That’s a wrap on the 2026 fastpitch softball season, and we have a new, that is to say old, I mean REPEAT champion. The Texas Longhorns swept Texas Tech to capture their 2nd title in a row and 2nd title in team history.
So who showed up for Texas in the final?
In game 1, it was an offensive explosion in the first inning that put up 5 runs right away, and Texas Tech simply could not match. Texas infielder Katie Stewart hit a 2 run homer as just the second batter in the bottom of the 1st inning, Kaiah Altmeyer hit an RBI single, and Ashton Maloney hit a triple to score another two runs and five total in the 1st inning.
Add that monster inning to Teagan Kavan’s 7 solid innings scattering 3 hits and 3 earned runs, and Texas won 7-3 and walked into game 2 with a chance to clinch the final.
Game 2 was much closer. Nijaree Canady started the game for Texas Tech opposite Citaly Gutierrez for Texas. Texas Tech took a 1-0 lead into the 5th inning. Then, in the 1st, with runners on 1st and 2nd, Canady intentionally walked Katie Stewart (same one who hit the HR in game 1) to load the bases. Then Infielder Viviana Martinez hit a ground ball to short, and an errant throw led to two runs scoring and Texas took a 2-1 lead.
In the 6th inning, Texas brought in Kavan in relief and who struck out 5 of 6 batters through two innings and secured the national championship for Texas.
With this win, Teagan Kavan cements herself as one of the greatest NCAA pitchers of all time. She is the first to win back-to-back WCWS most outstanding player awards. During the 2026 WCWS she pitched 33 of the team’s 46 innings and only allowed 7 earned runs in 7 games while striking out 30.
Texas Tech had an amazing season, and a win here would have been a story book ending for ace pitcher Nijaree Canady, but Texas was just a more complete team.
Congrats to Texas and Texas Tech on amazon seasons!
