Texas forced a winner-take-all semifinal, beating Tennessee 5-2 to push the defending champions one win from the championship series. Reese Atwood got the Longhorns going with a leadoff solo homer in the fourth, and after Gabby Leach's RBI triple tied it, Texas broke it open in the fifth — Katie Stewart led off with a solo shot and Hartson Wells followed with a two-run hit for a 4-1 lead. Citlaly Gutierrez (10-3) gave Texas 6.2 strong innings, scattering six hits and one earned run, before ace Teagan Kavan entered with the tying run aboard and the bases loaded in the seventh and struck out Elsa Morrison looking to slam the door for her fourth save of the postseason. Stewart finished 3-for-4 as Texas piled up 13 hits off Erin Nuwer and Sage Mardjetko (16-3), who took the loss. Having come up through the elimination bracket, Texas must beat the Vols once more in the if-necessary finale to reach the championship series.