Texas wins twice to reach 3rd straight WCWS championship finals - ESPN

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 either top-seeded Alabama or No. 11 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, have to win two Monday night against the Crimson Tide 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 6⅔ 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