No. 1 Texas Crushes No. 4 Alabama 9-1 Behind Four Home Runs, Goode Leads Charge

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — No. 1 Texas opened its series at No. 4 Alabama with a dominant 9-1 victory Wednesday night, powered by four home runs and a complete-game effort from junior right-handed pitcher Teagan Kavan as the Longhorns made a statement in the biggest regular-season matchup of the week.

Shortstop Leighann Goode, a 2026 AUSL Golden Ticket recipient, led the offensive attack with two home runs and four RBIs in a performance that reinforced her status as one of the top prospects for the inaugural professional draft. Viviana Martinez added a two-run shot, and Katie Stewart hit her 18th solo home run of the season as the Longhorns outhit the Crimson Tide 13-5 with six extra-base hits.

Kavan Dominates in the Circle

Kavan was dominant from the opening pitch, striking out nine batters across seven innings while allowing five hits, one run and zero walks. She retired 10 of the final 11 batters she faced to close out the complete-game victory, keeping Alabama’s potent lineup off balance throughout the night.

The pitching performance was particularly impressive against a Crimson Tide team that entered the game ranked fourth in the country and had been one of the top offensive clubs in the SEC.

Goode and Atwood Showcase AUSL Draft Stock

Senior catcher Reese Atwood, the 2025 NFCA Catcher of the Year and Johnny Bench Award winner, contributed to a lineup that scored two runs in the first inning and never looked back. Atwood, who holds the Texas career home run record, received her AUSL Golden Ticket alongside Goode on March 28 and has been one of the most productive catchers in college softball all season.

Goode’s two-homer performance against elite SEC competition provided yet another data point for AUSL scouts evaluating the 2026 draft class. Both Goode and Atwood are part of a five-player Golden Ticket class that also includes NiJaree Canady (Texas Tech), Sydney Stewart (Arizona) and Karlyn Pickens (Tennessee).

Ashton Maloney added three singles and two RBIs to round out a balanced Texas offensive attack.

Texas Extends Historic Season

Texas improved to 32-2 overall and 9-1 in SEC play, extending its perfect road record to 9-0 and its mark against ranked opponents to 12-2 this season. The Longhorns are the consensus No. 1 team in the country and have been dominant both at home and on the road throughout the 2026 campaign.

The series continues Thursday in Tuscaloosa, with Texas looking to clinch another road series victory against a top-five opponent.

The 2026 AUSL College Draft is scheduled for May 4 on ESPN2, with the Carolina Blaze holding the No. 1 overall pick.