Texas softball onto Women’s College World Series after beating Arkansas

A magical run for the unseeded Texas softball program in the postseason continues on during the holiday weekend. Texas and head coach Mike White came through in the clutch time after time to be able to get through the Fayetteville Super Regional this weekend.

But there was a new challenge that the Longhorns faced on the afternoon of May 28. Texas had the talented freshman Sophia Simpson on the mound instead of the experienced senior Hailey Dolcini to cap this Fayetteville Super Regional on May 28.

Simpson delivered in almost every way the Longhorns could ask for, though. She was special as she pitched a shutout against a Power Five conference foe for the first time in her career. And this was clearly a special time for Simpson to deliver the way she did to cap this super regional.

This was also the third win of the season for Simpson against a Power Five opponent. Her other two Power Five wins came over the Big 12 foes Texas Tech Red Raiders and Kansas Jayhawks.

Yet, it wasn’t just Simpson that came through in a big way in the clutch for the Longhorns in this one against the SEC Champion and four-seed Arkansas Razorbacks. The All-American and senior middle infielder Janae Jefferson was clutch for the Longhorns yet again as she continues to add to her decorated career.

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Jefferson came up with a highlight-reel catch in the middle of this one against the Razorbacks.

Texas softball upsets Arkansas to advance to OKC and the WCWS behind Janae Jefferson and Sophia Simpson

This Fayetteville Super Regional saw Jefferson come up with at least one hit in each of the three games against Arkansas. Jefferson was definitely one of the best Longhorns players, to help this team advance to Oklahoma City to play in the Women’s College World Series.

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Another notable storyline of this win over Arkansas was how clutch this defense was when it mattered most. Simpson kept being able to work out of jams with runners in scoring position in almost every inning.

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But she was consistently bailed out by standout defensive efforts that led to multiple double plays and nice catches in the outfield.

All in all, this is a fantastic story for the Longhorns to be able to push all the way to the Women’s College World Series by upsetting the 13-seed Washington Huskies in the Seattle Regional and then working through the four-seed Arkansas in the Fayetteville Super Regional. This took an incredible amount of fight from the Longhorns.

This will be the first time that the Longhorns have made it to OKC and the Women’s College World Series since 2013. It is also the sixth appearance in the Women’s College World Series in the history of this softball program.