Teagan Kavan's right arm was dominant Saturday in helping herTexas softball team earn its first-ever winagainst rivalOklahomain theWomen's College World Series. Her excellence inside the pitching circle, however, came with a heavy heart. Kavan's complete-game performance in the Longhorns' 4-2 win against the four-time reigning NCAA championSoonerscame only hours after her grandmother diedSaturday morning at 97 years old. REQUIRED READING:Texas vs Oklahoma softball score: Longhorns score first ever WCWS win vs Sooners Kavan's grandmother was an instrumental force not only in her life, but her softball career. The 6-foot sophomore from West Des Moines, Iowa wears No. 17 in honor of her grandmother, who was born on Nov. 17, 1928. Despite being hundreds of miles away from Texas' campus, her grandmother watched every Longhorns game. When she'd get too nervous in a given moment to watch it live, she'd watch a replay of it later. As Kavan once said, "softball is her favorite part of most days. Her love and support for me knows no bounds." "My grandma, she's got the best seat in the house,"Kavan said in a postgame interview with ESPN. "This is where she wants me. She's rooting for us all the way. This is where she wants us." all heart from@teagan_kavan🤘#HookEm|@NCAASoftballpic.twitter.com/0ir1ghqfiu — Texas Softball (@TexasSoftball)May 31, 2025 In Saturday's win, Kavan kept one of college softball's most potent lineups largely in check, giving up two runs, only one of which was earned, and striking out eight in seven innings of work. In just her second college season, Kavan has been the ace of a Texas team that will be one of just two remaining unbeaten squads left in the WCWS by the end of the day on May 31. The win against the Sooners improved her record to 26-5 this season, and she leads all Longhorns pitchers with a 2.40 ERA and 221 strikeouts. She was named a second-team All-American this season by Softball America, D1Softball and the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. WCWS SCHEDULE:Scores, start times, TV channels for Saturday NCAA softball games On Saturday, she saved her best, and certainly guttiest, performance of the season for her team's biggest game. "Through her, my teammates, they all have my back," Kavan said to ESPN. "All 21, 22 of us, they all have my back. … It was all for her. It was beyond me, honestly. Just relying on them, looking at them in the eyes and getting confidence from them." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Teagan Kavan keys Texas WCWS win vs Oklahoma after grandmother's death
