-6 cushion.
Defensively, Kavan and the Longhorns made quick work of the Huskies in the seventh to seal the win.
Atwood led the offensive charge, going 2-for-3 with four RBI, including a two-run homer in the first inning-her second of the season and the 57th of her career. Freshman Hannah Wells made her presence known early, too, launching her first career home run in the fourth, a three-run blast that broke a 2-2 tie and gave Texas a 5-2 lead. Maloney added a 2-for-4 day with an RBI and a run scored.
Sophomore Cambria Salmon got the start in the circle, tossing 4.2 innings and giving up four earned runs on five hits while striking out three. She kept Texas in the game long enough for the bats to take over.
Game 2: Nebraska 8, Texas 5
The second game of the doubleheader saw Texas face off with No.
9 Nebraska for the second time in two days. This time, the Cornhuskers came out swinging and never looked back, using a pair of four-run innings to hand Texas its first loss of the season.
Nebraska jumped on the board early with a pair of home runs in the first inning to take a 4-0 lead. Texas clawed back in the bottom half thanks to a wild pitch and an RBI single from Atwood, cutting the deficit in half.
But Nebraska wasn’t done. The Huskers added another four-spot in the third, again fueled by the long ball.
Texas responded in the bottom half with a wild pitch and a two-run homer from Leighann Goode-her second of the season-to make it 8-5. That would be as close as the Longhorns would get.
Texas had its chances down the stretch. Solid contact and patient at-bats put runners on, but the Horns stranded six over the final four innings, unable to find the timely hit that could’ve turned the tide.
Freshman Hannah Wells made her first career start in the circle and got a tough introduction to college softball, giving up seven runs on seven hits across two innings. Sophomore Brenlee Gonzales made her Longhorn debut in relief, retiring three of four batters in the third but allowing a solo homer.
The bright spot on the pitching side came from Cambria Salmon, who returned to the circle for a second time on the day and delivered a gem. She retired all 12 batters she faced over four innings, striking out three and keeping Texas within striking distance.
Takeaways
This early-season stretch was never going to be easy, and Texas showed both grit and firepower in navigating it. The offense looks as potent as advertised, with Atwood already in midseason form and newcomers like Wells and Nichols making immediate contributions.
In the circle, the Longhorns are still sorting out roles and rhythm, but Kavan and Salmon both showed they can handle high-leverage moments. There’s plenty to build on-and plenty to clean up-but after three games against ranked opponents, Texas is already battle-tested.
Next up, the Longhorns will look to tighten up the defense, continue developing their pitching depth, and keep the bats hot as they move deeper into the non-conference slate. If this opening weekend is any indication, this team has the tools-and the toughness-to live up to its No. 1 ranking.