After a 30-minute delay in the Texas heat, Longhorns fans saw a run-of-the-mill offensive but strong pitching performance from their team in a 5–2 win over New Mexico State on the second day of the Longhorn Invitational.
Despite improving to 18–1 and remaining defeated at home, Texas struggled to generate offensive power against senior pitcher Jaileen Mancha, only scoring one run with five hits within the first four innings.
New Mexico State’s hitting similarly struggled against sophomore phenom Teagan Kavan, who was in the circle the entire game, throwing seven strikeouts and only allowing three hits. Kavan, who won the pitching battle 5–1 and kept the Aggies scoreless in the first three innings, stayed cool, calm, and collected through the uneven game.
“If I feel prepared, then I know that I shouldn’t go up to the plate with any sort of anxiety because I have prepared for that moment,” Kavan said. “Just being able to reframe things and take pressure and turn it into excitement.”
Kavan’s teammates finally helped her out in the bottom of the fifth. After junior utility Kaydee Bennett singled to third base and stole second, redshirt junior outfielder Ashton Maloney bunted to allow her to advance to third. Senior utility Mia Scott then hit what looked like a pop fly up the middle until the ball bounced off the glove of the Aggie outfielder. This allowed Bennett and sophomore outfielder Kayden Henry, who was on second, to score.
Texas extended its lead by two more runs after sophomore infielder and catcher Katie Stewart hit her sixth home run of the season, bringing herself and Scott to the home plate. Down five runs at the top of the sixth inning, the Aggies attempted to stage a comeback late in the game. Sophomore utility Faith Aragon got New Mexico State’s second hit of the matchup, singling out to shortstop as junior Leighann Goode missed the catch and recorded an error.
After sophomore utility Desirae Spearman singled and Aragon advanced to third, Texas’ pitching staff called Kavan for a meeting in the circle, but she was kept in the game. The Texas defense faltered in the very next play, as sophomore Johnna Aragon hit a laser to the middle field. Henry immediately got to the ball, but a wonky throw to home plate saw both Faith Aragon and Spearman score runs.
Despite the dash of adversity following a perfect start to the game, Kavan continued to battle, striking out redshirt junior Kristiana Watson to finally send Texas’ defense back into the dugout.
“Teagan has grown a lot mentally,” junior catcher Reese Atwood said. “She’s someone who can keep the pressure pretty down. She’s very calm, so that’s something that I’ve been able to learn from her.”
Texas’ attempt to extend its lead in its final offensive showing in the bottom of the sixth shattered pretty quickly, even after a failed call for a review by White of a play that saw sophomore outfielder Adayah Wallace being tagged out on a double play after trying to steal second base.
However, Kavan picked up the pieces and performed damage control, striking out three batters in the top of the seventh to cap off a rock-solid performance.
Texas will return to Red & Charline McCombs Field tomorrow to take on South Florida and Alabama A&M on the final day of the Longhorn Invitational.
