Texas will see Air Force again, welcomes DBU, LA Tech to Austin regional

During Texas’ Sunday contest for the Big 12 tournament title versus the Oklahoma Sooners, Longhorns head coach David Pierce learned his program was selected as one of 16 host sites in the NCAA baseball tournament. On Monday, the Longhorns learned their national seeding as well as the three teams headed to UFCU Disch-Falk Field.

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Texas was announced as the No. 9 overall seed in the NCAA tournament and will host two-seed Louisiana Tech, three-seed Dallas Baptist, and four-seed Air Force as part of the Austin regional. Texas and Air Force will open postseason play this Friday at 1 p.m. Central on Longhorn Network in the double-elimination portion of the NCAA tournament. DBU and LA Tech will play their opening round game at 6:30 p.m. Friday on ESPN+.

“We worked hard to get there,” Pierce said Monday. “Like I told the team, it’s a tough feat, and to host (as) a top 16 (team) with 64 invited, you just can’t take that for granted ever. I’m just proud of our team for putting themselves in that position, and even working ourselves up to a nine. I like our matchup, eight-nine matchup is pretty solid.”

Pierce’s club finished fifth in the Big 12 and lost to the Sooners in the Big 12 tournament finals, but was one of two Big 12 teams selected to host a regional along with No. 7 overall seed Oklahoma State. The selection committee likely was a fan of Texas’ No. 16 ranking in RPI and No. 31 strength of schedule ranking.

That strength of schedule was boosted by a number of non-conference road or neutral site games. Texas boasted a 25-7 non-conference record and had a non-conference RPI ranking of No. 13. Wins away from the Disch over No. 1 overall seed Tennessee and other tournament teams like LSU as part of a road schedule not typically taken by a blue-blood program bolstered the Longhorns’ hosting candidacy, as did the allure of a packed UFCU Disch-Falk Field.

“We’re just excited to be bringing back a regional in Austin, I get to compete with these guys, and get our home fans back,” outfielder Austin Todd said Monday. “We’re just excited and ready to roll.”

Texas’ opening matchup is against an opponent the Longhorns have played twice this season. Air Force played two games at the Disch in April, smashing Texas 14-2 on the 19th then falling 12-10 the following day when shortstop Trey Faltine hit a walk-off home run to split the mid-week series.

“They beat us once, but we’re ready for them,” Faltine said Monday. “They’re a good team. They wouldn’t be here without being a good team. We’re ready for anybody else. The other two teams are really good, too. We’re ready for everybody and ready to compete.”

Neither Texas nor Air Force played games versus DBU or LA Tech this season. The Bulldogs and Patriots squared off one time in March, with DBU topping then-No. 21 LA Tech 7-4 in Ruston, La. on March 29.

The winner of the Austin regional will face the winner of the Greenville, N.C. regional hosted by East Carolina University.

Texas Longhorns

Record: 42-19 (14-10 Big 12)

Selection: At-large (No. 9 national seed)

Notable pitcher: Pete Hansen – 10-1, 3.01 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 1 CG, 92.2 IP, 70 H, 32 R, 16 BB, 107 K, .199 Opp. BA

Notable hitter: Ivan Melendez – .406/.522/.903 (AVG/OBP/SLG), 88 H, 87 RBI, 29 HR, 68 R, 47 BB, 43 SO

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs

Record: 42-19 (20-10 C-USA)

Selection: C-USA tournament champions

Notable pitcher: Cade Gibson – 6-5, 4.87 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 85.0 IP, 83 H, 46 R, 19 BB, 93 K, .253 Opp. BA

Notable hitter: Taylor Young – .358/.505/.633, 81 H, 49 RBI, 11 HR, 86 R, 56 BB, 42 SO

Pierce on LA Tech: “I don’t know as much about LA Tech, but I know (head coach) Lane (Burroughs) really well, and I know Lane has done a great job since he’s been there. They’ll be prepared. Just in his background, a little bit more action-type team. Pitch, play defense, action offensive team.”

Dallas Baptist Patriots

Record: 34-22-1 (11-9-1 Mountain West)

Selection: At-large

Notable pitcher: Jacob Meador – 7-3, 4.86 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 66.2 IP, 58 H, 41 R, 40 BB, 89 K, .230 Opp. BA

Notable hitter: Cole Moore – .356/.473/.606, 74 H, 44 RBI, 10 HR, 47 R, 46 BB, 42 SO

Pierce on DBU: “Dan (Heefner) does such a great job year in and year out. He also does a great job of scheduling. I think he really benefitted early in the year. When you look up and think, how did they stick so long in the RPI? They got a sweep versus Southern Miss. They won two out of three versus Maryland. Tapered off a little bit but very talented. They always have power arms and always drive the baseball out of the ballpark. Another good team.

Air Force Falcons

Record: 30-27 (15-15 Mountain West)

Selection: Mountain West tournament champions

Notable pitcher: Paul Skenes – 10-2, 2.42 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 81.2 IP, 63 H, 24 R, 30 BB, 90 K, .214 Opp. BA

Notable hitter: Sam Kulasingam – .414/.486/.683, 103 H, 61 RBI, 11 HR, 66 R, 28 BB, 32 SO

Pierce on AF: “(Skenes) is a potential first rounder we’re going to face in game one. You guys had a great look at their offense. I like our position of being a nine. I think we’ve got one of the toughest four-seeds in the country with a very good ace.”