Red Raider bats go cold in WCWS Championship loss to Texas

Reese Atwood delivered the decisive blow Wednesday night, connecting on a two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the sixth inning to lift Texas to a dramatic 2-1 win over Texas Tech in Game 1 of the Women’s College World Series championship series at Devon Park.

In a tightly contested pitcher’s duel, the breakthrough came when Atwood took matters into her own hands. Facing a 3-0 count, the junior cleanup hitter ambushed a pitch that was supposed to be outside the zone as part of an apparent intentional walk attempt. Instead, it caught enough of the plate, and Atwood made Texas Tech pay, shooting it through the left side to bring home Kayden Henry and Mia Scott — both of whom had extended the inning with two-out singles.

"You've got to give credit to Atwood there," said Texas Tech head coach Gerry Glasco. "She wanted to play ball. She wanted to make a play. She made a difference in the game at a time we were trying to take her out of the game."

The timely swing erased a 1-0 deficit and handed Longhorns ace Teagan Kavan the lead she needed to finish what she started. The freshman right-hander tossed a complete-game gem, scattering five hits and navigating four Texas errors without allowing an earned run.

Kavan Handles Early Pressure, Then Settles In

Texas Tech appeared poised to strike early when it loaded the bases with no outs in the first inning — thanks to back-to-back singles from Mihyia Davis and Hailey Toney and a catcher's interference call on Lauren Allred. But Kavan (27-5) responded with poise well beyond her years, inducing a key double play followed by a soft grounder back to the circle to escape unscathed.

Kavan found her rhythm from there, retiring 11 of the next 12 hitters she faced and keeping Texas within striking distance as her team struggled to get anything going against Texas Tech ace NiJaree Canady.

Canady Dominates Early, But Texas Breaks Through Late

Canady, the National Pitcher of the Year, had her way through the first five innings, allowing just two base runners — a hit-by-pitch in the second and a two-out single in the third. But the Longhorns finally solved her in the sixth.

After Henry and Scott extended the inning with a pair of clean singles, Texas threatened for the first time. With first base open, Glasco called for an intentional walk to Atwood, but the execution failed. The 3-0 pitch leaked over the plate, and Atwood — who came into the series with 19 home runs — made no mistake.

The go-ahead knock marked one of just four hits the Longhorns managed off Canady (33-6), who struck out seven in another complete-game effort. Still, the loss was her first since April 17 and ended a 12-game winning streak for the Red Raiders.

"That’s a pitch we didn’t want her to swing at," Glasco said. "But if she’s locked in, she’s going to find a way to hurt you. She did exactly that."

Davis Shines, But Red Raiders’ Offense Falters

Davis was the offensive spark for Texas Tech, going 2-for-2 with an RBI single in the sixth that scored Logan Halleman for the game’s first run. She also drew a walk in the third and was responsible for three of her team’s five baserunners.

But outside of Davis, the Red Raiders’ bats went cold. Their lineup went a collective 0-for-18 after the first two hitters, a glaring stat Glasco didn’t shy away from postgame.

"I hate it," Glasco admitted. "When you look after our first two hitters, we were 0-for-18. You work this hard to get to this point, and you don’t want to see your hitters disappear."

What’s Next: Must-Win Game for Red Raiders

With their backs against the wall, Texas Tech will turn to Canady again Thursday night in a must-win Game 2. The sophomore has now pitched all 27 innings for her team in the WCWS, allowing just five earned runs while racking up 32 strikeouts.

"As far as NiJa tomorrow, if you’ve got to pick a pitcher in America to come back and win two games in a row with — I’ll take NiJa," Glasco said. "If we can get one tomorrow, then in Game 3, anything’s possible."

First pitch for Game 2 is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT on ESPN. The Red Raiders will look to keep their season alive, while the Longhorns aim to capture their first national championship in program history.