Texas Longhorns Softball Set To Face Stanford in First Game of Women’s College World Series

After a thrilling finish to one of the most exciting series in the softball super regionals, Texas Longhorns softball advanced to the Women’s College World Series with a matchup against No. 8 Stanford.

The Longhorns to 52-8 on the year after defeating Texas A&M 6-5 on Sunday after starting the series down 1-0. Offense from sophomore Viviana Martinez and Mia Scott made the difference on Sunday, while senior Mac Morgan and freshman Teagan Kavan were the pitchers who brought home the win, with Kavan striking out batters to end both the sixth and seventh innings. 

First pitch for the best-of-one matchup will be at 7 P.M. CST on Thursday, May 30, with the winner advancing to the next round to face the winner of Oklahoma State vs. Florida, a potential past and future combination for the SEC-headed Longhorns.

Stanford enters the eight-team WCWS 48-15 on the year and had similar success in its super regional. Stanford dropped its first game to LSU but stayed strong and shut out the Tigers in the next two games, outsourcing them 11-0. The Cardinal are led by the best pitcher in college softball, NiJaree Canady, who boasts a .65 ERA, the best in the nation, in 204.2 innings pitched on the year. Stanford joins the Longhorns in the top 10 for the fewest runs allowed per game, and the pitching duels will be on display in Oklahoma City, the host site of the tournament.

The Longhorns enter as early favorites, having won eight of its last 10 games compared to just six for the Cardinal, and sitting as the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament. Though powerhouses like No. 2 Oklahoma, No. 5 Oklahoma State and No. 6 UCLA still remain in the tournament, Texas has as good a chance as any to take home the trophy. The Longhorns boasted the best batting average in the country this year, knocking in the second most runs per game, and is one of just five teams remaining with a team ERA under 2.00.

Past just the softball season, the Longhorns and Cardinal have serious bragging rights that come with this game. The NACDA Directors’ Cup is an annual award given to the most successful college sports program. Stanford and Texas are one of just three teams to ever win the award, and Texas had won two in a row until Stanford took the crown in the last collegiate season. After the Cardinal knocked Texas out of Cup contention last year in the baseball super regionals, the Longhorns will be out for revenge with a chance to all but clinch the Directors Cup for the 2023-24 athletic season.