Carson Tinney’s Grand Slam Propels No. 4 Texas Longhorns Past UTSA

After struggling at the plate, going 0-11 against the Mississippi State Bulldogs this past weekend, Texas catcher Carson Tinney and the No. 4 Longhorns were able to relinquish some demons against the UTSA Roadrunners.

Tinney launched a 483-foot grand slam towards left centerfield, clearing the YETI Yard and dropping on the street to propel the Longhorns past the Roadrunners in a high-scoring, 11-8 victory Tuesday night at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Texas.

“It's a great rivalry. We greatly respect UTSA and Coach [Pat] Hallmark and everything they do,” head coach Jim Schlossnagle said. “We don't think of them any less than any SEC school. … [we’ll] probably see them again.”

Longhorns Win In Shootout with Roadrunners

texas baseball — Texas junior right fielder Aiden Robbins celebrates while rounding the bases during junior catcher Carson Tinney's Grand Slam in the bottom of the eighth inning against the UTSA Roadrunners on May 5, 2026, at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Texas. | Rylan Renteria, The Paisano

Texas quickly took a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, when UTSA starting pitcher James Hubbard quickly loaded the bases and allowed his first run of the evening, walking Adrian Rodriguez with loaded bases.

Hubbard was pulled for Blayne Lyne after just 17 pitches. The Longhorns added three more runs with a sac fly by Ashton Larson and a 2-RBI grounder by Casey Borba up toward left field.

UTSA third baseman Diego Diaz rocketed the first of two home runs for the Roadrunners in the second inning to shave off their deficit by three. Texas struggled in the third, as Max Grubbs started to crumble, allowing three singles before he was pulled for Ethan Walker.

Ethan Mendoza fell while fielding a grounder and did not cleanly connect with Casey Borba at first base for the error that allowed UTSA to split its deficit in half.

“Mendoza has made awesome plays for us all year,” Schlossnagle said. “He's not going to be perfect and certainly that was a weird one.”

Working with two runners on base, UTSA head coach Pat Hallmark made an early pinch-hitting change for Garrett Gurell and on his first pitch against Walker, he launched a 3-run home run to take a 7-4 lead.

Maddox Monsour was able to tie the game up, answering with his first home run of the season, placing the ball past the YETI Yard for a 3-run shot of his own.

“He had the Homer, obviously, he made a nice play to end the game,” Schlossnagle said. “He's super comfortable on the bases and on defense, really, anywhere you play him.”

Mendoza was able to make up for his fielding lapse in the fifth inning, gobbling up Jordan Ballin's grounder and covering it into a double play to shut down the Roadrunners loaded bases situation.

Diaz went 4-4 against the Texas pitching staff and drove in their final run with an RBI double to center field against Walls.

Despite his struggles against Diaz, Walls set his career high in innings with 3.2 and strikeouts, with five against UTSA.

“Walker did what we asked him to do, which is just throw strikes and try to hold the line a little bit and give up the Homer,” Schlossnagle said. “Brody [Walls] was awesome when he came in the game.”

Texas will face the Tennessee Volunteers for its final regular-season road trip on Friday at 5 p.m. CT at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google