The Good, The Bad, The Ugly: Texas vs USC Upstate

The Longhorns maintain it's perfect record, sweeping USC Upstate in final non-conference series

Texas Longhorns head coach Jim Schlossnagle stands in the dugout ahead of the Lone Star Showdown. | Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As the newly minted No. 2 team in the nation, the Texas Longhorns got an extra conference boost before they head into a tough Southeastern Conference slate against Ole Miss next weekend in their final non-conference series of the season against USC Upstate. 

The Longhorns appeared as dominant as ever against the Spartans, sweeping the series with an impressive run differential of 38-14 and a pair of run-rules. 

Now standing as one of two teams standing at 15-0 after three weeks, Texas has positioned itself as one of the nation’s contenders with impressive performances at the plate and on the mound. 

The Good - Pure Offensive Dominance 

The Longhorns celebrate following a victory at the Bruce Bolt College Classic | Texas Athletics

The Longhorns have emerged as one of the best-hitting teams to open up the season, with the entire lineup being able to generate offense at any point in the game. Still, Texas’ top of the order has been impressive with Aiden Robbins leading the charge. 

For much of the weekend, it looked like a home run derby, especially the series opener on Friday. The Longhorns had eight home runs over the weekend, four of them coming in the opener. 

Combined, the Texas batting order collected 33 hits and 38 runs over the three-game series against USC Upstate

While it was a combined effort from both sides, the Longhorns were able to pack things up early on Friday and Saturday in eight-inning run-rule games. Texas now has six run-rule games on the season following the weekend. 

The Bad - Jonah Williams Injury 

Texas Longhorns outfielder Jonah Williams at the plate | Texas Longhorns Athletics

Williams, the two-sport athlete, has struggled seeing the field throughout his time with Texas baseball and missed the first four games of 2026 with a shoulder injury. 

The injury bug came back to bite him in the series opener on Friday, aggravating that same shoulder that kept him out to open the season while diving for a ball in the outfield late in the game. Maddox Monsour came in the bottom of the eighth inning for Williams to pinch hit in his spot in the order in the game's final inning.

Williams did not appear in the final two games of the series against USC Upstate. With the two-sport athlete being out of the lineup, not only comes to a detriment to the Longhorns outfield going forward, but also Texas football as Steve Sarkisian’s team begins to ramp up its offseason program. 

The Ugly - Saturday’s Ninth Inning

Texas Longhorns Pitcher Thomas Burns throws a pitch on the mound at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Texas. | Texas Athletics

Saturday’s game was marred by rainy weather and a delayed start time of 4 p.m., but the conditions and delayed first pitch times are nothing new for the Longhorns. USC Upstate was able to generate some momentum at the plate with 11 hits and drove in a Longhorns season-high nine runs.

The surge began when the Longhorns relievers took the mound in the game’s final inning. Brody Walls, Hudson Hamilton, and Thomas Burns struggled to close out the game in the ninth inning, allowing a combined six runs to give the Longhorns their first scare of the season.