Texas A&M shocks No. 1 Texas in super regional; OU, UCLA advance to WCWS

By CLIFF BRUNT AP Sports Writer

(AP) — Just like that, Texas’ dream season is in jeopardy.

Trinity Cannon knocked in five runs, and No. 16 seed Texas A&M stunned the top-seeded Longhorns 6-5 in Game 1 of the Austin Super Regional on Friday night.

The teams will meet again on Saturday for Game 2 of the best-of-three series. A Texas A&M win would send the Aggies to the Women’s College World Series for the first time since 2017 and end Texas’ season. A victory for the Longhorns would force a winner-take-all game on Sunday for the World Series berth.

Cannon’s three-run homer in the top of the first got the Aggies off and running. Texas A&M led 6-0 before Texas rallied late.

Texas A&M led 6-4 in the seventh with two outs and the bases empty when Reese Atwood, a top-three finalist for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, hit a solo homer to make it 6-5. Texas A&M’s Emiley Kennedy struck out the next batter to end the game and claim the complete game victory.

All Friday’s Game 1 winners can clinch World Series berths with wins on Saturday.

FOUR-PEAT?

Three-time defending national champion Oklahoma defeated Florida State 4-2 on Friday night to sweep the Norman Super Regional and advance to the World Series.

The Sooners could become the first team to win four straight national championships. They will make their eighth consecutive World Series appearance under coach Patty Gasso.

Oklahoma freshman Kasidi Pickering had two hits, including a two-run homer in the fifth inning that put the Sooners up 4-1. Another freshman, Elly Parker, had two hits and scored a run.

Karlie Keeney got the win and Nicole May earned the save for the Sooners.

Oklahoma won the opener 11-3 in six innings on Thursday night. Gasso said afterward that she expected the Seminoles to put up a fight in Game 2. Florida State won the national title in 2018 and lost to Oklahoma in the championship series in 2021 and 2023.

BRUINS ARE BACK

Sharlize Palacios hit two home runs, and No. 6 seed UCLA defeated No. 11 Georgia 6-1 to sweep the Los Angeles Super Regional and advance to the World Series.

UCLA was the No. 2 seed last year but lost two straight in regionals for a disappointing end to the season. This year, UCLA enters the World Series on a 13-game win streak.

Taylor Tinsley went the distance and gave up one run on four hits in seven innings.

KILFOYL DOMINATES

Lexi Kilfoyl threw a three-hitter in five innings as No. 5 seed Oklahoma State defeated unseeded Arizona 8-0 in Game 1 of the Stillwater Super Regional.

Kilfoyl, a top-three national player of the year finalist, allowed three walks and threw just 67 pitches.

Karli Godwin had two hits, including a solo homer, for the Cowgirls.

SEC RIVALRY

Laura Mealer’s two-run homer in the fifth inning provided the go-ahead run as No. 3 seed Tennessee held off No. 14 seed Alabama 3-2 in Game 1 of the Knoxville Super Regional.

Karlyn Pickens got the win for Tennessee and Payton Gottschall closed with two scoreless innings for the save.

QUICK STARTERS

Florida scored three runs in the bottom of the first, and the fourth-seeded Gators beat unseeded Baylor 4-2 in Game 1 of the Gainesville Super Regional.

Keagan Rothrock went the distance for the Gators. She gave up two runs on six hits.

Aliyah Binford tried to keep Baylor in it. She had an RBI single in the first and hit a solo homer in the third.

ELITE RELIEF

Cassidy Curd threw 5 1/3 innings of hitless relief, and No. 10 seed Duke won 6-3 at No. 7 Missouri in Game 1 of the Columbia Super Regional.

The game was tied at 3 before Duke broke it open in the fifth. Aminah Vega hit an RBI double and Gisele Tapia added an RBI single to put the Blue Devils up 5-3.

BAYOU BARRAGE

Ninth-seeded LSU dominated arguably the nation’s best pitcher in an 11-1 win over No. 8 Stanford in Game 1 of the Palo Alto Super Regional.

NiJaree Canady, a top-three player of the year finalist, gave up six runs on 10 hits in four innings. The sophomore entered the game as the nation’s leader in earned run average and strikeouts.

Kelley Lynch hit a grand slam, and McKenzie Redoutey and Taylor Pleasants each had three hits for LSU.