Atwwood homers twice and drives in four to send No. 6 Texas past UCF 9-0

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Reese Atwood hit two, two-run home runs, Leighann Goode homered for the second straight day and sixth-ranked Texas eliminated UCF with a 9-0 win in the Austin Regional on Sunday.

Longhorns pitcher Teagan Kavan spread six hits in a complete-game shutout and topped 200 strikeouts for the season in the process. Senior Mia Scott went 3-for-4 at the plate and recorded her 300th career hit with a flair double in the fifth inning.

Goode opened the scoring in the second inning, jumping on a first-pitch riseball parking it over the center-field wall. Atwood, who flew out in her first two at-bats, turned on a high riser in the fifth to double the Texas lead to 4-0 and chase Isabella Vega from the game. Vega, a redshirt freshman, allowed eight hits and four earned runs while striking out three in 4⅓ innings.

The Knights (35-24-1), who extended their record run of consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances to five, batted 2 for 14 with runners on base, stranded seven runners, and committed three fielding errors.

Texas (49-10) advances to the NCAA Super Regionals for the sixth straight season; its first as a member of the SEC following departure from the Big 12. Texas hosts No. 11 Clemson in a best-of-three series next weekend for a spot in the Women’s College World Series.

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