Looking at where Texas ranks in D1 Baseball’s Top 25

Texas checks in at No. 21 in D1 Baseball’s Top 25.

Texas baseball is once again in D1 Baseball’s Top 25 rankings following a 2-2 split in the preceding week. The good news is the team wasn’t hurt by the road series loss to then No. 17 Oklahoma State. The bad news is the losses stall the Longhorns from advancing up the poll.

Texas head coach David Pierce and company proved worthy of recognition after winning 16 of 18 games following a slow start. Several of the team’s scheduled opponents make the list as well.

Among SEC foes, the LSU Tigers check in at No. 1. The Vanderbilt Commodores and Arkansas Razorbacks join the Tigers in the Top 5. Texas lost narrowly to LSU and Arkansas away from Austin earlier this year.

Oklahoma State moves up to No. 16 after taking the series from Texas at home this weekend. It’s unclear how the series would have gone in Austin, but the Cowboys appear to be the more seasoned team for now. Texas Tech checks in at No. 22.

The Longhorns will look to climb up the rankings with a game against Air Force before a series with Kansas State at home.

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WATCH: Garret Guillemette launches home run against Oklahoma State

Guillemette is emerging as a home run threat for Texas.

Texas catcher Garret Guillemette is making an impact for the his ball club this season. He’s doing so with a powerful swing. Continue reading “WATCH: Garret Guillemette launches home run against Oklahoma State”

Texas Baseball: Giving due credit to head coach David Pierce

David Pierce joins Rodney Terry in exceeding expectations this season.

Texas baseball continued its run of excellence on Friday. The No. 21 Texas Longhorns (20-7) defeated the No. 17 Oklahoma State Cowboys (20-7) in an impressive 5-3 victory. Texas might not be ranked No. 21 for long.

An early offensive explosion saw the Longhorns build a 5-1 lead with powerful extra base hits. It’s the style of play that makes head coach David Pierce’s team so fun to watch.

We were critical of the ball club and its coach earlier in the season. Now they are due for praise. The team has won 16 in a row. The last five have come against Texas Tech, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State, all of which have high postseason aspirations.

This team replaced first baseman Ivan Melendez and six other bats in its lineup. Starting pitcher Lucas Gordon was elevated to Pete Hansen’s role as staff ace. Pitchers who were unable to perform in big game roles last season have made this team a winner and more reliable than last season’s top heavy squad.

We challenged the team to play better baseball. Over the last 16 games, David Pierce is more than passing every test.

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Significance of No. 21 Texas’ 5-2 win over Texas A&M on Tuesday

There’s no such thing as a meaningless regular season game between Texas and Texas A&M.

For the 245th time, the No. 21 Texas Longhorns (19-7) defeated the unranked Texas A&M Aggies (15-10) on the baseball diamond. Though some would try to diminish the importance of the game, it bears significant ramifications for both teams.

The win brings Texas to 15 consecutive victories, raising its RPI to No. 15 in the nation. Certainly games against Texas Tech, TCU and Oklahoma State will play a role in where the Longhorns are seeded when tournament play starts. Nevertheless, the win over the Aggies could aid the team in hosting a Region prior to the College World Series in Omaha.

Texas A&M is heading in the opposite direction as losers of four straight games. The Aggies are 1-5 in SEC play with 10 losses early in the season. That’s a dramatic fall for A&M coach Jim Schlossnagle and company after starting the season in the Top 10 and Top 5 in various preseason polls.

The biggest takeaway is that the Longhorns found a way to win a game in a rabid road environment. Texas pitcher Zane Morehouse overcame control issues and obnoxious fans to close out a game that looked to be in danger.

Next up, Texas looks to stay undefeated in conference (3-0) as it travels to face the No. 17 Oklahoma State Cowboys (20-6, 4-2 in conference) in Stillwater on Friday.

Texas baseball walks off to win second straight over No. 14 Texas Tech

The winning streak continues for Texas baseball.

Texas baseball has quietly climbed its way back into relevance. Saturday marked 13 consecutive wins for the program after a slow start. Continue reading “Texas baseball walks off to win second straight over No. 14 Texas Tech”

Texas Baseball: Longhorns Kickoff Series With Boise State

The Texas Longhorns and Boise State Broncos will play their first ever games against each other. The Broncos haven’t played in 40 years.

Following their 6-1 victory over Lamar, the Texas Longhorns welcome the Boise State Broncos to the Disch. This marks the first ever meeting between the two school and the first game for the Broncos in over 40 years on the baseball diamond. The Longhorns will start off by putting Bryce Elder on the mound for Texas.

Probable Starters and Times

Friday 7:00 PM CST on Longhorns Network

Bryce Elder (1-0, 3.00 ERA) vs Travis Weston (0-0, 0.00)

Saturday 2:00 PM CST on Longhorns Network

Ty Madden (1-0, 0.00) vs Mitch Lines (0-0, 0.00)

Sunday 12:30 PM CST on Longhorns Network

Coy Cobb (0-0, 2.08) vs Dawson Day (0-0, 0.00)

All games can also be heard on 104.9 FM The Horn and 1260 AM.

Texas Baseball: Longhorns Finish Off Lamar For Fifth Straight Win

The Texas Longhorns win their second-straight game at home and fifth overall with a 6-1 win over Lamar at DischFalk Field.

The Longhorns (4-0) hosted Lamar (2-1) in their second game at the Disch this year after sweeping the Rice Owls in Houston over the weekend. Texas got started in the second inning with a bases clearing double by leadoff hitter Austin Todd to drive in three runs. After two, the Longhorns carried their 3-0 lead into the fourth inning.

With Cam Williams on second, Douglas Hodo II drove a ball right up the middle to bring the hammer home to extend the lead to four. In the sixth inning, Texas loaded up the bases once more and scored two runs without the benefit of a hit for with one. Brendon Dixon walked to bring D.J. Petrinsky home. Murphy Stehly flied out to right field but Trey Faltine scored on the sacrifice fly. With three inning remaining in the game the Longhorns were up 6-0.

In the seventh inning, Lamar was finally able to get on the board. This snapped a streak of 10 straight innings without giving up a run. Will Swope gave up the lone Lamar run on the afternoon and he lasted just 0.2 innings. He gave up a sacrifice fly to Cole Girouard to bring Logan Berlof home. Freshman pitcher Andre Duplantier II came in with two out and the bases loaded. He struck out the lone batter he faced to end the threat.

Duplantier came back out in the eighth to pitch another frame, striking out two more to get to the ninth inning and Mason Bryant. Bryant gave up a couple of hits but he was able to wiggle out of any trouble to get the win for Texas. Starter Kolby Kubichek got his first win on the season after three scoreless innings.

Texas Baseball: Longhorns Outlast UTSA to Stay Perfect

The Texas Longhorns stay perfect after riding a five-run fourth inning to help them to a 6-2 victory at the Disch.

The Texas Longhorns returned home for their first baseball game of the 2020 season at DischFalk Field in Austin. The Longhorns fell into an early 2-0 hole against the UT-San Antonio Roadrunners heading into the bottom of the fourth inning. Cole Quintanilla was on the mound and gave up just one earned run in four innings with five strikeouts.

In the bottom of the inning, the Longhorn bats came to life. With runners on the corners and one out, Trey Faltine would drive in the Longhorns first run of the game.

Texas would go on to take the lead with catcher Silas Ardoin would get his first hit as a Longhorn and it was a big one, driving in two more runs on a double.

But wait, there’s more. With runners on second and third, the man they called the hammer, Cam Williams came to the plate looking to do more damage. He hit a two-run double to left field to plate two more Longhorns. Williams was thrown out at third going for the triple to end the inning. The damage was already done and Texas led 5-2 after a five-run inning.

Texas didn’t just show off the bats in this game as they were able to show off the leather as well. In the sixth inning, Faltine scooped up the ball from deep in the hole and fired it to first to get the out. Great throw by Trey and even better scoop by Zach Zubia.

Tristan Stevens and Pete Hansen would pitch the remaining five innings of shutout baseball for Texas. They gave up a combined five hits over that span. Stevens would pick up the win and Hansen with the three-inning save. For the play of the game, that came from Austin Todd who gunned down a runner at the plate to end their scoring threat in the seventh inning.

How sweep it is, Texas finishes off Rice in series finale

The Texas Longhorns completed their opening series sweep of the Rice Owls, thanks to Donny Diaz who closed the door on the comeback.

The Texas Longhorns and Rice Owls met in the final game of their opening series. The Owls were looking to avoid the sweep on opening weekend. Texas hasn’t lost to the Rice Owls since they opened the 2017 season when the two teams split a four-game series.

Coy Cobb was on the mound for the Longhorns and went 4.1 innings, striking out four and allowed six hits. He was pulled in favor of Tristan Stephens who walked one batter but finished the inning unscathed. Texas had to go to the bullpen early, using six pitchers on the day.

Texas built up a 5-1 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth. The Longhorns had a doubles party with Austin Todd, Zach Zubia, D.J. Petrinsky and Trey Faltine all getting into the act. Zubia drove in two for Texas. Petrinksy, Faltine and Brendan Dixon each driving in a run apiece. It would fall on the bullpen to bring it home for the Longhorns.

Kamron Fields came into the game for Stevens and immediately gave up a home run to Rice’s Austin Bulman to close the gap to three runs but he settled down to get out of the inning with no further damage. Fields got into trouble in the seventh allowing two runners. Andre Duplantier came on in relief. He was able to get out of a bases loaded jam when Bulman hit into a fielder’s choice.

In the eight inning it was up to Dawson Merryman to get this game to the ninth inning. Merry walked the first hitter. After a strikeout, the Owls hit into an inning-ending double play. Merryman returned to the mound in the ninth and gave up a two-run homer without recording an out. Donny Diaz came in to record his second save of the season. The Owls left the tying run at first following a strikeout and two pop ups to end the game.

Ty Madden Shuts Down Rice, Texas Wins Series Against Owls

The Texas Longhorns picked up where they left off on Friday. Ty Madden pitched six scoreless innings and Texas win 4-0.

Texas took the field once again playing in Houston as they faced the Rice Owls for the second game of a three-game series. Ty Madden took the mound looking to keep Rice at bay and did so through six strong innings for the Longhorns. Madden surrendered just four hits in his first outing of the season. He struck out seven.

Pete Hansen made his Longhorns debut pitching two shutout innings, striking out two and gave up one hit. Another freshman pitcher finished out the game with a scoreless ninth inning. Andre Duplantier II struck out one and retired the side with two more flyouts. The Longhorns trio completed a shutout and gave up a total of five hits. The Rice Owls left four on base, the fifth was thrown out trying to steal second.

The Longhorns were able to put four runs across the plate throughout the game. Douglass Hodo III and Brendon Dixon both went yard in this one in the 2nd and 9th innings. Four different Texas players drove in a run with Eric Kennedy’s RBI single in the first and Trey Feltine drove Kennedy home with an RBI single. Texas now 2-0 on the young season. They will go for the series sweep on Sunday afternoon.