Longhorns Explode Early, Hold Off Missouri to Secure Series Victory

At the beginning of the season, when Texas’ schedule was flooded with overmatched non-conference opponents, run-rule victories were relatively standard. But as the competition stiffened in Southeastern Conference play, those easy finishes largely disappeared.

On Friday night, however, Texas looked poised to finally add another one.

The Longhorns built a 10-run lead entering the seventh inning against Missouri and appeared just three outs away from their first run-rule victory since April 7 against Incarnate Word. But the Tigers refused to go quietly, erupting for six runs in the seventh to erase any chance of an early ending.

Texas quickly regrouped and closed out an 11-6 win at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, securing its eighth SEC series victory of the season.

“Today was a good day,” head coach Jim Schlossnagle said. “We’re not going to let that inning ruin what was an awesome day for us.”

The victory improved No. 6 Texas to 39-12 overall and 18-10 in SEC play, a mark that all but cements the Longhorns’ case for a top-eight national seed and guarantees either the No. 2 or No. 3 seed in next week’s SEC Tournament.

Texas explodes in two innings

texas baseball, casey borba — Texas junior infielder Casey Borba trots towards home plate after firing a home run in the fifth inning against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. | Noah McCord, The Reflector

It was a long ball night for Texas, as Borba launched a solo home run to right-center field in the third after two scoreless innings. It was his fifth homer in four games and 17th of the season. Dariyan Pendergrass later scored on a throwing error after Jayden Duplantier laid down a bunt, and Carson Tinney capped the inning with a two-run homer to right, giving Texas a 4-0 lead.

Tinney decidedly wasn’t finished.

In the fourth, Duplantier drew a bases-loaded walk to force in a run before Tinney obliterated a grand slam over the batter’s eye in center field — his 20th home run on the season. Anthony Pack Jr. followed immediately with a solo homer, stretching Texas’ lead to 10-0.

Tinney finished with two home runs and six RBIs, becoming the fifth player in program history to reach 20 home runs in a season.

Harrison sharp before seventh-inning trouble

Texas Longhorns pitcher Luke Harrison stares into the box before throwing a pitch. | University of Texas Athletics

Luke Harrison turned in one of his strongest starts in weeks.

The fifth-year left-hander held Missouri scoreless through six innings and carried a three-hit shutout into the seventh. He appeared on the verge of completing the run-rule win before the Tigers mounted their late rally.

“I mean, senior, last home start, has a chance to finish the game, I’m going to give him a chance to do that every time,” Schlossnagle said.

Missouri loaded the bases, and after a walk forced in the Tigers’ first run, Jase Woita delivered a three-run double off reliever Thomas Burns. The Tigers scored six times in the inning before Texas finally recorded the third out.

Texas answered immediately in the bottom half when Borba drove in Adrian Rodriguez with an RBI single.

Brody Walls and Sam Cozart handled the final two innings, with Cozart striking out two in a scoreless ninth to secure the victory.

Texas will go for the series sweep Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT in its regular-season home finale.

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