Dylan Volantis, Texas Bats Power Past Alabama to End Friday Struggles

Texas flips its Friday script behind a dominant Dylan Volantis start and a 16-hit offensive surge.

Texas sophomore pitcher Dylan Volantis tosses a pitch at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Texas. | Texas Athletics

Fridays had quietly become a problem for No. 4 Texas Baseball.

Entering the weekend, the Longhorns had dropped four of their last five Friday games in SEC play. But tonight, Texas overcame those Friday night demons against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

With the rotation shuffled after last weekend’s weather cancellation at Texas A&M, head coach Jim Schlossnagle handed the ball to usual Sunday starter Dylan Volantis in the series opener.

The outcome was more than optimal for the Longhorns. 

Volantis excelled in his first Friday start of the season, throwing a career high 12 strikeouts, while allowing just two runs and a walk, as the Longhorns amassed 16 hits to punish the Crimson Tide 10-2. It marked Texas’ first Friday victory since March 26 against Oklahoma. 

“I’ll remember that for the rest of my life, being able to start on Friday for the first time,” Volantis said. “Just had a lot of fun.” 

Volantis dominates in first Friday start

dominant 😤#HookEm | @DylanVolantis pic.twitter.com/vQIHNY8Hap

— Texas Baseball (@TexasBaseball) April 18, 2026

In his first Friday start of the season, Volantis looked every bit like the Friday starter everyone expected to see in that spot at the start of the season.

The left-hander struck out a career-high 12 batters across six innings, walking just one and allowing two runs. He kept Alabama off balance from the start with a punishing curveball, piling up strikeouts and limiting hard contact.

Through five innings, the Crimson Tide managed just one hit.

The only trouble came in the sixth, when a series of defensive miscues — part of a season-high four errors by Texas — allowed Alabama to push across two runs. Even in that frame, the damage was limited. 

That performance will keep Volantis in the Friday spot from now on.

“We’ll keep him there,” Schlossnagle said.

After Volantis exited in the sixth, Sam Cozart slammed the door, helping Texas finish with 17 strikeouts — the most Alabama has recorded in a game this season.

Offense excels

Texas Longhorns' outfielder Anthony Pack Jr. celebrates a grand slam against the USC Upstate Spartans. | Texas Longhorns Athletic

For a lineup that has leaned heavily on a few key bats in recent weeks, Friday night was quite different.

Texas piled up 16 hits — the most Alabama has allowed all season — and got production up and down the order.

Aiden Robbins set the tone with a leadoff double in the first, and Carson Tinney stayed red-hot with a two-run homer to right field just moments later. The blast marked Tinney’s seventh home run in as many games. 

Adrian Rodriguez, back in the lineup after recovering from surgery, looked back to his old self with two base hits to start, while Ethan Mendoza added an RBI single as Texas jumped out to an early lead that Alabama could never overcome.

“Great being out there competing with my team again,” Rodriguez said. “Just feels amazing bringing the energy out there.” 

After Alabama trimmed the deficit to 5-2 in the sixth, Texas responded immediately. The Longhorns scored three runs in the bottom half of the inning, highlighted by RBI doubles from Robbins and Tinney and a run-scoring single from Anthony Pack Jr.

Pack continued his breakout performance, finishing with a career-high four hits and adding another RBI double in the eighth. Mendoza later drove in Texas’ 10th run with a sacrifice fly to cap the scoring.

Texas will look to clinch the series Saturday as Ruger Riojas takes the mound tomorrow at noon.

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