OKLAHOMA CITY — Tennessee put together one final rally in the seventh inning, but Texas escaped the jam to secure a 5-2 victory in Game 1 of the Women’s College World Series semifinals on Monday.
The loss snaps Tennessee’s seven-game postseason winning streak and leaves the Lady Vols needing a win in Game 2 to keep their season alive.
Here are three takeaways:
Defensive mistakes proved too costly
Tennessee never fully recovered from a shaky defensive start.
Ella Dodge, at third base, was involved in two early miscues that gave Texas additional opportunities. The Longhorns consistently put pressure on the defense by making contact, forcing Tennessee to execute play after play.
While the Lady Vols avoided disaster in several situations, Texas capitalized on the extra chances throughout the afternoon. Against one of the nation’s most efficient offenses, Tennessee’s margin for error was small and ultimately disappeared.
With Texas holding a 4-1 lead and runners in scoring position in the seventh, Makenzie Butt tried the double play. The first baseman fielded a ground ball and attempted to start a double play by tagging the runner advancing to first before throwing home. The play allowed Texas to score an insurance run instead of forcing a play at the plate, extending the Longhorns’ advantage to 5-1.
Texas won the battle Against Tennessee’s pitching
Karen Weekly made an aggressive move in the third inning when she replaced Erin Nuwer with Sage Mardjetko.
The move paid immediate dividends. Mardjetko retired Texas in order in the third and recorded Tennessee’s first strikeout of the game. But the Longhorns quickly adjusted.
Reese Atwood got Texas on the board with a solo home run in the fourth inning before Katie Stewart added another homer in the fifth. Texas followed with a double, a walk, and a 2 RBI hit to create separation in a decisive fifth inning.
Mardjetko threw 20 pitches during the decisive fifth inning, with 13 of them registering as balls. Nuwer returned in relief and helped limit further damage, but Texas had already seized control.
Tennessee’s late rally showed life, but came up short
The Lady Vols struggled to generate offense for much of the game, with Gabby Leach’s RBI triple in the fourth inning serving as the lone breakthrough until the final frame.
Trailing 5-1 entering the seventh, Tennessee finally mounted a serious threat.
Butt opened the inning with a single before Taelyn Holley worked a walk. Sophia Knight reached on a Texas error to load the bases with one out.
Emma Clarke followed with an RBI single through the middle, scoring a run and bringing the tying run closer to the plate. Texas immediately turned to ace Teagan Kavan, who entered from the bullpen and ended the threat by striking out Ella Morrison looking.
The Lady Vols stranded three runners in the inning and left the tying run in the on-deck circle as Texas closed out the 5-2 win.
Now Tennessee turns its attention to an elimination game. The Lady Vols must beat Texas in Game 2 to keep their national championship hopes alive. Otherwise their season once again will end at the hands of Texas.
