Volantis Ties Career High Strikeout Count, No. 3 Texas Baseball Sweeps UC Davis

Texas sophomore pitcher Dylan Volantis lasted seven innings, setting a career high, allowed one hit and one run. In his second career start, Volantis tossed for eight strikeouts, tying his career high he set last season against Georgia.

The No. 3 Texas Longhorns exploded for six runs and six in the third inning for an early game cushion that the Aggies could not overcome in the final game of the opening weekend series. The Longhorns beat the Aggies, 9-1, Sunday afternoon at Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Texas.

“Good ball game today for us, Dylan [Volantis] did a really nice job getting us off to a good start. He had full control of the game,” Texas head coach Jim Schlossnagle said. “Felt like once he kind of found himself there in the second inning, found his breaking ball, and he really looked like himself from last year.”

Volantis and Winter Dominate the Hill

dominant 😤 #HookEm | @DylanVolantis pic.twitter.com/6I596tVNDg
— Texas Baseball (@TexasBaseball) February 15, 2026

As one of the most intriguing freshmen pitchers last season, due in large part to his force as one of Texas’ most effective relievers. In just his second start of his career, Volantis picked up where he left off last season.

Volantis entered his sophomore season with massive expectations, growing more when he was announced as the Sunday starter to open his second season on the Forty Acres.

Volantis was efficient against the Aggies batting order, facing just 25 batters in his season debut. The sophomore pitcher did not allow a hit until the sixth inning, when Aggies sophomore left fielder Zach Story fired an unearned RBI double for UC Davis only run of the afternoon.

“[I] just focus on what's currently in front of you,” Volantis said. “Felt like my pitches had a really good command of it…. got the bat swinging, which was pretty good.”

Although he was mostly perfect, Volantis made a pair of errors in the victory. His first came on a pop-up in the fourth inning and a second on a throwing error to junior first basemen Casey Borba in the seventh inning.

“Mistakes happens it's not a game of perfect. It's a game of compete,” Volantis said. “That's what it was, with those just kind of smile it off. Move on and face what's in front of you, [and] not really worried about what happened in the past.”

Texas freshman pitcher Michael Winter made his first collegiate appearance to close out the game. Winter tossed for two stirkeouts allowing one hit in the game’s final two innings

Bats Come Alive Once Again

Texas Baseball — Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In a very hitter-friendly weekend for the Longhorns, eight of the nine starters on Sunday recorded a hit, with both junior second basemen, Ethan Mendoza and freshman right fielder Anthony Pack Jr., being the only Longhorns to record a multi-hit game.

Texas opened up the game with three loaded bases situation and was not able to cash in on the prime scoring opportunities. Sophomore shortstop Adrian Rodriguez finally came through with a bases-clearing double in the offensively dominant third inning.

“I was in the hole, and I was next to [Coach Troy Tulowitzki], and he was like, ‘I need someone to clear the bases right here. We need some we need a double or something.’ I was like, ‘Tulo. I got you watch this.’”

clear 'em, @arod_2024 🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/K0HCkqihag
— Texas Baseball (@TexasBaseball) February 15, 2026

Borba has settled nicely into his new position at first base after playing third base for the majority of last season. The Longhorns new first basemen made two unassisted double plays to close out a pair of innings.

“I mean, played a lot of first base growing up, so had some background knowledge playing over there and some experience,” Borba said.

Texas will face the Lamar Cardinals for its first midweek game of the season on Tuesday at 5 p.m. CT at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Texas.