Texas Longhorns Cruise through First Game of NCAA Tournament

The Texas Longhorns get back to winning ways following a devastating loss in the SEC tournament semifinals, with a 10-2 run-rule victory over the Eastern Illinois Panthers in the Longhorns' first game of the NCAA Tournament.

Texas batters looked revitalized in the ball game, combining for 15 hits with a combined batting average of .600 after going 15-25 at the plate, earning their 21st run-rule victory of the season.

Texas' dominant hitting display in the ball game was headlined by superstar catcher Junior Reese Atwood, who went 4-4 at the plate with five RBIs. They also had great performances from junior outfielder Ashton Maloney, who went 3-3 at the dish and knocked in a run, and graduate infielder Joley Mitchell's sole hit in the ballgame was a two-run double.

Texas Longhorns infielder Victoria Hunter (12) steps up to bat during the game against Kentucky at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Thursday, May 1, 2025 in Austin. | Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Panthers started the game off hot, with their first two at-bats getting on base with a walk and a double. And with one out, the first run of the game came through with a sac-fly. It was a quick wake-up call to the Texas pitching staff, who did not want a repeat of the Texas A&M game, where they gave up eleven runs through the first two innings.

The starter in the circle for the Longhorns junior pitcher Citlaly Gutierrez did well to get out of the inning with just one run allowed after the first two batters she faced got on base, and after that, most of the Panthers' offense was quieted down by the Longhorns' arms.

The combination of Gutierrez and freshman Cambria Salmon made quick work of the Panthers, allowing just four hits and two runs across five innings of work.

Longhorns batters came out blazing with four runs scored through a combination of base hits in the first inning and never looked back. Two more runs in the fourth, thanks to base hits from senior infielder Mia Scott and Atwood, increased the score to 6-1, and capping off the game in the fifth, a three-RBI double from Atwood put the exclamation point on the game.

Texas will take on the Michigan Wolverines in the third game of the Austin Regional on Saturday, May 17, at noon. The Wolverines come off a narrow come-from-behind 4-3 victory in their first game of the regionals over the UCF Knights.