The nation's top player might have been on the field for Stanford, but Texas freshman Teagan Kavan proved to be the best pitcher in their Women's College World Series opener Thursday at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.

Kavan, the Big 12's freshman of the year, threw a one-hit, complete-game shutout as Texas topped the Cardinal 4-0. Next up for the Longhorns will be Florida, which beat Oklahoma State 1-0 in a late game Thursday.

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Texas racked up five hits against Stanford pitcher NiJaree Canady, who was named USA Softball's player of the year earlier this week. More important, the Longhorns put pressure on the Stanford defense by putting the ball in play; Canady, the nation's leader in strikeouts, fanned just five. Earlier this season, in a 4-3 Stanford win, Canady had 11 strikeouts against Texas.

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Senior outfielder Bella Dayton gave Texas a 2-0 lead in the third inning when she drove in Kayden Henry and then scored on a single by Mia Scott. The Longhorns added some insurance in the sixth when Henry drove in Scott and Katie Stewart with her second hit of the game.

That was more than enough for Kavan, who had eight strikeouts and improved to 19-2 this season.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Teagan Kavan dominates as Texas softball team blanks Stanford in WCWS