Last year, an impressive debut season for head coach Jim Schlossnagle with the Texas Longhorns came crashing down in the Austin Regional when the No. 2 overall seed fell to the UTSA Roadrunners after the Longhorns blew a 6-1 lead on Saturday before falling behind 7-0 on Sunday and getting eliminated.<\/p>\n
Behind a second straight 40-win season, Texas is hosting an Austin Regional again this year looking for redemption against a field that includes UC Santa Barbara, Tarleton State, and Holy Cross.<\/p>\n
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For Schlossnagle, last year\u2019s disappointment hasn\u2019t been a point of emphasis this week.<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t instilled the message, maybe the veteran players have,\u201d Schlossnagle said on Monday. \u201cIn today\u2019s college athletics, you have so much turnover on your team. We have a lot of guys back from that team last year, but there\u2019s still probably more new players than there is returning players, so that\u2019s where you lean on your leadership, the guys that were on last year\u2019s team to just make sure anything we feel like we could have done better last year, we do it this year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mistakes in the field and an inability to execute on the mound contributed to UTSA\u2019s Saturday comeback before the lack of pitching depth was exposed for Texas on Sunday despite winning on Friday with three relievers. The Horns haven\u2019t been able to find a fourth starter this season and senior right-hander Ruger Riojas has been dealing with tendinitis in his throwing shoulder, but the overall depth is better and the infield defense has been a team strength to bolster a fielding percentage that ranks 18th nationally, although outfield misadventures have been too frequent.<\/p>\n
However, the infield will continue to be without junior Ethan Mendoza, who hasn\u2019t played at second base since injuring his shoulder against Tennessee three weeks ago. Since the injury, Mendoza is 2-for-16 (.125) as the designated hitter.<\/p>\n
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Mendoza is one of several Texas players who have benefited from only playing one game in the 13 days prior to Friday\u2019s regional opener against Holy Cross. Junior right fielder Aiden Robbins was sick during the Missouri series and missed the regular-season finale and sophomore shortstop Adrian Rodriguez continues to deal with pain in his surgically-repaired left hand, although he did record three-hit performances against Tennessee and Missouri.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, Schlossnagle also provided an update on Riojas.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he\u2019s in a really, really good place,\u201d Schlossnagle said. \u201cHe had a couple side sessions in the last two weeks, one in particular a couple days ago, that was outstanding, and so I anticipate him being at full strength.\u201d<\/p>\n
The role that Riojas will play is dependent on how the regional unfolds \u2014 as the Longhorns head coach pointed out, everything depends on the first game, which redshirt senior left-hander Luke Harrison (6-3, 4.63 ERA) will start.<\/p>\n
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\u201cOther than Luke starting the game, there\u2019s no real plan other than that, other than to have every pitcher available for every game, and certainly the guys who have pitched the best will be the ones that more than likely pitch the most. Can\u2019t script out a weekend when you\u2019re playing great teams, and it\u2019s a postseason \u2014 anything can happen,\u201d Schlossnagle said.<\/p>\n
Harrison is the only Longhorns player with experience in the College World Series after pitching two innings against Texas A&M in Omaha in 2022, giving him an understanding of what it takes to play deep into the postseason.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it takes a lot. It requires you to play your best baseball at the right time, and having that experience, I feel like it\u2019s been good to be able to share with the guys \u2014 not only what it takes to get there, but also what it takes to win there. And we know that it starts with just doing our job tomorrow, going out there and playing our game,\u201d Harrison said.<\/p>\n
Friday\u2019s challenge is beating Holy Cross, the winners of the Patriot League Tournament. The Crusaders are making their 13th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, a history that includes a national championship in 1952 that makes Holy Cross the only team from the northeast to ever win the College World Series.<\/p>\n
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With a sub-.500 record this season, the expectations for Ed Kahovec\u2019s team are much more modest, but if Kahovec decides to start the Patriot League Pitcher of the Year Jayden Wywoda, the Crusders could provide a challenge to the Longhorns.<\/p>\n
Although Holy Cross features minimal pitching depth across its staff, which has a collective ERA of 6.42 as opponents bat .275 against the Crusaders, Wywoda has a 3.76 ERA with five complete games and a save this season. In the conference tournament, he earned MVP honors after throwing 196 pitches over three days, including a 122-pitch complete game in the opener on Monday and a 74-pitch, 4.2-inning save on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
For the Texas pitching staff, controlling two-time Patriot League Player of the Year CJ Egrie will be key \u2014 the New Jersey product is first on the team in batting average (.338), hits (54), on-base percentage (.483), and stolen bases (46). The 46 steals by Egrie rank second nationally as he set the program\u2019s single-season record.<\/p>\n
Egrie hopes to maintain his momentum from the conference tournament, in which he slashed .474\/.643\/.895 with a 1.538 OPS, notching a home run, four RBI, three doubles, 10 runs scored, eight walks to one strikeout, and six stolen bases.<\/p>\n
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\u201cCJ has just shattered record after record here at Holy Cross,\u201d Kahovec said<\/a>. \u201cHe played an almost unprecedented conference tournament. Statistically, he was just off the charts. A remarkable effort on his part.\u201d<\/p>\n Holy Cross is also used to playing on the road \u2014 cold early-season weather in Massachusetts contributed to the Crusaders playing 37 of their 53 games away from Worcester, which includes a 5-3 road record in their last 13 games.<\/p>\n