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Three things we learned from Texas baseball's series win over LSU

by:EvanVieth•about 16 hours
Max Belyeu
Max Belyeu (Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

What a weekend it was in Austin. In a week where spring football approached, a new basketball coach was hired, and the women’s basketball team hit the Sweet 16, the talk of the town was about the happenings at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.

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Texas baseball played host to then-No. 2 LSU, a historically strong baseball team known for producing two of the best MLB prospects in the last few years, making this weekend one many fans circled on the calendar. Even with a disappointing Friday result, Jim Schlossnagle’s squad pulled out one of the biggest series wins in recent history, defeating LSU in 2-of-3 games and launching Texas into a top-five spot in multiple polls.

Texas had a fantastic weekend as a team, with sluggers Max Belyeu and Rylan Galvan continuing their hot streak and overall scoring 19 runs on a strong Tigers staff. Texas fans got a great diagnosis of just how good this team can be, and IT had a few important takeaways from this weekend.

Texas’ bullpen versatility will win the Longhorns a lot of Sunday games.

When talking to Schlossnagle after Sunday’s win, he made his philosophy on pitching clear. He cares a lot about having set starters on Friday and Saturday, but after that, there won’t be defined roles on this team.

There’s no spot where that has been displayed more than with the Sunday starter spot. Over the last month, Schlossnagle has used Kade Bing, Dylan Volantis, Jason Flores and most recently Ruger Riojas as a Sunday starter. Even with that much change, Texas is 4-0 in those games.

Outside of starters Jared Spencer and Luke Harrison, there’s no specific player in a specific spot. Volantis got two saves this weekend but could be starting next Sunday against Missouri. Riojas hadn’t started a baseball game since February of last year, when he was on UTSA, but gave Texas nearly six innings of two-run baseball.

The Longhorns will continue to experiment as players like Will Mercer get healthier, but for now Texas won’t be putting a specific role on anyone. The Longhorns have about seven guys who IT would be comfortable starting an SEC weekend game. Those options will continue to be exhausted as we approach the postseason.

Texas needs the rest of the outfield bats to wake up.

Belyeu is the definition of plug and play in right field. A top MLB prospect, he is the Longhorn’s best pure hitter and a preseason SEC POTY candidate. There’s no worry about his value on this team.

Similarly, the infield has been extremely consistent on the bats. Galvan has been amazing, Kimble Schuessler is heating up, Ethan Mendoza and Adrian Rodriguez have already broken out. Jalin Flores will always be a threat to go deep, even when he slumps.

But the Longhorns have struggled to see production from one of the highest upside parts of the team: the left and center fielders. Here are the combined stats between Will Gasparino, Tommy Farmer IV, and Easton Winfield in six SEC games.

.239 BA, 3 XBH, 1 BB, 15 Ks in 42 combined ABs

Gasparino was expected to be a nuclear level breakout candidate in 2025, but he hasn’t hit that stride yet. Before Farmer’s three hit day in Austin on Sunday, he was one for his last 21. Winfield got the weekend off due to injury, and he’s only had eight at-bats in the Longhorns’ last eight games.

There needs to be something more from this group. Farmer and Gasparino have great gloves, but the bats have been far too inconsistent. Texas needs Winfield to be healthy, as Schloss has made it clear he wants a lefty bat in the lineup with the use of Jaquae Stewart this weekend. This four-game stretch of Sam Houston and Missouri series should be a great time to wake these guys up.

The Disch is an SEC Ballpark

Shoutout to the fans this weekend.

What a great showing on all three games, from the Friday night defeat to the elation of Saturday’s comeback to the post-church Sunday crowd, all three types of games saw a sea of burnt orange giving their 120%.

The Disch has, at times in the Big 12 era, not lived up to the fantasy that is a lively crowd in Austin. That era seems to be long gone. Schlossnagle, but even more so the players, have completely re-energized this crowd. Whether it’s the SKOL doubles, the epic hits, or just better baseball, they’re doing something right.

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That crowd pop on Galvan’s Saturday home run was one of the best crowd reactions not only seen at the Disch, but of any SEC crowd this year. The team is SEC ready, the coach is SEC ready, and the crowd is definitely SEC ready. As IT has been saying all week: if you haven’t been paying attention to Texas Baseball, now would be a damn good time to start.

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