Ethan Mendoza Walks Off UC Davis in Texas Baseball Season Opener

Texas Longhorns junior infielder Ethan Mendoza, the Longhorns lead off hitter, opened the night going 0-4 at the plate, but in his final appearance of the night, he made up for the previous at-bats.

Mendoza called the game, rocketing a 2-run home run in the seventh inning to close out No. 3 Texas Longhorns season opener with a run rule. The Longhorns topped the UC Davis Aggies, 12-2, on Friday night at UFCU Disch-Faulk Field in Austin, Texas.

“I can't complain with a win," freshman Anthony Pack Jr. said. "We got the dub, Ethan Mendoza, that's a guy right there, he put it away."

Longhorns Dominate the Aggies

Doza called game 🤘#HookEm | @_EthanMendoza pic.twitter.com/50disJpW9A
— Texas Baseball (@TexasBaseball) February 14, 2026

The Longhorns top of the order, consisting of Mendoza, sophomore shortstop Adrian Rodriguez, junior outfielder Aiden Robbins, and junior catcher Carson Tinney, was impressive at the plate in the season opener. The four accounted for five hits, seven RBI, and a pair of home runs in the victory over the Aggies.

“You got two guys that are basically protecting me in the lineup," Robbins said. "You don't want to throw to anybody in our lineup."

Robbins, the transfer from Seton Hall and one of the nation’s top hitters last season, came up big early. On the first pitch of his second appearance, Robbins crushed the ball for a 428-yard two-run home run blast to put the Longhorns 3-1.

“I couldn't wait to get on the field,” Robbins said. “I mean, as soon as the crowd roared for the first time it was, I just couldn't keep a smile off my face. It's just incredible moment, an incredible game for everybody on our team.”

welcome to The Forty, @AidenRobbins43 🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/oQpvmTQakm
— Texas Baseball (@TexasBaseball) February 14, 2026

Robbins closed his Longhorns debut going 2-4 at the plate for three RBI and a double in the fifth inning to cap off an impressive night. Rodriguez, Texas’ switch-hitter, got to the bag twice, driving in one RBI.

“Until about 10 days ago, [Rodriguez] wasn't even hitting in live games,” head coach Jim Schlossnagle said. “Once we were able to get him in there, he’s just a heck of a player.”

The most surprising Longhorn was all the way down at the bottom of the batting order. Freshman outfielder Anthony Pack Jr. was dominant in his collegiate debut, going a perfect 3-3 for two RBIs and a double.

Pack Jr. made the start in right field over two-sport athlete, sophomore Jonah Williams, who was available to hit, but was held out as a precaution.

"He'll be fine by next weekend, we just got to keep him, keep him healthy," Schlossnagle said.

Texas senior pitcher Ruger Riojas got off to a rocky start in the season opener, walking his first batter and allowing two singles to go past him, loading up the bases. After allowing one run, Riojas got the pregame jitters out of the way and closed the first inning with a pair of strikeouts.

Riojas lasted five innings and was dominant following his three-hit, one-run allowed first inning performance. Riojas posted nine strikeouts, just one shy of tying his career high of 10 strikeouts he set last season against Missouri.

Texas will look to win the series against UC Davis tomorrow at 12 p.m. at UFCU Disch-Faulk Field in Austin, Texas.