Texas into WCWS finals for third time in 4 years

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Katie Stewart deed a location run, Mac Morgan and Teagan Kavan combined connected a 3-hitter, and Texas defeated Tennessee 2-0 connected Monday to scope the Women's College World Series title bid for the 3rd clip successful 4 years.

Kavan, who threw a implicit crippled with 8 strikeouts successful Saturday's 4-2 triumph implicit Oklahoma, came connected successful alleviation of Morgan successful the 5th inning and didn't let a deed the remainder of the way. She struck retired the Volunteers' Emma Clarke to extremity the game.

Texas (54-11) volition play either Oklahoma oregon Texas Tech successful the best-of-three series, which starts Wednesday. Those teams quadrate disconnected successful Monday night's different semifinal.

Texas faced Oklahoma successful the title bid successful 2024 and 2022, losing some times.

Karlyn Pickens, a National Fastpitch Coaches Association first-team All-American, allowed conscionable 1 earned tally connected 5 hits and struck retired 9 for Tennessee (47-17) connected Monday.

Texas loaded the bases against Pickens successful the 3rd with 1 retired but couldn't score. Reese Atwood struck retired swinging and Joley Mitchell popped retired to the catcher to extremity the inning.

Things got heated successful the apical of the 4th erstwhile Tennessee hitting manager Craig Snider, the erstwhile Texas Tech caput coach, appeared to person words with the Texas dugout and was ejected.

Stewart homered disconnected Pickens to commencement the fourth, a precocious thrust to near that drifted beyond the outstretched mitt of Alannah Leach. Pickens recovered quickly, striking retired the adjacent 3 batters she faced.

Morgan got the win, striking retired 4 and walking one. The Longhorns added an security tally the sixth connected a throwing mistake by Vols 3rd baseman Taylor Pannell.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.