Texas Longhorns Pitcher Depth Crucial to Super Regional Victory

Four Texas Longhorns pitchers saw playing time during the three-game series against Texas A&M, the Aggies sent ace Emiley Kennedy to every play

Texas Longhorns utility player Leighann Woods (43) talks to pitcher Mac Morgan (55) during the game three NCAA Super Regional against Texas A&M at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Sunday, May 26, 2024 in Austin. / Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman /

Heading into the extra innings of game two, Mac Morgan stepped onto the circle as the third Longhorn pitcher to face the Aggies. Tied with A&M at 8-8, Morgan held onto 2.1 scoreless innings and along with a Kayden Henry run, guaranteed a Longhorn win.

Big 12 freshman of the year Teagan Kavan started the second game against Texas A&M's Emiley Kennedy, fresh out of a complete-game win. To that point of the season, Kavan led the Longhorns in innings pitched (108.1), wins (18) and strikeouts (113). Despite the solid numbers, Kavan had a slow start to the game, giving up six hits and five runs. At the bottom of the fifth, senior Estelle Czech started to warm up and stayed in the circle until Morgan took over.

The day before, it was Citlaly Gutierrez trusted by head coach Mike White in the circle. Gutierrez gave up a three-run homer to Aggie Trinity Cannon in the first inning. Morgan, who had just come out of a no-hitter against Siena, started warming up and took over in the middle of the second.

Morgan held off the Aggie hits better than Gutierrez had previously done, but it might have been too late as Texas fell 6-5.

For game three, White trusted Morgan with the starting pitch, and A&M made the switch from Kennedy to Shaylee Ackermann.

Kavan came along to seal the game for Texas doing what she does best: striking out the pinch hitter for the final out.

White’s depth showed how important it is to have pitchers who thrive in different moments and keep consistency.

Texas will face one of the greatest pitchers in the country in NiJaree Canady in the first round of the College World Series against Stanford.