No. 1 Texas joins 3-time defending champ Oklahoma in Women’s College World Series field

By CLIFF BRUNT
AP Sports Writer

Top-seed Texas advanced to the Women’s College World Series. It wasn’t easy.

The Longhorns beat No. 16 seed Texas A&M 6-5 on Sunday to win the Austin Super Regional 2-1.

Texas lost the opener Friday, then kept its season alive by rallying to beat the Aggies in extra innings Saturday.

On Sunday in the decisive Game 3, Texas led 6-2 before the Aggies nearly extended the game by scoring three runs in the top of the seventh. All three games in the super regional were decided by one run.

In other Game 3s on Sunday, No. 4 Florida beat unseeded Baylor 5-3, No. 10 Duke won at No. 7 Missouri 4-3, No. 14 Alabama upset No. 3 Tennessee 4-1, and No. 8 Stanford topped No. 9 LSU 8-0 to advance to the World Series.

Duke qualified for the first time in the seven-year history of the program. Its reward is a date with an Oklahoma team seeking an unprecedented fourth straight national title.

In Thursday’s other opening-day World Series matchups at Devon Park in Oklahoma City, Texas will play Stanford, Alabama will face UCLA, and Florida will play Oklahoma State.

HOLDING ON

Alabama scored four runs in the top of the first and held off a late rally by Tennessee to win the Knoxville Super Regional.

Jocelyn Briski gave up one run on four hits in 6 1/3 innings to earn the win. Kayla Beaver got the save.

Kenleigh Calahan had three hits for the Crimson Tide.

Duke and Florida also held off rallies to advance.

Duke scored four runs in the top of the ninth. Missouri’s Abby Hay’s three-run homer with one out put a scare into the Blue Devils, but they held on to win the Columbia Super Regional.

Florida took a 5-0 lead, then held on to beat Baylor 5-3 and win the Gainesville Super Regional.

MORE DOMINANCE

Stanford’s NiJaree Canady had an off night in her first super regional game, then dominated the next two.

She gave up five earned runs on 10 hits in four innings in an 11-1 loss to LSU in the Palo Alto Super Regional opener Friday.

She spent the next two days showing why she’s a top-three finalist for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year. On Saturday, she threw a two-hitter in seven innings and on Sunday, she threw a three-hitter in six innings.

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