Reliable Bullpen Crucial in Texas Baseball's Sweep Over Texas A&M

The No. 1 Texas Longhorns are flying high after sweeping their rivals the Texas A&M Aggies this past weekend for the first time in 15 years.

Texas rallied a combined 11-8 record over the Aggies and held them to a one-run performance on Friday, marking the least amount of runs for Texas A&M in its last 11 contests.

The Longhorns pitching staff was able to contain a team of Aggies that average a .276 batting and .490 slugging percentage, but it took all hands on deck for Texas to slip away with a one-run win in each matchup.

Texas Longhorns catcher Rylan Galvan talks to pitcher André Duplantier II | Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

One of the key takeaways from the series was the fact that the team stood up for each other on the mound when they began to struggle, and Sunday's contest showed off just how strong Texas' bullpen is. Freshman starting pitcher Jason Flores pitched his worst game, lasting just one inning after giving up two hits, two runs, and four walks.

Freshman Grayson Saunier, junior Max Grubbs, and sixth-year senior Andre Duplantier II all chipped in to secure the 6-5 victory, with Saunier earning his first win as a Longhorn and Duplantier pitching a season-high 5.5 innings.

"[Flores] has been great, I think he only had five or six walks in the whole season going into the weekend, so he's allowed to have his bad day too, and his team picked him up," head coach Jim Schlossnagle said during Sunday's post-game press conference. "We're running out of bodies, so Jason's got to keep doing it for us."

Reliable arms in the bullpen will be crucial now more than ever with the recent loss of starter Jared Spencer. Pitchers such as freshman Dylan Volantis and Grubbs took the mound multiple times over the weekend and were able to shut down the Aggies in just a few innings of work. Grubbs saw action in all three matchups but only pitched a total of 1.5 innings, allowing one run, one walk and throwing two strikeouts.

Schlossnagle said that Grubbs' ability to stay warm through a series will not only benefit the team's current situation, but in the long run when long relief is needed in the postseason.

"I have a lot of confidence in him," Schlossnagle said. "I know he's going to throw strikes, I know he's going to keep damage down. I don't like throwing somebody three times in a row, but it's also great preparation going to regionals because it's probably going to happen."

The way things are looking right now, a deep postseason run is on the table, and the guys understand that sticking together will be one of the most important factors.

"Some of those injuries are just tough, I wouldn't want anyone to go through that, but the Longhorns win and lose as a team, so we just continue on as a group," Duplantier said.

The Longhorns return home for a midweek matchup on Tuesday against Prairie View A&M at 6:30 p.m. CT before hitting the road to face the No. 11 Arkansas Razorbacks in Fayetteville.