The Good, Bad and Ugly from No. 2 Texas Baseball’s Win Over Texas State

The matchup between Texas and Texas State has long been a contentious one between the two programs.

Coming into Tuesday, the teams had split their last 10 matchups, with Texas State winning four of the previous six. Add in the fact that Texas was entering its first true road test of the season, many expected a tighter game than usual.

That couldn’t have been further from the truth. Texas absolutely dismantled Texas State 15-4 on Tuesday, launching four home runs and scoring at least 10 runs for the sixth straight game this season.

Let’s look at everything good, bad and ugly from Tuesday’s matchup.

The Good — Casey Borba Explosion

you think he got all of it or what? #HookEm | @CaseyBorba pic.twitter.com/cCxB6DkN3n
— Texas Baseball (@TexasBaseball) March 11, 2026

What a night for Casey Borba.

The first baseman crushed a mammoth 477-foot home run in his second plate appearance at the plate, a towering three-run blast that helped Texas build an early lead against Texas State.

The ball traveled so far that the center fielder barely gave chase before conceding the play entirely. There was simply no chance.

But Borba wasn’t finished.

He added a solo home run in the seventh inning, sending the ball deep into the middle of the softball field beyond the outfield wall. The performance marked the first multi-home run game of his career and highlighted a recent stretch in which Borba has provided much of Texas’ offensive firepower.

Borba has now hit four of his five home runs this season in the last four games.

He has also been solid defensively at first base, effectively filling the role left by Kimble Schuessler in the offseason. And with his power beginning to heat up, Texas fans may be seeing plenty more “Bor-Bombs” as the season progresses.

The Bad — Texas State’s Pitching Staff

merry-go-round in motion 🚶‍♂️#HookEm | @CaseyBorba pic.twitter.com/nD6AYMXAsN
— Texas Baseball (@TexasBaseball) March 10, 2026

Texas State’s pitching staff, particularly starter Titan Targac, struggled to contain Texas’ lineup, giving up seven runs in the first four innings.

Command was an issue all night. Targac was pulled in just the first inning after allowing an RBI hit to shortstop Adrian Rodriguez and walking batters on three straight pitches.

The bullpen didn’t fare much better. Texas State used 10 pitchers, who combined to allow eight walks as Texas continued to pile on runs.

Poor sequencing and a lack of command turned what could have been a competitive game into a rout by the fifth inning.

Aside from 15 strikeouts, a season high for Texas hitters, there wasn’t much to like from the Bobcats’ pitching performance.

The Ugly — Ethan Mendoza’s Performance

Texas infielder Ethan Mendoza is greeted in the dugout. | Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It was a golden sombrero night for Mendoza, who turned in one of his roughest performances of the season.

In a night where nearly the entire lineup produced, Mendoza had nothing. The second baseman finished 0-for-6 with four strikeouts, failing to reach base in any of his appearances.

It was an uncharacteristic showing for the leadoff hitter, who has otherwise been a steady presence for Texas this season, entering the game with four home runs and 14 RBIs.