No. 5 Texas Takes Series Over No. 3 Georgia with Seventh-Inning Comeback Win

Once again, Texas baseball has managed to turn around a midweek slump into a weekend conference series victory.

After glaring down a 4-0 deficit by the fifth inning, an explosive five-run seventh inning by Texas snapped Georgia’s lead, and the Longhorns clinched the series with a 7-4 win over the Bulldogs on Saturday.

The comeback marked the 11th game that the Longhorns have notched a victory after initially trailing their opponent.

Texas junior starting pitcher Luke Harrison made some early mistakes to let Georgia take the reins. Harrison allowed six hits, four runs, one walk, and two hit-by-pitches through 5.2 innings pitched. But he also recorded a career-high nine total strikeouts to help slow down the Bulldogs offense toward the fifth and sixth innings.

“I think mixing it up, kind of just keeping them off balance was going well for me,” Harrison said. “[Just] doing my thing, not letting the early damage get to me and try to get my team a chance to win the game.”

The Bulldogs grabbed the lead in the first inning after reaching first base on a throwing error, following up with a double that lingered long enough for them to make it to home plate.

Georgia returned at the top of the third inning, gaining a walk, a balk, and a hit-by-pitch from Harrison to set up an RBI double. A fielder’s choice to send the Bulldogs to first base brought in another run, and another RBI double in the top of the fourth extended their lead to 4-0.

Texas still had yet to answer, as Georgia junior starting pitcher Brian Curley kept the Longhorns without a single hit through four innings.

Texas Longhorns infielder Jalin Flores (1) bats in the first inning of the Texas Longhorns' game against the UT Arlington Mavericks at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, Tuesday, April 23, 2024. Rodriguez is acting head coach while David Pierce is suspended. | Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

But the Longhorns were finally able to gain some leverage in the fifth inning, shutting out the Bulldogs as Harrison nabbed his seventh strikeout. Sophomore third baseman Casey Borba walked before sophomore designated hitter Jaquae Stewart stepped up and slammed his first career home run.

Carrying a 4-2 score into the seventh inning, Georgia relief pitcher Kolton Smith would soon find trouble on the mound. Smith gave up a walk while sophomore second baseman Ethan Mendoza reached second on an error by right field, the crowd erupting in its favor. Junior shortstop Jalin Flores leveled the playing field by sinking a double for two RBI, and the Bulldogs and the Longhorns finally had a competition on their hands.

Sophomore center fielder Gasparino slammed a double of his own shortly after and advanced to third on a throwing error for two more RBI. A sacrifice fly from graduate student and first baseman Kimble Schuessler allowed Gasparino to score and put Texas up 7-4.

The Bulldogs weren’t able to climb out of the deficit, with junior relief pitcher Max Grubbs throwing two strikeouts and allowing just two hits through the last three innings, and Texas sealed the win.

Head coach Jim Schlossnagle said Saturday’s performance was just a reiteration of the team’s focus and persistence.

“We've set a culture where you just keep playing, try to keep your eyes off the scoreboard,” Schlossnagle said during the postgame press conference. “I know you've heard our players say it a thousand times. Play to a standard, not a scoreboard. And if you can keep your eyes off the scoreboard and just play, see what happens.”

The Longhorns will hope to grab its third SEC series sweep on Sunday at 1 p.m., with junior pitcher Ruger Riojas set to take the mound for Texas.