BREAKING: Red Raiders’ Dreams Dashed in Oklahoma City — Texas Ends WCWS Run with 10–4 Game 3 Triumph

Oklahoma City, OK — Under the glaring lights of Hall of Fame Stadium, a determined Texas Tech squad watched their Women’s College World Series hopes come to a painful halt as they fell 10–4 to rival Texas in a decisive Game 3 showdown. What began as a promising postseason stretch for the Red Raiders came crashing down Wednesday night, as a relentless Longhorn offense proved too much to contain in the final game of the series.

The defeat marks a bittersweet end to one of Texas Tech’s most electric seasons in recent memory, filled with grit, resilience, and flashes of brilliance that had fans daring to believe this was the year. Instead, it will be the Texas Longhorns who move on, their bats igniting at the right moments while Texas Tech was left chasing momentum it could never quite capture.

Texas Tech struck first, delivering a tone-setting first-inning solo shot from senior slugger Jacey DeLeon that sent the Red Raider fanbase into a frenzy. For a fleeting moment, it felt like destiny might favor the underdogs. But that 1–0 lead was short-lived.

In the bottom of the second, Texas responded with a powerful three-run inning, capitalizing on a pair of Tech defensive miscues and a two-RBI double that sapped the energy from the Red Raider dugout. Pitcher Shelby Walker, who had been so reliable in the postseason, struggled to find her rhythm as Texas batters zeroed in with sharp, disciplined approaches.

The Longhorns added four more runs in the fourth, turning a close game into a 7–2 margin that felt like a mountain for Tech to climb. Despite some spirited efforts — including an RBI double by outfielder Kelsey Rhodes and a late-inning sac fly — the Red Raiders never seriously threatened to regain control. Texas poured on three more runs in the sixth to seal the deal, with the heart of their lineup going a combined 6-for-9 with 7 RBIs.

Freshman pitcher McKenzie Reyes, one of Texas’s breakout stars this season, earned the win after going five solid innings and stifling Tech’s middle order. “She was locked in,” said Longhorns head coach Mike White. “We knew Texas Tech could swing the bat, but we stayed ahead in the count and made them hit our pitch.”

Down 10–3 entering the seventh, the Red Raiders made one last push. Leadoff hitter Savannah Price drew a walk, and moments later, junior catcher Malia Gutierrez drove her home with a sharp liner to right field. But a double play ended the rally almost as soon as it began. As the final out was recorded, the Texas bench erupted in celebration while the Red Raiders slowly walked off the diamond, heads held high, but hearts undeniably heavy.

Despite the bitter ending, there’s no denying the historic nature of the Red Raiders’ 2025 campaign. They reached the WCWS for just the second time in program history, claimed a stunning upset over Florida State in the Super Regionals, and set multiple offensive records along the way. DeLeon, a two-time All-Big 12 selection, finishes her career as one of the most decorated players to wear the red and black.

The heartbreak will sting for a while, but there’s a firm sense that this is not the end — only the beginning of something bigger. With a top-15 recruiting class arriving this fall and several key underclassmen returning, the future in Lubbock looks far from bleak.

For Texas, the path now leads toward a semifinal clash against the undefeated Oklahoma Sooners — a heavyweight battle brimming with postseason tension and historical rivalry.