No. 2 Texas Baseball Holds Off Late Auburn Rally to Even Series

Consider it another reminder that SEC baseball has indeed arrived.

And nothing — not even a six-run lead — is safe.

Especially not with a bullpen playing like Texas’ right now.

No. 2 Texas nearly let another late lead slip away but held on just enough to secure a 7–6 win over No. 4 Auburn on Saturday, evening the series.

Texas nearly lets another one slip

Texas outfielder Aiden Robbins celebrates after a hit | University of Texas Athletics

Heading into the late innings, it felt like the Longhorns were finally rolling again.

After Friday night’s collapse, the Longhorns did everything right early — jumping out to an early lead behind a breakout night from freshman designated hitter Maddox Monsour.

Making just the second start of his career, Monsour delivered a two-out, two-run single in the second inning to give Texas a 2–0 lead.

Aiden Robbins continued his torrid weekend, launching a solo home run to lead off the third — his third of the series. Two batters later, Jayden Duplantier crushed a three-run homer to left field for the first of his career.

GUMBO OVER THE MONSTER 💣#HookEm | @gumbosalad0 pic.twitter.com/Tg30OA1XF5
— Texas Baseball (@TexasBaseball) March 22, 2026

Just like that, Texas led 6–0.

After last night's inefficient showing on offense, it was almost perfectly scripted. And for a while, it held.

Luke Harrison did what he’s done all season — bend, but not break. After escaping a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the first inning, the left-hander settled in, working 5 2/3 innings while allowing just two runs and striking out six.

He delivered precisely the kind of outing Texas had asked of him. The kind of outing that should win you a game.

Until the late innings arrived.

Auburn finally broke through in the fourth inning and began chipping away before a pivotal seventh-inning meltdown from reliever Max Grubbs shifted momentum. A solo home run from Chris Rembert, followed by two RBI singles, cut the Texas lead to 7–5.

An inning later, another defensive miscue and an RBI single off reliever Thomas Burns trimmed the margin to just one run. It began a familiar story for Texas.

And then came the ninth.

Burns tossed two straight strikeouts to provide a shot-lived sense of calm.

But then three straight two-out walks loaded the bases, bringing the tying run to third and the winning run aboard. The same script that played out Friday night was suddenly back in motion.

But this time, it didn’t break.

Burns forced a ground ball to third baseman Temo Becerra for the final out, stranding the tying and winning runs and sealing a much-needed 7–6 victory.

It was way too close a call for Texas, which will need to get a hold of the bullpen issues if it hopes to avoid more near collapses like this one tonight.

The Longhorns will look to secure the series tomorrow at 2 p.m.

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