OTF Premium It Starts in the Circle | Women's College World Series

[CJ Vogel]

The Women's College World Series begins this evening at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN.

Texas and Texas Tech are no longer in the same conference following the Longhorns move to the SEC, but the Red Raiders remain a familiar foe. On top of that, Tech's star pitching Nijaree Canady is a face Mike White's squad is seen plenty over the last two seasons.

***

In The Circle

 

Two of the top arms in all of the country will face off this evening – Teagan Kavan for the Horns and Canady for Texas Tech. It doesn't take more than a quick look at the body of work in the Women's College World Series to understand each are playing at their peak at the moment.

Kavan came in relief of Mac Morgan, who Texas will incorporate at some point in this series, against Tennessee to clinch their spot in the WCWS Championship Series.

This exact meeting has occurred already this season – during the Bevo Classic back on February 14.

 

Texas won that meeting 2–1 in a nine inning affair that saw both Kavan and Canady go the distance in the circle.

• Kavan: 9 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 18 K, 147 pitches
• Canady: 8 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 11 K, 151 pitches

The game-winning run for the Longhorns came via a fielders' choice that turned into an error which allowed Joley Mitchell to score. For those wondering, that was the second time in as many games that Texas had walked off Canady via error. When Texas faced Stanford, the Longhorns scored the game's lone run via a botched rundown attempt by Stanford. That game sent Texas to the 2024 Championship Series.

Game two between the Red Raiders and Longhorns from this season was one in which Nijaree Canady was absent from the circle.

Texas ended up victorious in that matchup by the score of 11–0 in five innings.

• Kavan: 4 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 5 K, 69 pitches
• Gutierrez: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 K, 12 pitches

As for Texas Tech, the Longhorns were able to plate two on Samantha Lincoln in the first inning, then plated the remaining nine runs over three innings on Chloe Riassetto, neither of whom have pitched in the Women's College World Series so far.

***

One other nugget to add, star catcher Reese Atwood has yet to break out in Oklahoma City. Should her bat heat back up in this series, the Longhorns will be very well positioned to hoist the National Championship.

Atwood so far in the WCWS: 0–8 with 1 RBI and 4 K.

Atwood is now hitting .398 on the season with 21 HR and 86 RBI.

[CJ Vogel]

 

[CJ Vogel]

Canady in the 2024 WCWS Semifinals in the 1–0 loss to Texas:

• 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 7 K, 2 HBP, 103 pitches

Kavan started in that game as well, though obviously it was against a Stanford lineup:

• 7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 7 K, 79 pitches...  faced just one over the minimum

[B2inATX]

Thanks, CJ! Saw online that Canady has already thrown 386 pitches in the WCWS: every pitch in every TT game. I know softball is different but my goodness! Is there an upper limit to how much/how long a softball pitcher can hurl?

[CJ Vogel]

Just now, B2inATX said:

Thanks, CJ! Saw online that Canady has already thrown 386 pitches in the WCWS: every pitch in every TT game. I know softball is different but my goodness! Is there an upper limit to how much/how long a softball pitcher can hurl?

Not particularly, there have been 150-pitch games for elite pitchers in elimination games before. 386 over three is a lot, obviously.

I would suspect Tech throws her until her arm falls off in this series. I wouldn't bet on seeing anyone else in the circle unless things get out of hand early.

[ArizonaLonghorn]

Nerd alert, sorry - just curious about the chart where Teagan has an ERA of 0.00 on line 3 but three lines down she's shown with 1 ER.  (I remember the inning, against OU when our SS made an error which lead to an unearned run and one more scored later that inning on a fielder's choice - that was the earned run).

Edit: just saw this on ESPN - "Kavan has been the best pitcher in the WCWS (17 innings, 0.41 ERA, no extra-base hits allowed)"

Edited Wednesday at 06:01 PM by ArizonaLonghorn

[CJ Vogel]

9 minutes ago, ArizonaLonghorn said:

Nerd alert, sorry - just curious about the chart where Teagan has an ERA of 0.00 on line 3 but three lines down she's shown with 1 ER.  (I remember the inning, against OU when our SS made an error which lead to an unearned run and one more scored later that inning on a fielder's choice - that was the earned run).

Edit: just saw this on ESPN - "Kavan has been the best pitcher in the WCWS (17 innings, 0.41 ERA, no extra-base hits allowed)"

Shoot. I'll edit that real quick.

Kavan had been given an earned run against Oklahoma but it was changed postgame to an unearned run in the official boxscore.

[ArizonaLonghorn]

3 minutes ago, CJ Vogel said:

Kavan had been given an earned run against Oklahoma but it was changed postgame to an unearned run in the official boxscore.

I remember watching the inning and thinking both runs should be unearned, so was surprised when the announcers said one was earned.  Anyway I guess the disconnect in the chart was showing 0.00 ERA with one ER - not a big deal.  You're doing a great job CJ, thanks.

[CJ Vogel]

5 minutes ago, ArizonaLonghorn said:

I remember watching the inning and thinking both runs should be unearned, so was surprised when the announcers said one was earned.  Anyway I guess the disconnect in the chart was showing 0.00 ERA with one ER - not a big deal.  You're doing a great job CJ, thanks.

I appreciate the heads up!

[Dread-headed Texan]

I think everyone nationally is looking at the million dollar Canady and there's not many focusing on just how dominant Kavan has been. 

[texcoyote15]

Tegan can become a Longhorn Legend in these next few days 

[georgethepunter]

I'm not afraid of the fighting Cody Campbells. Texas in two. 

[Dread-headed Texan]

12 minutes ago, texcoyote15 said:

Tegan can become a Longhorn Legend in these next few days 

Her story continues she has at least 2 more years.

[qaertyisthatdude]

20 minutes ago, texcoyote15 said:

Tegan can become a Longhorn Legend in these next few days 

For all the flack he's taken over the last few years, so can Mike White.

[CJ Vogel]

25 minutes ago, texcoyote15 said:

Tegan can become a Longhorn Legend in these next few days 

She is right on the cusp. A title and she is cemented among the Longhorn greats. No doubt.

[CJ Vogel]

5 minutes ago, qaertyisthatdude said:

For all the flack he's taken over the last few years, so can Mike White.

That's a great point.

[f1revo]

Just now, CJ Vogel said:

She is right on the cusp. A title and she is cemented among the Longhorn greats. No doubt.

She put the team on her back when Clemson looked like the better in the Supers. Thought we were sunk.

[CJ Vogel]

34 minutes ago, f1revo said:

She put the team on her back when Clemson looked like the better in the Supers. Thought we were sunk.

That's a great point.

[Ace Recruiter]

Let's get it. Can't wait

[Ace Recruiter]

The top of our lineup is going to need to step up. 1 or 2 runs could decide it all. We have the best lineup top to bottom. Better hitting, better defense. Kavan doesn't have to outpitch Canady, but our hitters have to outbat theirs.

[HookemTexas]

Percentages say Atwood should break out of her slump in the series.  As it is, Stewart and Mitchell have picked up the slack, but if the top of the order gets going . . . (extremely difficult against Canady).

[thatdude2]

I'm interested in seeing what Canady does with her last year of eligibility. Will Tech pay her 1 million to return? Or was the 1 million for two seasons? I've seen people say it was 1 million for one season. Could Canady transfer back to Stanford? Will she enter the portal looking for another major payday? Or could a lost to Texas lead her to seek revenge via pitching for the Sooners next season? Maybe she looks to get free football tickets to watch Arch at Texas? I have no clue,. Hook Em.

[qaertyisthatdude]

1 minute ago, thatdude2 said:

I'm interested in seeing what Canady does with her last year of eligibility. Will Tech pay her 1 million to return? Or was the 1 million for two seasons? I've seen people say it was 1 million for one season. Could Canady transfer back to Stanford? Will she enter the portal looking for another major payday? Or could a lost to Texas lead her to seek revenge via pitching for the Sooners next season? Maybe she looks to get free football tickets to watch Arch at Texas? I have no clue,. Hook Em.

Come be the piece that helps Texas go back to back and maybe start their own dynastic run.  Would be the college softball version KD joining the Warriors lol