Texas and Texas Tech are running it back. The two best softball teams in the country are headed for the Women’s College World Series final after Texas Tech knocked off top-seeded Alabama and Texas got past Tennessee.
The matchup feels like fate. The Longhorns and Red Raiders played for the title last year. They are back at it again, with both programs now established at the top of the sport.
Texas Tech Pulled Off the Upset
Beating No. 1 seed Alabama is no small feat. The Crimson Tide came into the WCWS as the consensus favorite. Texas Tech’s pitching staff shut down a lineup that had been hitting all season, and the bats came alive at the right moments to send Alabama home early.
The Red Raiders are not a Cinderella story anymore. They have been at the top of the sport for two years and have the program infrastructure to stay there. Head coach Gerry Glasco has built something real in Lubbock.
Texas Got Past Tennessee
The Longhorns advanced through the bracket with the kind of methodical dominance you expect from a No. 2 seed. They beat Tennessee in the semifinal opener to advance to the championship round.
Texas has been carried by elite pitching and a deep lineup. Mike White has built a program that does not have weaknesses. They get good at-bats. They make plays in the field. They do not give games away.
The Rematch Stakes
Texas Tech beat Texas in the title series last year. That is the kind of result that motivates an entire offseason. The Longhorns have been pointing to this rematch since October.
For Texas Tech, the challenge is proving they can win it twice in a row. Becoming the consistent program at the top requires more than one championship. Back-to-back titles puts you in a different conversation.
The Bat Flip Heard Across the Bracket
Texas Tech earned its spot in the final partly thanks to a dramatic finish in an earlier elimination game against UCLA. The bat flip that ended that game went viral and reminded everyone how high the stakes are at the WCWS.
The energy in Oklahoma City has been electric throughout the tournament. ESPN announced opening day viewership had set records. Women’s college softball has become one of the must-watch events of the early summer sports calendar.
What This Means for College Softball
Two Texas programs playing for the title twice in a row is a marketing dream for the sport. The geographic rivalry adds intensity. The talent on both rosters is among the best in college softball history.
This is the kind of matchup that brings new fans to the sport and keeps them watching long after the final out.
The Prediction
Texas wins this one. The Longhorns have been carrying the chip on their shoulder for a year. They have the pitching depth to neutralize the Red Raiders’ lineup. The motivation is on their side.
Texas Tech is too good to roll over, though. This goes to a deciding Game 3 in the best-of-three championship round. Texas wins in the final inning.
The championship series starts Wednesday from Oklahoma City. Set your DVRs.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
