HOOVER, Ala. – On Friday, the Texas baseball team will reunite with Arkansas in the quarterfinal round of the SEC Tournament.
This is the SEC Tournament opener for Texas (40-12), which is the No. 2 seed in the field. Seventh-seeded Arkansas (37-19) opened its postseason with Wednesday’s 8-4 win over Tennessee.
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The winner of this game advances to face either No. 3 Texas A&M or No. 6 Auburn on Saturday.
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Arkansas was among the five SEC teams that did not appear on UT’s schedule during the regular season, but Friday won’t serve as an introduction between these two programs. The former Southwest Conference foes have played 118 times before. Texas holds a 76-42 lead in the all-time series, but the Razorbacks ran their current winning streak in this rivalry up to five games during last year’s sweep in Fayetteville.
Texas Longhorns outfielder Aiden Robbins (43) celebrates scoring in the eighth inning as the Texas Longhorns take on the UTSA Roadrunners at Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Tuesday, May 5, 2026. Texas won the game 11-8.
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Texas Longhorns pitcher Luke Harrison (53) walks off the mound in the rain during the Lone Star Showdown against Texas A&M at Blue Bell Park on Saturday, April 11, 2026 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas Longhorns infielder Adrian Rodriguez (24) slides home for a score during the game against UC Davis at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns infielder Jayden Duplantier (0) bats in the second inning as the Texas Longhorns play the USC Upstate Spartans on Friday, March 6, 2026 at UFCU-Disch Falk Field in the first game of a three-game series.
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Texas Longhorns infielder Jayden Duplantier (0) slides back to first base as the Texas Longhorns and Texas State Bobcats face off in San Marcos Tuesday, March 10, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns pitcher Ruger Riojas (13) pitches in the first 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.
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Texas Longhorns pitcher Ruger Riojas (13) throws in the second inning of the second game in a three-game series against the Alabama Crimson Tide, April 18, 2026.
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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 pitcher Samuel Cozart (35) throws in the seventh inning as the Texas Longhorns play their first game of a three-game series against the Alabama Crimson Tide, April 17, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns pitcher Ruger Riojas (13) throws in the first inning of the second game in a three-game series against the Alabama Crimson Tide, April 18, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns baseball alumni line up on the field ahead of the annual Texas Longhorns Alumni Baseball Game at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns pitcher Dylan Volantis (99) misses tagging Alabama Crimson Tide infielder Justin LeBron (1) as he scores off a wild pitch in the sixth inning as the Texas Longhorns play their first game of a three-game series against the Alabama Crimson Tide, April 17, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns outfielder Anthony Pack Jr. (6) celebrates a double to second base in the fifth inning as the Texas Longhorns play their first game of a three-game series against the Alabama Crimson Tide, April 17, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns pitcher Jason Flores (4) throws a pitch during the annual Texas Longhorns Alumni Baseball Game at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026 in Austin.
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The Texas Longhorns play the UTRGV Vaqueros at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Feb. 24, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns infielder Temo Becerra (1) misses a ground ball during the annual Texas Longhorns Alumni Baseball Game at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026 in Austin.
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The Texas Longhorns line-up is listed on a fans score book in the third inning of the second game in a three-game series against the Alabama Crimson Tide at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, April 18, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns pitcher Thomas Burns (45) throws in the eighth inning as the Texas Longhorns play the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the first of a three game series, May 1, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns outfielder Anthony Pack Jr. (6) slides home as UTRGV Vaqueros pitcher Ruben Gonzalez (33) rushes to tag him out in the sixth inning as the Longhorns play the UTRGV Vaqueros at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Feb. 24, 2026. Texas won 14-0 by run-rule after the seventh inning.
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Texas Longhorns outfielder Anthony Pack Jr. (6) catches a ball during the annual Texas Longhorns Alumni Baseball Game at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns outfielder Aiden Robbins (43) is struck by a pitch in the third 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.
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Texas Longhorns outfielder Aiden Robbins (43) puts his “horns up” around the bases after a home run in the eighth inning as the Longhorns take on the Michigan State Spartans in the second game of a three-game series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Feb. 21, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns infielder Ethan Mendoza (5) catches a pass at second in the second inning as the Texas Longhorns play the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the first of a three game series, May 1, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns head coach Jim Schlossnagle welcomes outfielder Aiden Robbins (43) back to the dugout after his home run in the eighth inning as the Longhorns take on the Michigan State Spartans in the second game of a three-game series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Feb. 21, 2026.
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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 infielder Adrian Rodriguez (24) throws the ball to first during the game against UC Davis at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns head coach Jim Schlossnagle walks to the dugout during the Lone Star Showdown against Texas A&M at Blue Bell Park on Saturday, April 11, 2026 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas Longhorns outfielder Aiden Robbins (43) gets ready to bat in the eighth inning as the Texas Longhorns take on the UTSA Roadrunners at Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Tuesday, May 5, 2026. Texas won the game 11-8.
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Texas Longhorns outfielder Anthony Pack Jr. (6) celebrates after stealing second during the Lone Star Showdown against Texas A&M at Blue Bell Park on Friday, April 10, 2026 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas Longhorn infielder Temo Becerra (1) 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 outfielder Aiden Robbins (43) catches a hit in the outfield during the first inning as the Texas Longhorns and Texas State Bobcats face off in San Marcos Tuesday, March 10, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns infielder Temo Becerra (1) reacts to tagging out Texas State Bobcats outfielder Jackson Cotton (44) during the first inning as the Texas Longhorns and Texas State Bobcats face off in San Marcos Tuesday, March 10, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns infielder Adrian Rodriguez (24) dives for the ball in the sixth inning as the Texas Longhorns play their first game of a three-game series against the Alabama Crimson Tide, April 17, 2026.
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The Alabama bull pen watch the sixth inning of the second game in a three-game series against the Alabama Crimson Tide at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, April 18, 2026.
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Where: Hoover Met Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
TV/radio: SEC Network, 1300 AM
Texas Longhorns infielder Adrian Rodriguez (24) celebrates a walk during the game against Missouri at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Thursday, May. 14, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas struck out three times after leading off the seventh inning with Ashton Larson’s doube, and the Longhorns are still looking for their first run since scoring on a bases-loaded walk in the first inning. After UT got two scoreless innings of relief from ace pitcher Dylan Volantis, Michael Winter and his team-high 8.10 ERA will get the call from the bullpen.
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Casey Borba is responsible for both of UT’s hits this afternoon. As a team, Texas has struck out nine times against three Arkansas pitchers.
Through five innings, UT has been held to one hit. Staff ace Dylan Volantis will exit the bullpen and pitch in the sixth inning for Texas.
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Arkansas added to its lead during the fifth inning. The No. 8 hitter in the Arkansas lineup, Carter Rutenbar brought home a run on an RBI single. The Razorbacks also scored on a groundout.
During the fifth inning, Texas used three pitchers. Freshman Kaleb Rogers faced four batters but only recorded one out, the Razorbacks scored twice with Ethan Walker on the mound and Brett Crossland later got Texas out of a bases-loaded jam when he become the first UT pitcher to retire Arkansas star Camden Kozeal today.
Both teams are on their third pitchers of the afternoon. Gabe Gaeckle was able to work around a one-out walk in the bottom of the fourth inning for Arkansas. Freshman Kaleb Rogers, who made his collegiate debut with one out left in UT’s regular season, will be asked to work the fifth frame for Texas.
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Luke Harrison threw 14 pitches while facing four batters in the third inning, and nine of those pitches were strikes. Texas catcher Carson Tinney challenged one of those ball calls, but the SEC’s Automated Ball-Strike system upheld umpire David Soucy’s ruling. Tinney is 0-for-2 on his challenges today.
After being held scoreless in the second inning, Texas will make a pitching change. Texas will call on Luke Harrison, who normally starts on the weekends. In fact, the fifth-year left-hander has not pitched in relief since the 2024 season.
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Earlier this week, Texas coach Jim Schlossnagle hinted that starters like Dylan Volantis and Luke Harrison might pitch out of the bullpen at the SEC Tournament. Schlossnagle said he wanted to prepare those pitchers for possible relief appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
Camden Kozeal struck again, and the hole for Texas has gotten deeper. One inning after Kozeal hit a two-run homer off of Cody Howard, the Arkansas shortstop powered a three-run blast off the SEC billboard atop the centerfield wall at Hoover Met Stadium.
Kozeal entered today with a team-leading 18 homers. He becomes the seventh SEC player to hit 20 home runs this season. Texas catcher Carson Tinney is also in that 20-homer club.
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During the bottom of the first inning, Texas found a run and Arkansas lost a pitcher. Hunter Dietz exited the game after UT’s Casey Borba lined a single off the Arkansas ace’s lower leg with two outs. Borba’s single loaded the bases, and new Arkansas pitcher Steele Eaves then walked Adrian Rodriguez on a full-count offering.
Following a 90-minute weather delay, Arkansas quickly got to work. Camden Kozeal hit a two-run homer in the first inning to give Arkansas an early lead. Arkansas later tacked on an RBI single from Nolan Souza.
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In his first start and sixth appearance of the season, Texas pitcher Cody Howard allowed three hits and plunked a batter during the first inning. He struck out three Razorbacks.
Due to weather in Alabama, there is a delay for the start of Friday’s game. The first pitch in Hoover was delayed by about 90 minutes.
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RF Aiden Robbins
C Carson Tinney
LF Anthony Pack Jr.
2B Temo Becerra
3B Casey Borba
SS Adrian Rodriguez
DH Ethan Mendoza
1B Ashton Larson
CF Dariyan Pendergrass
LF Damian Ruiz
SS Camden Kozeal
C Ryder Helfrick
RF Zack Stewart
3B TJ Pompey
2B Nolan Souza
CF Maika Niu
DH Carter Rutenbar
1B Reese Robinett
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RHP Cody Howard (0-0, 7.45 ERA)
Arkansas LHP Hunter Dietz (7-3, 3.32 ERA)
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