Texas softball vs Wisconsin game score: Replay of NCAA Tournament

If it’s tournament time, it must be Teagan Kavan time for Texas softball.

Kavan, the Longhorns’ ace, gave up just one hit while fanning eight Wisconsin batters as Texas shut out the Badgers 9-0 in Game 2 of the Austin Region. With the win, No. 6 Texas (43-10) moves within a win of the Austin Super Regionals. The Longhorns will play again Sunday at noon against whichever team emerges from a scrum between Wisconsin, Wagner and Baylor later Saturday.

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Including three games at last weekend’s SEC Tournament, Kavan has now allowed just 12 hits and five runs with 32 strikeouts and three walks over  23⅔ innings and four games of postseason softball. According to Kavan, locking in for tournament play is a trait shared by the entire team.

“Everyone wants to play in the postseason, so I think it’s an opportunity to rise to the occasion,” Kavan said. “It’s just a lot of fun. A lot of teams would want to be in our position that aren’t, and so just taking it day by day, don’t take anything for granted, and just go have fun.”

The Texas bats gave Kavan plenty of support early and often. The Longhorns scored in each of the first three innings to claim a 7-0 lead and ended the game with a two-run homer by Kayden Henry in the sixth inning. Henry went 3-for-4 with four RBIs and two runs, and All-American catcher Reese Atwood broke out of a short slump by going 2-for-2 with two RBIs, which included a towering homer in the first inning.

“It felt good to finally have one just leave the yard,” Atwood said.

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And how did Atwood smack two hits after going just 2-for-14 over her previous five games?

“I think just trusting my preparation,” she said. “My confidence comes from my preparation, not my performance or my batting average. So, just having confidence that I’m working as hard as I can to be able to kind of pull myself out of this slump.”

Wisconsin (33-20) will play the winner of Baylor’s game against Wagner Saturday evening at McCombs Field. The winner of that night game will take on Texas for the Austin Region title Sunday.

Read below for a replay and highlights from Saturday as the Texas Longhorns beat the Wisconsin Badgers in Game 2 of the Austin Regional of the NCAA Tournament.

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MORE: Texas softball: Longhorns vs Aggies may again happen in NCAA softball tournament

Texas Longhorns pitcher Teagan Kavan (17) steps up to pitch during the game against Arkansas at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Thursday, April 30, 2026 in Austin.

Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman

Kayden Henry walks it off with a 2-run homer over the left-field wall. Texas advances to Sunday where it could still play Baylor, Wagner or Wisconsin.

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Cambria Salmon replaces Teagan Kavan to start the sixth inning. The sophomore righty gives up a double to Emily Bojan and then throws a wild pitch, but she also throws a pair of Ks to get out of the inning. The book on Kavan: Five innings, one hit allowed, no runs, one walk, eight strikeouts. Tourney Teagan strikes again.

Alissa Sneed tried to end the game early via the mercy rule, but a long ball by the Texas freshman is caught on the warning track. Wisconsin stays alive for at least another inning.

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Wisconsin’s Alivia Bark breaks up the no-hit bid by Texas pitcher Teagan Kavan with a one-out single into centerfield. But that’s all Kavan gives up. She now has eight strikeouts and has thrown 48 strikes on 72 pitches.

For the first time this game, Texas doesn’t score. But Reece Atwood gets her second hit. Texas coach Mike White must like seeing his star catcher break out of a mini slump; Atwood entered this contest just 2-of-14 over her past five games.

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Three up, three down, and Wisconsin still doesn’t have a hit against Texas starter Teagan Kavan. The pitcher let her defense handle the load that inning with a pair of groundouts to 3B Jaycie Nichols and another to 2B Leighann Goode.

Texas adds some insurance after Reece Atwood scores on a bases-loaded fielder’s choice by Alissa Sneed and pinch runner Adayah Wallace crosses home on an infield RBI single by Jaycie Nichols. Those two runs mean the exit of Wisconsin pitcher Berritt Herr and the arrival of Jordan Felci (2-0, 7.88 ERA), who gets out of a two-on, one-out jam.

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Tourney Teagan is in full effect today. Texas starter Teagan Kavan has six strikeouts without a hit after sending the Badgers down in order. She now has 18 strikeouts in her last 10 innings dating back to last Saturday’s win over Alabama in the SEC title game.

Texas has knocked Wisconsin starter Shelby Jacobson out of the game with five runs and four hits. Pitcher Teagan Kavan has her run support; let’s see if she can keep a dangerous Badger lineup under control.

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Kayden Henry drives in two with a double into left field for Texas, and that’s all for Wisconsin starter Shelby Jacobson. She threw 141 pitches yesterday, and that’s a heavy workload over two days in this heat and humidity. Freshman Berritt Herr (11-6, 5.15 ERA) enters the game with one out and Henry on third after some smart base-running.

Teagan Kavan is heating up. She fans a pair of Badgers and already has four Ks. Of her 31 pitches, 18 have been for strikes. Wisconsin still doesn’t have a hit.

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Overheard in the pressbox: All-time Texas home run leader Reese Atwood is due after banging one homer in her last 17 games. She must have been listening, because the All-American catcher sends a two-run shot to the grad student apartments behind left field. Kayden Henry leads off the game with a single into center, reaches third on a double by Katie Stewart and scores on a sac fly by Vivi Martinez before Atwood’s 17th homer of the season.

Texas starter Teagan Kavan gives up a walk, something she only did twice in three games at last weekend’s SEC Tournament. But she also ends the frame with a pair of strikeouts. No runs, no hits, one left on for Wisconsin.

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Texas starter Teagan Kavan delivers her first pitch for a strike to Emily Bojan, and we’re off at McCombs Field. The winner advances to Sunday’s Austin Region final while the loser will have to play again tonight against the winner of Baylor’s game against Wagner, which follows this game. 

Texas coach Mike White will start junior right-hander Teagan Kavan, the staff ace and last season’s Most Outstanding Player at the Women’s College World Series. She hasn’t thrown since fanning 12 Alabama batters in a 7-1 win in the SEC championship game a week ago. For the season, Kavan is 22-4 with a 2.65 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP.

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Wisconsin will counter with its best pitcher in lefty Shelby Jacobson, who’s 15-9 with a 4.06 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP. But she did throw 141 pitches in yesterday’s 2-1 win over Baylor, and it’s another warm day in Austin with temperatures projected in the low 90s. Jacobson and the Badgers aren’t used to that kind of heat, and it could sap her tank of some gas.

SpotPos# PlayerBatsAvg1cf21 Kayden HenryL.40221b20 Katie StewartR.4393ss23 Viviana MartinezL.3934c14 Reese AtwoodR.3445dp13 Hannah WellsR.30462b43 Leighann GoodeR.3767lf9 Alisa SneedR.27183b24 Jaycie NicholsR.3369rf7 Ashton MaloneyL.29510p17 Teagan KavanR-

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SpotPos# PlayerBatsAvg1dp3 Emily BojanR.3542c23 Hilary BlombergR.35831b10 Jackie ShowalterR.3014rf7 Kendra LewisL.33152b1 Kaylie WhiddenR.27363b45 Alivia BarkR.3047lf22 Makenzie FosterL.2538cf2 Danielle LucyR.2959ss16 Hannah CongerR.31910p19 Shelby JacobsonL-
Texas (43-10) vs. Wisconsin (33-19): How to watch NCAA Tournament game

Reach Texas beat reporter Thomas Jones via email at tjones@statesman.com.

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