Top-seeded Texas advanced to the Women's College World Series. It was not 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 on Friday and then kept its season alive by rallying to beat the Aggies in extra innings on Saturday.
In the decisive Game 3 on Sunday, Texas led 6-2 before the Aggies nearly extended the game by scoring three runs in the top of the seventh. All three superregional games were decided by one race.
In Sunday's other Games 3, No. 4 Florida beat unseeded Baylor 5-3, No. 10 Duke beat No. 7 Missouri 4-3, No. 14 Alabama defeated No. 3 Tennessee 4 -1 and No. 8 Stanford. beat No. 9 LSU 8-0 to advance to the World Series.
Duke qualified for the first time in the program's seven-year history. His reward is a date with an Oklahoma team seeking an unprecedented fourth consecutive 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 Tennessee rally to win the Knoxville Super Regional.
Jocelyn Briski allowed one run and four hits in 6⅓ innings to earn the win. Kayla Beaver got the save.
Kenleigh Calahan had three hits for the Crimson Tide.
Duke and Florida also postponed demonstrations to move forward.
Duke scored four runs in the top of the ninth. Missouri's Abby Hay's three-run homer with one out scared 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 DOMAIN
Stanford's NiJaree Canady had a bad night in her first super regional game and then dominated the next two.
He allowed five earned runs and 10 hits in four innings in an 11-1 loss to LSU in the Palo Alto Super Regional opener on Friday.
She spent the next two days showing why she is one of three finalists for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year. On Saturday she threw two-hit ball in seven innings and on Sunday she threw three-hit ball in six innings.
