It was a no-flares kind of game for the Texas Longhorns in their 4-1 win over South Carolina on Saturday.
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Texas’ bats were quiet for the majority of this one, putting up two runs in the first but only scoring one more time from innings 2-8 thanks to an outfield error on a high Carson Tinney fly ball.
Outside of a beautiful swing from Anthony Pack on a deep count in that first inning, it was a game and an overall weekend to forget for Texas’ offense.
Anthony Pack has a major league approach at just 18 years old
Professional AB to put Texas ahead early. He should be in the four spot the remainder of the year. pic.twitter.com/1BLEICk2AY
— Evan Vieth (@EvanVieth) April 4, 2026
But the story of this game was the Texas arms.
Dylan Volantis was literally perfect through four, cruising through the first 12 batters with relative ease. It seemed like he’d be good to go as deep as seven or eight innings in this one, but as South Carolina threatened in the sixth, he was removed with two outs.
Volantis struck out six with just one walk and two hits in those 5 2/3, though one of those hits was a homer in the fifth to break up that perfect outing.
In stepped Thomas Burns with two outs in that sixth inning, a pitcher who had given up a run in four of his last five appearances, including a blown save against Ole Miss to lose Texas’ first game of the year.
Burns hadn’t pitched in the SEC for two weeks, but he looked amazing on the mound. The first batter, who stepped in with two on, should’ve been out after a grounder to short. Either way, with the bases loaded following the misplay in the infield, Burns shut the door, striking the batter out with the bases loaded.
He’d then respond in the seventh with another three Ks, getting all four outs with the punch out. The only base runner came on a dribble to short.
Haiden Leffew got through the eighth despite a leadoff HBP, and Carson Tinney did what he does best.
Hit insurance home runs.
For the second straight night, Tinney gave Texas an insurance solo shot to extend the lead, his 10th of the year. It was his third of the weekend, one of the few bats who truly impressed over multiple games.
Sam Cozart came in, and you know what happened next. Three batters. Three strikeouts. Ball game.
Texas took down South Carolina 4-1 to win the series after dropping the Thursday night game.
It was a somewhat forgettable weekend for Texas, but they have now won four of four SEC series, a great mark to start the year as we head into the heart of April.
Texas has a big one ahead of it, taking on Texas A&M in College Station for the first time since Jim Schlossnagle departed.