Less than 24 hours after Texas baseball suffered its first loss of the season on Friday, Dylan Volantis arrived at UFCU Disch-Falk Field and stepped into an unapologetically loud Longhorns locker room.
The music was bumping. The vibes were high.
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“I just knew that it was a turning point,” Volantis said.
Texas Longhorns outfielder Anthony Pack Jr. (6) dives to second during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns pitcher Ruger Riojas (13) throws a pitch during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns head coach Jim Schlossnagle watches from the dugout during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns outfielder Anthony Pack Jr. (6) swings at a pitch during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns infielder Ethan Mendoza (5) celebrates a home run during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns infielder Casey Borba (31) steps up to bat during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns outfielder Anthony Pack Jr. (6) watches the pitcher during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Fans wearing fake mustaches sit behind Texas Longhorns head coach Jim Schlossnagle during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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The Texas Longhornscelebrate a home run by infielder Ethan Mendoza (5) during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns outfielder Anthony Pack Jr. (6) dives to second during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns pitcher Ruger Riojas (13) throws a pitch during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns infielder Casey Borba (31) grabs a ground ball during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns infielder Temo Becerra (1) watches the batter during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Ole Miss pitcher Hunter Elliott (26) throws a pitch during the game against the Texas Longhorns at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns head coach Jim Schlossnagle watches from the dugout during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Ole Miss outfielder Hayden Federico (9) slides home for a score during the game against the Texas Longhorns at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns infielder Jayden Duplantier (0) touches second base during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns infielder Ethan Mendoza (5) hits a pitch during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns pitcher Ruger Riojas (13) throws a pitch during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Ole Miss catcher Austin Fawley (24) talks to pitcher Hunter Elliott (26) during the game against the Texas Longhorns at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns infielder Adrian Rodriguez (24) celebrates a home run by infielder Ethan Mendoza (5) during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns catcher Carson Tinney (8) hits a pitch during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns infielder Adrian Rodriguez (24) throws the ball to first during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns infielder Casey Borba (31) celebrates a home run during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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The Texas Longhorns celebrate a home run by infielder Casey Borba (31) during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns infielder Jayden Duplantier (0) hits a pitch during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns infielder Jayden Duplantier (0) celebrates a hit for a single during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns catcher Carson Tinney (8) hits a pitch during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns infielders Temo Becerra (1) and Adrian Rodriguez (24) talk during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns head coach Jim Schlossnagle takes pitcher Ruger Riojas (13) out of the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns pitcher Ruger Riojas (13) leaves the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns pitcher Haiden Leffew (12) throws a pitch during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns infielder Adrian Rodriguez (24) celebrates a second out during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns catcher Carson Tinney (8) celebrates a third out by pitcher Haiden Leffew (12) throws a pitch during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns infielder Adrian Rodriguez (24) hits a pitch during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Add the power of premonition to the growing collection of Volantis’ gifts. After blowing a four-run lead in the ninth inning on Friday, the Longhorns clobbered Ole Miss 11-2 on Saturday, then cruised past the Rebels 8-2 on Sunday.
Texas Longhorns head coach Jim Schlossnagle watches from the dugout during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Some might find that turnaround surprising, especially considering the crushing manner in which Texas (18-1, 2-1 SEC) lost Friday night, giving up a two-out, go-ahead grand slam in the ninth inning before ultimately falling in extras. But bouncing back is what Jim Schlossnagle teams do.
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Schlossnagle has proven plenty since he arrived in the SEC — college baseball’s best conference — in 2022. Near the top of that extensive list: It’s really difficult to beat his teams twice in the same weekend.
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No coach in the conference has more SEC series victories since Schlossnagle took charge of the Texas A&M program, later arriving in Austin to coach the Longhorns. His 30 wins are three more than Tony Vitello, who left Tennessee this offseason to manage the San Francisco Giants, and Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn.
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Remarkably, Schlossnagle has won at least six of the 10 SEC series played by his team each year he’s been in the conference. Only one other coach in the league can say the same, and that’s Van Horn. As Texas’ coach, Schlossnagle has claimed wins in nine of the 11 SEC series played by the Longhorns, securing the latest series victory with Sunday’s rubber game win over the Rebels (16-5, 1-2).
That success applies to the postseason, too. Schlossnagle has brought teams to the super-regional round of the NCAA Tournament — which abides by a best-of-three format — nine times. His teams have advanced on seven of those occasions.
Schlossnagle credited the pitchers he’s developed at Texas A&M and Texas when asked about his success over a three-game sample size Sunday afternoon. His teams have become particularly dominant on the mound since he hired Max Weiner as his pitching coach ahead of the 2024 campaign. The 2024 Aggies finished fourth in team ERA that year with a 3.86 mark. Under Weiner’s tutelage in 2025, the Longhorns ranked sixth nationally with a 3.71 ERA.
MORE: Why Longhorns aren’t the only program changing their minds on spring games
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They’re on track to reach those heights again. Texas held a 2.42 team ERA heading into this weekend’s series against the Rebels, good for second in the country. Facing SEC opposition weekly will likely shift that number steadily North until the end of the season, but the quality of Texas’ weekend starters makes it difficult for any lineup to plot a path to two victories.
Get the better of Ruger Riojas (2.05 ERA) on Friday night? Great, now here’s Luke Harrison (2.19 ERA) and Dylan Volantis (1.54 ERA) on Saturday and Sunday. Good luck.
The Longhorns say there’s a mental component that makes them hard to beat twice, too. The music wasn’t blasting in the Texas locker room Saturday morning for no reason. The Longhorns take a very intentional approach to the art of bouncing back.
“I would say the main thing that I saw is just the compete,” Texas catcher Carson Tinney said. “I think everybody really wanted to go out there and fight for the team. …I think everybody has their own definition of competing, but, for me, it’s being able to re-commit every single pitch and be present in every single pitch and make it the most important thing in the world to me.”
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Still, it’s difficult to recover from a Friday loss to take an SEC series. Schlossnagle has lost on Friday night 13 times since he moved into the league. His teams have only recovered to win the series four times, including this weekend.
“How much we invest in the mental game and try to, you know, truly play one day at a time. I know that’s coachy, but that’s how we try to do it,” Schlossnagle said. “At least the players do a good job of that. Sometimes the coaches hold onto those bricks — or at least I do — longer than probably we should.”