Texas Longhorns infielder Joley Mitchell (9) holds up her arms to hug pitcher Teagan Kavan (17) after defeating the Tennessee Lady Volunteers 2-0 in the NCAA Softball Women's College World Series semifinal game June 2, 2025 at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.

When Texas and Texas Tech likely deploy ace pitchers Teagan Kavan and NiJaree Canady on June 4 for Game 1 of the national championship series, it won't be the first time either arm has faced off this season.

Kavan and Canady, who have led the Longhorns and Red Raiders, respectively, to undefeated showings at the Women's College World Series this season, met early in the regular season. Texas got the best of Texas Tech in both of their meetings, coming away with a 2-1 win and an 11-0 run-rule two days later.

Kavan and Canady have been paramount to their teams' success in the postseason: Kavan has allowed two runs in 17 innings at the WCWS, whereas Canady has surrendered three in 21 innings.

Both programs are looking for their first national championship in program history in 2025, and their early season-matchup proved to be a preview of the title series nearly four months later. Here's a look back at Texas and Texas Tech's regular season matchups in February:

Texas vs Texas Tech regular season matchups

Texas and Texas Tech's first of two matchups during the regular season was quite the pitchers' duel, as the Longhorns needed nine innings to come away with a 2-1 win. Kavan and Canady both pitched complete games in the extra-innings duel on Feb. 14, with Kavan edging out Canady behind perhaps the best performance of her college career so far.

Kavan tossed nine innings with a whopping 18 strikeouts, allowing one run on four hits against the Red Raiders lineup. Nine of her 18 strikeouts came against Texas Tech's 1-2-3 hitters of Mihyia Davis, Alana Johnson and Lauren Allred, who have all been huge contributors during the Red Raiders' postseason run.

Canady, meanwhile, pitched eight innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on seven hits with 11 strikeouts.

Texas walked off Canady and Texas Tech in the ninth inning after Joley Mitchell and Leighann Goode led off the inning with back-to-back singles. Mitchell scored the game-winning run on a fielder's choice and a throwing error later in the frame.

Texas Tech took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning on a single by Anya German, before Texas tied the game at 1-1 in the fifth inning on a double from Mia Scott. Two days later on Feb. 16, Texas defeated Texas Tech 11-0 in five innings, although Canady didn't pitch in the game.

Canady has pitched nearly every inning in the postseason, including every pitch from the super regionals onward. It doesn't seem like the former National Player of the Year is going to let anyone else pitch in the national championship series.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Texas vs Texas Tech softball lookback: How WCWS finalists fared in regular season

Reporting by Austin Curtright, USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY

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