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Texas Longhorns pitcher Citlaly Gutierrez (77) throws a pitch during the NCAA Softball Championship Super Regional against Arizona State at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Saturday, May 23, 2026 in Austin. (Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman)
Texas softball's Teagan Kavan delivered the Longhorns' second national championship with two innings of sizzling relief in Thursday night's 4-1 win over Texas Tech in the Women's College World Series, but it was senior Citlaly Gutierrez who produced her second straight NCAA gem in as many starts to set it up.
Gutierrez, the hero of Monday's 5-2 win over Tennessee in Monday's elimination semifinal, started Thursday night's game opposite Texas Tech star NiJaree Canady and stood toe-to-toe with the Red Raiders All-American — not once, but twice in Game 2.
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Texas Longhorns catcher Reese Atwood (14) sign gear for fans ahead of game two of the NCAA Women’s College World Series against Texas Tech at Devon Park on Thursday, June 4, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman)
With Tech leading 1-0, Longhorns coach Mike White inserted Wells into the game to pitch in the bottom of the fourth inning. But the freshman lasted just five batters and loaded the bases with two outs on a walk, a single and a hit batter. Gutierrez then was brought back in to work out of the jam, and she induced a flyout to left field from Mihyia Davis to preserve the 1-0 score.
Kavan headed to the Texas bullpen toward the end of the inning. But Gutierrez returned to the mound for the fifth inning and retired the Red Raiders in order.
"(Kavan) was pretty sore from the day before. That's why we went with Citlaly," Texas coach Mike White told ESPN after the game. "She got us through that part of the order, did a really good job and then came back in in a tough situation and got the flyout. So we had a lot of people contribute."
Kavan pitched the final two innings for her fifth save. She struck out five of the six batters she faced.
On Monday, Gutierrez pitched 6⅔ innings and threw three strikeouts while allowing five hits against Tennessee. On Thursday, she went 4⅓ and gave up three hits and one run and had three strikeouts. She got the win to improve to 11-3.
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