# SEC Evening Report: Morrison Powers Lady Vols Past Texas in OKC **Published:** 2026-05-28 — **By:** Stacy Stanfield **Category:** daily-roundup — **Type:** daily-roundup **Source:** https://secscouts.com/news/tennessee-lady-vols-beat-texas-2026-wcws-morrison --- ## LEAD STORY: Tennessee Knocks Off Defending Champ Texas at WCWS Freshman Elsa Morrison made an immediate statement on the sport's biggest stage. In Game 2 of the 2026 Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City, Morrison crushed a three-run home run to dead center on the first pitch she saw in the second inning, launching the Tennessee Lady Vols to a 6-3 win over the defending-champion Texas Longhorns on Thursday. The blast came after Texas starter Teagan Kavan hit a batter and issued a walk, and it set the tone for a wire-to-wire Tennessee performance. Starter Sage Mardjetko was excellent early, allowing just one hit over four innings with two walks and a strikeout to protect the lead. Tennessee stretched the margin in the fifth when Taelyn Holley singled and circled the bases on a pair of wild pitches, then tacked on more in the sixth as Morrison doubled and Gabby Leach drove home pinch-runner Zoie Schuler for a 5-1 edge. Texas answered with a Leighann Goode two-run homer to pull within 5-3, but Emma Clarke's sacrifice fly in the seventh restored breathing room, and Tennessee closed it out. The win sends Tennessee to the winner's bracket against Texas Tech and earns the Lady Vols a day off Friday. Texas drops to the elimination side, where the Longhorns will face Mississippi State. *(Sources: D1Softball, News Sentinel)* ## QUICK HITS - **Amari Allen returns to Alabama.** The 6-foot-8 forward, widely projected as a late first-round NBA pick, announced he will return to the Crimson Tide after a strong freshman season built on energy, rebounding and timely shooting. His return is expected to keep Alabama in preseason top-25 consideration. - **Tyler Tanner stays at Vanderbilt.** The Nashville native and First-Team All-SEC guard, who averaged 19.5 points per game and dropped 19 in both meetings with Kentucky, returns for a third season in the backcourt for the Commodores. - **Mixed bag for Arkansas.** Guard Billy Richmond reversed course and announced a return to Fayetteville, a lift for the Razorbacks' rotation. But 6-foot-5 guard Meleek Thomas (15.6 ppg) confirmed he is staying in the 2026 NBA Draft, where he projects as a first-round selection. - **Texas A&M opens at home.** The 12th-seeded Aggies (best offense in the field) host the College Station Regional, drawing Lamar in Friday's opener alongside USC and Texas State at Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park. *(Source: RSS Aggregator)* - **Auburn golf rolls in as No. 1.** Jackson Koivun leads the top-ranked Auburn Tigers into the NCAA Championship, while the No. 20 Texas A&M Aggies also tee it up Friday in Carlsbad, Calif. *(Source: School Sites)* ## PORTAL WATCH No new SEC transfer portal entries or commitments were logged in the last 12 hours. The headline storyline, however, remains Kentucky's pursuit of Iowa State transfer forward Milan Momcilovic, who withdrew from the 2026 NBA Draft without committing to a school. The 6-foot-8 marksman averaged 16.9 points last season while shooting 50.6% from the field, 48.7% from three and 87.8% at the line. Kentucky is reported to be in the lead alongside Louisville and Arizona, with a decision expected by the end of the weekend. *(Source reporting: Field of 68, On3, CBS Sports)* ## RECRUITING BUZZ No new commitments to report for SEC programs today. The Momcilovic recruitment is the storyline to monitor, as Kentucky positions itself as the reported frontrunner. Elsewhere on the board, Baylor's Tounde Yessoufou withdrew from the draft and committed to St. John's, removing one of the West Coast suitors from the Momcilovic chase — a development that bears on Kentucky's odds. ## GAMES TO WATCH - **NCAA Baseball Regionals (Friday, May 29):** No. 7 seed Alabama opens the Tuscaloosa Regional against Alabama State, with the Crimson Tide carrying a 15-0 all-time series mark into the contest *(Source: School Sites)*. No. 12 Texas A&M faces Lamar at 3:00 p.m. CT on SEC Network — LHP Shane Sdao (4-4, 6.75 ERA) drawing RHP Chris Olivier (7-4, 2.66 ERA) — followed by Texas State vs. USC at 8:00 p.m. CT on ESPNU. - **WCWS continues:** Tennessee rests Friday before meeting Texas Tech in the winner's bracket; Texas battles Mississippi State to stay alive. - **NCAA Men's Golf Championship:** Top-ranked Auburn and No. 20 Texas A&M begin play Friday in Carlsbad, Calif. --- *Original article: [SEC Evening Report: Morrison Powers Lady Vols Past Texas in OKC](https://secscouts.com/news/tennessee-lady-vols-beat-texas-2026-wcws-morrison) — SEC Scouts*