Teagan Kavan dominates on the mound and Texas wins SEC softball championship for first time

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LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Teagan Kavan struck out 12 batters in a complete-game three-hitter and defending national champion Texas won the SEC Softball Tournament for the first time, defeating Alabama 7-1 on Saturday.

Kavan, the pitching star when Texas won the Women's College World Series in 2025, gave up a first-inning home run by Alexis Pupillo then allowed only four base runners the rest of the game.

Fourth-seeded Texas (42-10) loaded the bases in the second inning and scored a run on each of two separate infield plays. Victoria Hunter drove in a run with a pinch hit infield single toward second base and the other run scored on a fielder's choice grounder by Kayden Henry.

The Longhorns added three runs with two outs in the fourth which included Katie Stewart's two-out RBI single and a two-run error on a high fly ball that was dropped by the left fielder.

Alabama (49-7), the No. 2 seed, loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the fourth, but Kavan got out of the jam with back-to-back strikeouts.

SEC Player of the Year Stewart hit her UT-record 25th home run of the season in the sixth and Reese Atwood added a sacrifice fly later in the inning.

Alabama starter Jocelyn Briski (21-3) allowed two runs in six innings.

Kavan improved to 22-4.

There were a total of 36 home runs during the tournament, setting a record for the event.

Looking toward the NCAA Tournament, Alabama has made 26 previous appearances and Texas 25. Each has one national championship.

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AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports