Ruger Riojas, Dylan Volantis lead No. 8 Texas to series win over No. 2 LSU Tigers

Heading into Sunday’s rubber match against the LSU, Texas baseball head coach Jim Schlossnagle had a big decision on his hands.

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The Longhorns needed to pick a Sunday starter, a role that had been occupied by three different pitchers over the last three weeks. A betting man would’ve likely guessed Jason Flores, last week’s starter, or Kade Bing, who pitched a perfect five innings against UTSA on Tuesday.

Instead, Schlossnagle made an unexpected call, placing the ball in the hands of Ruger Riojas. The UTSA transfer had become a mainstay of the Texas staff, but he had yet to start a game in burnt orange and had only done it twice in his collegiate career, most recently in February of 2024.

With the series on the line and the No. 2 team in the nation in the other dugout, Schlossnagle had taken the biggest risk of the weekend.

But after 5.2 innings of two-run baseball, it was clear that Schlossnagle had played his cards correctly, as Riojas helped propel Texas to a 6-2 victory and the series win against LSU.

“It was amazing,” Riojas said about the standing ovation he received following his exit. “Being able to have that loyal fan base is truly unreal and I’m greatful for all of them.”

Riojas’ final line was 5.2 innings pitched, seven hits, one walk, two earned runs and six strike outs, a phenomenal performance that kept the No. 2 team at bay and one that would be hard to surmount.

That thought, however, was quickly disproven by one man, a left handed freshman who has quickly earned the trust of every Longhorn fan following along.

LHP Dylan Volantis entered the sixth inning with runners on the corners inherited from Riojas. Before he could even get a chance to work into his first batter, LSU’s double steal ended the inning, but put another run on the board. It was now 5-2, and Volantis was tasked with holding on for the rest of the night.

Soon, though, it became clear that even the future MLB players on LSU’s roster were not going to be able to touch the crafty lefty. If striking out the side didn’t help his confidence in the seventh inning then another 1-2-3 eighth with two strikeouts surely did. By the time Volantis took the bump with a four run lead in the ninth, it was clear that we were witnessing something special in Austin.

In just 40 pitches, Volantis went 3.1 innings, striking out five batters and blanking the Tigers while earning the save in Austin, his only baserunner coming on a two-out walk in the ninth. Volantis, though still nervous to talk to the media, shared what makes him so calm and collected on the mound.

“Just focusing on my breathing, going out there, just thinking of every moment like it’s my 0-0 (count),” Volantis said. “I don’t really envision the crowd there as I practice. That’s truly what has helped me the most, just practice, believing I’m in that situation so that I’m actually in it. I’m confident it’s not too big.”

Volantis and Riojas held one of the nation’s best teams to two runs, but the offense also had a great day as it chased future MLB draft pick Chase Shores out of the game after four innings. Right fielder Max Belyeu hit a nuke of a two-run homer in the fourth, and players like Ethan Mendoza and Tommy Farmer IV each contributed to multiple runs throughout the game.

Texas exits the weekend in one of the best spots it’s been in a long time. The Longhorns are 19-3, tied for first place in the SEC and just knocked off the No. 2 team in the nation. Texas is sure to shoot up the rankings, and even if he no longer thinks there is a target on his back, coach Schlossnagle knows that with success comes even more adversity.

“By the time we got here and then dealt with all the social media stuff after the World Series, you know, we were Satans of college baseball,” Schlossnagle said. “I think when you’re playing at Texas, or any of these big SEC schools, A&M, LSU, I mean, you’re talking about premier programs in the country… that’s part of it, you earn that target on your back.”

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The Longhorns will host Sam Houston State on Tuesday before heading to Columbia to face last place (pending Sunday’s result) Missouri, likely as one of the six highest rated team’s in the nation.