Over the course of the NCAA Tournament, Texas baseball coach Jim Schlossnagle will have to make plenty of strategic decisions. That includes when the Longhorns will play their regional opener.
Texas opens its 65th postseason apperance Friday against Holy Cross at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, a noon matchup that leads off an Austin Regional that also features UC Santa Barbara (38-18) and Tarleton State (37-19). As the regional host, Texas (40-13) got the option of playing Holy Cross (25-28) in the first or second game Friday and chose to go first.
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So, why noon? After all, that game will be played in late-May heat and, due to Friday also being a typical work day, it stands to reason fewer fans will be in the stands.
Texas Longhorns head coach Jim Schlossnagle holds up the sign of the horns ahead of the game against Missouri at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Thursday, May. 14, 2026 in Austin. (Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman)
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Texas Longhorns infielder Adrian Rodriguez (24) and infielder Ethan Mendoza (5) celebrate scoring in the first inning as the Texas Longhorns take on the UTSA Roadrunners at Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Tuesday, May 5, 2026. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)
Schlossnagle, though, has his reasons. Following Monday’s on-campus NCAA watch party, Schlossnagle said he prefers to play in the early game because it guarantees his team will get more rest before it either plays UC Santa Barbara or Tarleton State on Saturday. And besides, he said, his players don’t want to wait around all day Friday either. The second game starts at 5 p.m.
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Finally, Schlossnagle said playing in the first game is also a somewhat preventative move. If inclement weather were to become an issue on Friday, there’s a greater chance of that second game getting pushed back a day. That would mean both teams in that second game would have to play twice on Saturday since NCAA regionals are double-elimination formats.
“To give our team the best chance for recovery for the next day is really the main reason,” Schlossnagle said.
The Texas Longhorns play the Houston Christian Huskies in the NCAA Tournament Austin Regional game against the Houston Christian Huskies at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, May 30, 2025. (Sara Diggins, Austin American-Statesman)
Schlossnagle acknowledged that a decision to play at noon might hurt Texas when it comes to attendance. But he said he once observed that established coaches like former LSU leader Skip Bertman would make decisions that are in “the best interest of their team” if they believed they had a strong fan base.
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NCAA TOURNAMENT AUSTIN REGIONAL
TEXAS VS. HOLY CROSS
When/where: Noon Friday at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
TV/radio: SEC Network; 1300 AM.
While coaching at TCU, Schlossnagle said he may have chosen a later game since he was trying to build up fan support. He changed his tune, however, once he got to Texas A&M in 2022. Sure enough, Texas got the late game on the opening day of the 2024 College Station Regional while the Aggies chose to play at noon. During Schlossnagle’s first season at UT last year, Texas threw its first pitch in the Austin Regional’s first day at 1:07 p.m.
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“I know it’s hot, and I know for some people, (it) may not be ideal fan-wise to get to the game. I hope they can come,” Schlossnagle said.
Of the 16 regional hosts, 11 chose to play in their site’s first game of the weekend. The outliers are Alabama, Georgia, Oregon, North Carolina and West Virginia.
Texas Longhorns infielder Temo Becerra (1) hits a single in the second inning as the Texas Longhorns play the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the second of a three game series at Disch-Falk Field in Austin, May 2, 2026. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)
Longhorns, Crusaders could play in 90-degree heat
Inclement weather isn’t expected to be a problem on Friday. It will be warm, though. Friday’s forecast calls for a high of 92 degrees.
MORE: A cash bar, TV and shade in LF of Disch-Falk? Texas baseball fans set for ‘party deck’
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While that forecast might be a bigger concern for Holy Cross — a Massachusetts-based school that did not play a home game in 70-degree weather this season — the Longhorns will still feel the heat. To better prepare, the Longhorns are practicing this week in the late morning and early afternoon. “We’ll get them up and get them out of bed, so we can have the same routine all week,” Schlossnagle said.
“I’m incredibly excited (to play in this weather). It’s going to be great,” said UT freshman pitcher Sam Cozart, who was raised in North Carolina.