Top seed Texas rallies, beats Texas A&M in extra innings in super regional to keep its season alive
By CLIFF BRUNT
AP Sports Writer
Texas took a roundabout path to keeping its season alive.
Ashton Maloney knocked in Kayden Henry on a fielder’s choice in the top of the ninth for the go-ahead run as the top-seeded Longhorns beat No. 16 Texas A&M 9-8 in nine innings in Game 2 of the Austin Super Regional on Saturday.
Texas A&M led 5-1 before Texas scored five runs in the sixth inning to take the lead. The Longhorns tacked on two more in the seventh to go up 8-5, and the Longhorns appeared to be in control.
Texas A&M was down to its last strike in the seventh when Mya Perez’s three-run homer tied the score at 8-all.
Texas’ Mac Morgan entered the game in the seventh and threw 2 1/3 shutout innings to claim the win. Viviana Martinez and Mia Scott both had three hits for the Longhorns.
Jazmine Hill and Rylen Wiggins both had three hits for the Aggies.
Texas A&M pulled a shocker, beating the Longhorns 6-5 in Game 1 on Friday night.
Game 3 will be played Sunday, with the winner heading to the Women’s College World Series. All the series that are tied 1-1 will conclude on Sunday, with the winners advancing to the World Series.
Three-time defending national champion Oklahoma and UCLA clinched World Series spots with victories on Friday night.
OKLAHOMA STATE ADVANCES
Oklahoma State was the only team Saturday to clinch a World Series berth.
The Cowgirls defeated Arizona 10-4 to sweep the Stillwater Super Regional.
Rosie Davis had three hits for fifth-seeded Oklahoma State in a game that included a weather delay. Davis, Tallen Edwards and Claire Timm hit homers for the Cowgirls.
Lexi Kilfoyl was the winning pitcher for the second straight day. She gave up one run on four hits in four innings of relief.
Carlie Scupin had three hits and Dokota Kennedy and Emily Schepp each had two for unseeded Arizona.
MARATHON GAME
It took 14 innings, but Alabama saved its season with a win over Tennessee in the Knoxville Super Regional on Saturday,
With the bases loaded and no outs in the bottom of the 14th, Kristen White’s chopper scored Lauren Johnson on a fielder’s choice for the decisive run to tie the series 1-1.
Karla Beaver threw 10 shutout innings of relief for the win for the Crimson Tide.
Tennessee’s Karlyn Pickens took the loss after giving up one run on five hits in 9 1/3 innings.
UNSEEDED UPSET
Unseeded Baylor defeated overall No. 4 seed Florida 5-2 in Game 2 of the Gainesville Super Regional to tie the series.
Presleigh Pilon and Taylor Strain had two hits and Shaylon Govan knocked in three runs for the Bears.
Rylee Crandall went the distance for Baylor. She gave up two runs on five hits and struck out six.
Skylar Wallace had three of Florida’s five hits and Reagan Walsh added a solo homer for the Gators.
TIGERS ALIVE
Missouri evened its series with Duke, claiming a 3-1 win in Game 2 of the Columbia Super Regional.
The seventh-seeded Tigers scored three runs in the top of the fourth inning to go ahead for good.
Lauren Krings got the win in 4 2/3 innings and Taylor Pannell had two innings of hitless relief to earn the save for the Tigers.
Jala Wright took the loss for Duke, the No. 10 seed. Cassidy Kurd, who got the win in relief on Friday, gave up one hit and no runs in 3 2/3 innings of relief.
CANADY REBOUNDS
NiJaree Canady was back to normal on Saturday.
Stanford’s ace gave up six runs on 10 hits in four innings on Friday and took the loss in Game 1 of the Stanford Super Regional. She came back with a two-hitter with nine strikeouts as the eighth-seeded Cardinal shut out ninth-seeded LSU 3-0 on Saturday.
Kyra Chan had three hits and knocked in two runs for Stanford.
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