Texas Longhorns infielder Jaycie Nichols (24) slides to second, avoiding a tag by Wisconsin infielder Kaylie Whidden (1), during the NCAA Softball Championship Regional game at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Saturday, May 16, 2026 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns catcher Reese Atwood (14) smiles after a home run during the NCAA Softball Championship Regional game against Wisconsin at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Saturday, May 16, 2026 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns catcher Reese Atwood (14) hits a pitch during the NCAA Softball Championship Regional game against Wisconsin at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Saturday, May 16, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns outfielder Kayden Henry (21) celebrates a score during the NCAA Softball Championship Regional game against Wisconsin at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Saturday, May 16, 2026 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns infielder Leighann Goode (43) celebrates a strikeout during the NCAA Softball Championship Regional game against Wisconsin at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Saturday, May 16, 2026 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns pitcher Teagan Kavan (17) throws a pitch during the NCAA Softball Championship Regional game against Wisconsin at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Saturday, May 16, 2026 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns pitcher Teagan Kavan (17) throws a pitch during the NCAA Softball Championship Regional game against Wisconsin at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Saturday, May 16, 2026 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns infielder Katie Stewart (2) walks the field during the NCAA Softball Championship Regional game against Wisconsin at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Saturday, May 16, 2026 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns catcher Reese Atwood (14) hits a pitch during the NCAA Softball Championship Regional game against Wisconsin at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Saturday, May 16, 2026 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns outfielder Alisa Sneed (9) throws the ball to the infield during the NCAA Softball Championship Regional game against Wisconsin at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Saturday, May 16, 2026 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns infielder Leighann Goode (43) grabs a ground ball during the NCAA Softball Championship Regional game against Wisconsin at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Saturday, May 16, 2026 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns infielder Leighann Goode (43) bunts the ball during the NCAA Softball Championship Regional game against Wisconsin at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Saturday, May 16, 2026 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns outfielder Ashton Maloney (7) slides home for a score during the NCAA Softball Championship Regional game against Wisconsin at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Saturday, May 16, 2026 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns infielder Leighann Goode (43) throws the ball to first during the NCAA Softball Championship Regional game against Wisconsin at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Saturday, May 16, 2026 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns infielder Jaycie Nichols (24) slides to second, avoiding a tag by Wisconsin infielder Kaylie Whidden (1), during the NCAA Softball Championship Regional game at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Saturday, May 16, 2026 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns infielder Jaycie Nichols (24) catches the ball during the NCAA Softball Championship Regional game against Wisconsin at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Saturday, May 16, 2026 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns outfielder Alisa Sneed (9) misses a catch during the NCAA Softball Championship Regional game against Wisconsin at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Saturday, May 16, 2026 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns outfielder Alisa Sneed (9) misses a catch during the NCAA Softball Championship Regional game against Wisconsin at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Saturday, May 16, 2026 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns head coach Mike White disputes a call with officials during the NCAA Softball Championship Regional game against Wisconsin at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Saturday, May 16, 2026 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns catcher Reese Atwood (14) talks to pitcher Teagan Kavan (17) during the NCAA Softball Championship Regional game against Wisconsin at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Saturday, May 16, 2026 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns outfielder Kayden Henry (21) celebrates a final home run during the NCAA Softball Championship Regional game against Wisconsin at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Saturday, May 16, 2026 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns outfielder Kayden Henry (21) celebrates a final home run during the NCAA Softball Championship Regional game against Wisconsin at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Saturday, May 16, 2026 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
Texas softball, the No. 2 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, faces a familiar foe in Baylor for a spot in next week’s super regional series in Austin.
While the Longhorns (44-10) reached Sunday’s Austin Regional final by routing Wagner 9-1 and Wisconsin 9-0, Baylor (30-27) had to fight back after dropping its Friday opener to Wisconsin, 2-1. The Bears did just that Saturday, beating Wagner 9-0 and Wisconsin 5-2. They’re also hanging around Sunday and trail just 3-0 after four innings.
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If Texas wins Sunday, it advances to face either Texas A&M or Arizona State in the Austin Super Regional series. If Baylor wins, the Longhorns and Bears will play a second and decisive game later Sunday to determine the Austin Regional winner.
MORE: Texas softball: Freshmen Jaycie Nichols, Hannah Wells to play key roles in NCAA Tournament
Texas leads the all-time series 37-25 against Baylor, a former Big 12 foe. The Longhorns have won seven straight games in the series, including a pair of nonconference wins by a combined score of 21-2 earlier this season.
Read below for live scores and updates Sunday as the Texas Longhorns face the Baylor Bears in the finals of the Austin Regional of the NCAA Tournament.
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MORE: NCAA Tournament bracket: Texas, Oklahoma predictions in Women’s College World Series
The Texas Longhorns celebrate a home run by catcher Reese Atwood (14) during the NCAA Softball Championship Regional game against Wisconsin at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Saturday, May 16, 2026 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
A second Baylor error with two outs and bases loaded allows Vivi Martinez to cross home plate with an insurance run. Baylor 3B Kaygen Marshall couldn’t handle a shot by pinch hitter Vic Hunter. Texas had a chance to blow the game open after loading the bags with no outs, but the Bears keep hanging around. The Longhorns have stranded seven for the game.
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Make it a dozen Bears sent down in order for Texas starter Teagan Kavan, who’s leaning on her defense today with just three strikeouts.
Baylor 1B Leah Cran makes a brilliant play at first by snagging a sure double into right by Kayden Henry and then doubling up Ashton Maloney at first. The Bears and pitcher Peyton Tanner are hanging around, but can they get to Texas starter Teagan Kavan?
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Texas SS Vivi Martinez gets a defensive highlight and pitcher Teagan Kavan keeps rolling. She’s allowed only base-runner on a first-inning single and has three strikeouts. She’s also retired nine straight Bears.
Baylor pitcher Peyton Tanner seems to have settled into the game. She gives up a one-out walk to Leighann Goode but doesn’t allow a hit.
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Leighann Goode comes up with a defensive highlight. The Texas 2B dives to her left and makes the throw to first from her knees to rob Leah Cran of a leadoff single. Texas starter Teagan Kavan is getting the right backup so far. Baylor goes down in order.
The Longhorns do some two-out damage. With two outs, Texas 3B Jaycie Nichols reaches first after an error by Baylor pitcher Peyton Tanner and promptly gets her 15th steal of the season. After reaching third on an infield single by Ashton Maloney, Nichols scores on another infield hit by Kayden Henry. Texas had three stolen bases in that frame but also leaves the bases juiced.
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Baylor’s Brooklyn Carter leads off with a bunt single, just like her Texas leadoff counterpart in Kayden Henry. And Sa’Mya Jones follows with another bunt, which leads to a throwing error by Texas pitcher Teagan Kavan to first. But the Horns get a break by replay ruling of runner interference. That’s a big early call after Kavan works through the rest of the lineup with no problem. One hit and one stranded for Baylor.
Texas slugger Katie Stewart sets the fireworks off early against Baylor’s Peyton Tanner. After Kayden Henry leads off the game with a bunt single, Stewart launches a moonshot into the third floor of the grad student apartments behind left field. I think that was an inch to the right of that famous bat-slam shot against Oklahoma earlier this season.
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For the first time this weekend, Texas isn’t the home team. So Kayden Henry steps up to the plate against Baylor’s Peyton Tanner, and we’re off in championship Sunday of the Austin Regional.
Texas ace Teagan Kavan will get her second consecutive start after throwing five dominant innings — she allowed one hit and fanned eight batters — in yesterday’s 9-0 win over Wisconsin. In an 11-0 five-inning win over Baylor earlier this season, Kavan allowed two hits and fanned 10 Bears in a complete-game win. For the season, Kavan has a 23-4 record, a 2.57 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. She’s been at her best in the postseason; 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 in four games of postseason softball.
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Baylor’s Peyton Tanner gets the start after throwing just three innings yesterday. Tanner started in Friday’s 2-1 loss to Wisconsin and threw 8⅓ innings while giving up five hits and two runs. For the season, the right-handed sophomore has a 9-11 record, a 4.01 ERA, a 1.70 WHIP.
SpotPos# PlayerBatsAvg1cf21 Kayden HenryL.41021b20 Katie StewartR.4373ss23 Viviana MartinezL.3874c14 Reese AtwoodR.35352b43 Leighann GoodeR.3756dp13 Hannah WellsR.2967lf9 Alisa SneedR.26083b24 Jaycie NicholsR.3399rf7 Ashton MaloneyL.30010p17 Teagan KavanR-
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SpotPos# PlayerBatsAvg1cf11 Brooklyn CarterL.3292lf77 Sa’Mya JonesR.25632b26 Faith PiperL.3144ss36 Amber TovenL.34151b1 Leah CranR.28263b0 Kaygen MarshallR.2337dp33 Olivia BuettnerR.2138c95 Abi FloresL.1559rf20 Gianna GusmanL.23710p3 Peyton TannerR-
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Where: McCombs Field, Austin
TV/radio: ESPN+; texaslonghorns.com
Reach Texas beat reporter Thomas Jones via email at tjones@statesman.com.
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