Texas Longhorns Clinch Home Opener Victory Against Dartmouth

The 34-degree chill wasn’t the only thing that crept up on the Texas Longhorns in their home opener on Friday.

Despite setting up a 4-1 lead heading into the eighth inning, Texas nearly gave it all up until relief pitcher Thomas Burns stepped in to seal the 4-3 victory against Dartmouth.

Burns relieved Ruger Riojas after the junior UTSA transfer allowed three singles for two RBI at the top of the eighth inning. A hit-by-pitch from Riojas to load the bases marked his final throw for day, and Burns settled the dust with two strikeouts and no hits or runs for the save.

Prior to the late pitching struggles, the Longhorns set themselves up nicely in the first inning. Redshirt senior first baseman Kimble Schuessler led off with a single to center field, followed by another single from junior right fielder Max Belyeu that gave Schuessler enough time to round out to third base. Schuessler made it back home on a fly out from junior shortstop Jalin Flores, and Belyeu earned a run from a double hit by sophomore left fielder Tommy Farmer, and the Longhorns took an early 2-0 lead.

Starting senior pitcher for the Longhorns Jared Spencer made his second appearance as the Friday-Night-guy, looking to get the win after falling against Louisville last week, even though he didn’t give up a single run.

But the Indiana State transfer was pulled after 4.1 innings at the top of the fifth following his fifth walk allowed. Spencer gave up one run, three hits, five walks, and struck out five batters, a considerable difference to his performance in Arlington which saw four hits, one walk, and six strikeouts. Dartmouth’s first run of the afternoon emerged off a walk and a single allowed by Spencer and was brought in on a ground out for an RBI.

Texas extended its lead in the bottom of the fifth when Schuessler brought sophomore second baseman Ethan Mendoza in for an unearned run. Farmer cruised past home plate at the bottom of the sixth on a ground-out ball by junior catcher Rylan Galvan, and the Longhorns sat at a 4-1 as the matchup headed into the final stretch.

Riojas and the outfield kept things under control through the sixth and seventh innings until a lack of command in the eighth led to a call to the bullpen. Although he was credited with the win, Riojas gave up four hits, two runs, one walk and struck out three for an ERA of 6.35.

The Longhorns will return to UFCU Disch-Falk Field tomorrow at noon in their second game of the weekend series against Dartmouth.

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