NIL
2025 WCWS: Texas wins Game 1 after chaotic sequences in late innings, Texas Tech intentional walk blunder
What started out as a pitchers’ duel turned into a wild ending to Wednesday’s Game 1 of the 2025 WCWS final. Controversial calls and crazy sequences stole the show as Texas took down Texas Tech. It started in the sixth inning, one inning after a controversial obstruction call helped set up a go-ahead run for […]

What started out as a pitchers’ duel turned into a wild ending to Wednesday’s Game 1 of the 2025 WCWS final. Controversial calls and crazy sequences stole the show as Texas took down Texas Tech.
It started in the sixth inning, one inning after a controversial obstruction call helped set up a go-ahead run for Texas Tech. Texas catcher Reese Atwood stepped to the plate and NiJaree Canady tried to intentionally walk her. However, Atwood sent a base hit to left field, scoring two runs to give the Longhorns a 2-1 lead.
Then, in the seventh, Texas Tech got a strikeout from Teagan Kavan and Atwood hit the home plate umpire’s mask on the throw to second on the stolen base attempt. Mike White then challenged and argued there was batter interference, as well, meaning the baserunner would be out. The umpires upheld the call on the field, though, and the game ended one batter later.
The craziness began in the fifth inning when Leighann Goode went to tag Logan Halleman out on a stolen base attempt. Goode placed the tag well before Halleman got to the base, but Texas Tech coach Gerry Glasco challenged the call and argued Goode obstructed.
Umpires reviewed it and overturned the call. They ruled Goode obstructed Halleman’s path to the base, which is spelled out in Rule 9.5.1 of the rulebook.
“Obstruction occurs when a defensive player, neither in possession of the ball nor in the act of fielding a batted ball, impedes a batter’s attempt to make contact with a pitch or impedes the progress of any runner who is legally running bases on a live ball,” the rule states. “It can be intentional or unintentional. It is obstruction if a defensive player is blocking the whole base/plate or base path without the ball and/or the runner does not have a path to the base/plate.”
Halleman later came around to score and give Texas Tech a 1-0 lead. But Atwood rose to the occasion as Canady tried for a rare intentional walk. The pitch was close enough to hit, and the Texas star got a two-run single to put the Longhorns on top 2-1 entering the seventh inning.
Then, with one out in the seventh inning, Kavan struck out pinch hitter Anya German. On the play, Alana Johnson appeared to steal second. But Atwood’s arm grazed the home plate umpire’s mask, and according to Rule 9.6.1, Johnson had to go back to first due to umpire interference.
“When the plate umpire or his/her clothing interferes with the catcher’s attempt to throw out a base runner on a pickoff or steal attempt,” the rule states. “… If the base runner is not out on the initial throw by the catcher, the ball is immediately dead and the base runner must return to the base legally occupied at the time of the pitch even if the base runner is caught off base and an opportunity for an out via rundown exists.”
But White came out to challenge the call, arguing German interfered with Atwood’s throw, as well. Batter interference, based on Rule 11.20, states the batter “shall not hinder the catcher or any other fielder from catching or throwing the ball by stepping out of the batter’s box, or intentionally hinder a player … while standing within the batter’s box.”
The umpires reviewed the play and ruled German did not interfere, although Johnson still had to go back to first base because of the umpire interference. Bailey Lindemuth then popped out to first base to end the game, sealing Texas’ Game 1 victory in the 2025 WCWS final.