Atwood foils walk attempt to lift Horns at WCWS

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Reese Atwood deed a go-ahead, two-run azygous for Texas erstwhile Texas Tech ace NiJaree Canady was trying to locomotion her intentionally successful the sixth inning, and the Longhorns bushed the Red Raiders 2-1 successful Game 1 of the Women's College World Series finals Wednesday night.

Teagan Kavan pitched a three-hitter for Texas (54-11), which tin unafraid its archetypal nationalist rubric with a triumph successful Game 2 connected Thursday night. Texas Tech (53-12) would person to triumph 2 consecutive to assertion its archetypal title successful its archetypal WCWS appearance.

Canady allowed 4 hits and struck retired seven, but she has mislaid 4 of 5 vocation starts against Texas, with 2 of those defeats for the Red Raiders this play and 2 for her erstwhile school, Stanford.

Canady struck retired the archetypal 2 batters successful the sixth but ran into occupation erstwhile Kayden Henry singled to near and stole second. Mia Scott reached connected an infield single, moving Henry to third, and Scott took 2nd without a throw.

With archetypal basal unfastened and a 3-0 number connected Atwood, Texas Tech catcher Victoria Valdez stood up to acceptable a people good retired of the portion for Canady, but the transportation came successful letter-high and Atwood deed a hard grounder done the near side.

Texas Tech scored successful the 5th inning with the assistance of an obstruction call. Pinch-hitter Logan Halleman reached connected a fielding mistake and Atwood threw her retired trying to bargain second. Texas Tech challenged the call, and umpires ruled that shortstop Leighanne Goode had obstructed Halleman's way to the bag.

Mihya Davis singled to right-center to thrust successful Halleman.

Kavan has not allowed an earned tally successful 4 WCWS appearances. Over 24 innings, she has allowed 12 hits and struck retired 15. She got 10 groundouts connected Wednesday night.

The Red Raiders threatened successful the first, loading the bases with nary outs. Canady, who leads Texas Tech with 11 homers, deed a grounder to 3rd to commencement a 5-2-3 treble play, and Alexa Langeliers grounded retired to the pitcher to extremity the inning.