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So far this spring, pitching has not been a problem for Texas baseball. Neither has hitting. Or winning, for that matter.
As it gets ready for Friday's SEC opener against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, Texas ranks third nationally with its 2.42 ERA. Only 10 of the 300 Division I teams are scoring more often than UT, which is averaging 10.1 runs per game. And at 16-0, the Longhorns are off to their best start since their 2005 national championship season.
"It's definitely a cool thing to see this year's team up there with those teams of the past," Texas pitcher Luke Harrison said. "But we know that our most important games are coming up, and really how we fare down the stretch is a lot more important than how you start."
Texas Longhorns infielder Temo Becerra (1) bats in the first inning as the Texas Longhorns play the USC Upstate Spartans on Friday, March 6, 2026 at UFCU-Disch Falk Field in the first game of a three-game series. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)
Now, about that offense. On Tuesday, the second-ranked team in the D1Baseball poll went to San Marcos and recorded a 15-4 win over Texas State in its first true road game of the season. That marked the sixth straight game in which Texas scored double-digit runs.
Texas Longhorns outfielder Aiden Robbins (43) walks to first base in the first inning as the Texas Longhorns play the USC Upstate Spartans on Friday, March 6, 2026 at UFCU-Disch Falk Field in the first game of a three-game series. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)
More:Why Jim Schlossnagle doesn't ask Texas Longhorns to study upcoming opponents
According to Texas, the Longhorns last scored 10 runs in six straight games during the 1940 season. During a six-game stretch in which Texas outscored SMU, Baylor, Rice and TCU by a combined score of 95-26, that 1940 team and first-year coach Bibb Falk got offensive production from players known as Booty (William Eckert), Buck (Armstrong) and (Jack) Stone. Eighty-six years later, the Longhorns have an A-Rod (Adrian Rodriguez), an A-Rob (Aiden Robbins), the Truth (Temo Becerra) and even Gumbo (Jayden Duplantier) contributing on offense.
Through 16 games, Texas is hitting .340. The Longhorns' single-season record is .325, which was set by a 1975 team that won the program's third national title. Led by Robbins and his .406 average and team-high six homers, seven UT starters boast a batting average that tops .300.
"I feel personally like no one has any pressure to perform," said Becerra, who is hitting .386. "Every guy can be the hero any given night."
Texas Longhorns head coach Jim Schlossnagle welcomes outfielder Aiden Robbins (43) back to the dugout after his home run in the eighth inning as the Longhorns take on the Michigan State Spartans in the second game of a three-game series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Feb. 21, 2026. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)
As is often the case with gaudy early-season statistics, there is a "but," and here is Texas': So far this year, the Longhorns have played UC Davis, Lamar, Michigan State, UTRGV, Coastal Carolina, Baylor, Ohio State, Houston Christian, USC Upstate and Texas State. Of those schools, only No. 53 Baylor (4.04) and No. 76 Texas State (4.63) boast a top-100 ERA nationally.
Now, the Longhorns could only play the teams in front of them. And it wasn't UT's fault that Coastal Carolina ace Cameron Flukey, a projected first-round pick, was scratched from a showdown at Houston's Daikin Park because of an injury.
But with SEC play about to begin, the tests will soon get tougher for Texas. Including an Ole Miss pitching staff led by a fourth-year pitcher in Hunter Elliott who Texas coach Jim Schlossnagle referred to as "one of the best lefties in the country," every team in the SEC is currently ranked in the top-75 in ERA. And while those numbers may be underinflated due to nonconference competition, 13 of the SEC's 16 baseball programs claimed a top-75 ERA over the entirety of the 2025 season.
"There's no bad coaches in our league, and there's no bad recruiting staffs in our league," Texas coach Jim Schlossnagle said. "We played a (USC Upstate) team last weekend that (was) talented, didn't do a good job holding runners. They gave you something. We played some teams that maybe only have one or two lefties in the bullpen, or maybe one matchup guy in the bullpen. That doesn't happen in our league very often unless there's injury. So it's not just the power arms."
More:Jonah Williams dealt injury setback. What it means for Texas baseball, Longhorns football
Several of the Longhorns' top bats have faced SEC pitching before. Leadoff hitter Ethan Mendoza got 125 at-bats in conference play last season. Rodriguez hit .333 during UT's conference games. Five of Casey Borba's 12 home runs came off an SEC pitcher.
But this will be the first go-around through SEC play for some of the team's newcomers. Becerra spent the past three years in the Pac-12 and ACC with Stanford, and Robbins is a Seton Hall transfer. Power-hitting slugger Carson Tinney was at Notre Dame from 2024-25.
"I love being challenged," Becerra said. "I love competing against the best. So I'm definitely looking forward to (SEC pitching)."
Continue reading...
As it gets ready for Friday's SEC opener against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, Texas ranks third nationally with its 2.42 ERA. Only 10 of the 300 Division I teams are scoring more often than UT, which is averaging 10.1 runs per game. And at 16-0, the Longhorns are off to their best start since their 2005 national championship season.
"It's definitely a cool thing to see this year's team up there with those teams of the past," Texas pitcher Luke Harrison said. "But we know that our most important games are coming up, and really how we fare down the stretch is a lot more important than how you start."
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Texas Longhorns infielder Temo Becerra (1) bats in the first inning as the Texas Longhorns play the USC Upstate Spartans on Friday, March 6, 2026 at UFCU-Disch Falk Field in the first game of a three-game series. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)
Now, about that offense. On Tuesday, the second-ranked team in the D1Baseball poll went to San Marcos and recorded a 15-4 win over Texas State in its first true road game of the season. That marked the sixth straight game in which Texas scored double-digit runs.
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Texas Longhorns outfielder Aiden Robbins (43) walks to first base in the first inning as the Texas Longhorns play the USC Upstate Spartans on Friday, March 6, 2026 at UFCU-Disch Falk Field in the first game of a three-game series. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)
More:Why Jim Schlossnagle doesn't ask Texas Longhorns to study upcoming opponents
According to Texas, the Longhorns last scored 10 runs in six straight games during the 1940 season. During a six-game stretch in which Texas outscored SMU, Baylor, Rice and TCU by a combined score of 95-26, that 1940 team and first-year coach Bibb Falk got offensive production from players known as Booty (William Eckert), Buck (Armstrong) and (Jack) Stone. Eighty-six years later, the Longhorns have an A-Rod (Adrian Rodriguez), an A-Rob (Aiden Robbins), the Truth (Temo Becerra) and even Gumbo (Jayden Duplantier) contributing on offense.
Through 16 games, Texas is hitting .340. The Longhorns' single-season record is .325, which was set by a 1975 team that won the program's third national title. Led by Robbins and his .406 average and team-high six homers, seven UT starters boast a batting average that tops .300.
"I feel personally like no one has any pressure to perform," said Becerra, who is hitting .386. "Every guy can be the hero any given night."
You must be registered for see images attach
Texas Longhorns head coach Jim Schlossnagle welcomes outfielder Aiden Robbins (43) back to the dugout after his home run in the eighth inning as the Longhorns take on the Michigan State Spartans in the second game of a three-game series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Feb. 21, 2026. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)
Texas offense will face tougher tests against SEC pitchers
As is often the case with gaudy early-season statistics, there is a "but," and here is Texas': So far this year, the Longhorns have played UC Davis, Lamar, Michigan State, UTRGV, Coastal Carolina, Baylor, Ohio State, Houston Christian, USC Upstate and Texas State. Of those schools, only No. 53 Baylor (4.04) and No. 76 Texas State (4.63) boast a top-100 ERA nationally.
Now, the Longhorns could only play the teams in front of them. And it wasn't UT's fault that Coastal Carolina ace Cameron Flukey, a projected first-round pick, was scratched from a showdown at Houston's Daikin Park because of an injury.
But with SEC play about to begin, the tests will soon get tougher for Texas. Including an Ole Miss pitching staff led by a fourth-year pitcher in Hunter Elliott who Texas coach Jim Schlossnagle referred to as "one of the best lefties in the country," every team in the SEC is currently ranked in the top-75 in ERA. And while those numbers may be underinflated due to nonconference competition, 13 of the SEC's 16 baseball programs claimed a top-75 ERA over the entirety of the 2025 season.
"There's no bad coaches in our league, and there's no bad recruiting staffs in our league," Texas coach Jim Schlossnagle said. "We played a (USC Upstate) team last weekend that (was) talented, didn't do a good job holding runners. They gave you something. We played some teams that maybe only have one or two lefties in the bullpen, or maybe one matchup guy in the bullpen. That doesn't happen in our league very often unless there's injury. So it's not just the power arms."
More:Jonah Williams dealt injury setback. What it means for Texas baseball, Longhorns football
Several of the Longhorns' top bats have faced SEC pitching before. Leadoff hitter Ethan Mendoza got 125 at-bats in conference play last season. Rodriguez hit .333 during UT's conference games. Five of Casey Borba's 12 home runs came off an SEC pitcher.
But this will be the first go-around through SEC play for some of the team's newcomers. Becerra spent the past three years in the Pac-12 and ACC with Stanford, and Robbins is a Seton Hall transfer. Power-hitting slugger Carson Tinney was at Notre Dame from 2024-25.
"I love being challenged," Becerra said. "I love competing against the best. So I'm definitely looking forward to (SEC pitching)."
Continue reading...
