Texas Baseball: Horns advance to CWS after dominant win over USF

Truly a night to remember arrived for the Texas baseball program on June 13. No. 2 ranked Texas and head coach David Pierce surely rounded out the weekend on a high note with a dominant showing against the American Athletic Conference Champion South Florida Bulls. Texas downed USF in Game 2 of the Austin Super Regional at Disch-Falk Field on the night of June 13 by the final score of 12-4.

This win over USF to cap the weekend came in a much more convincing fashion than the opener of the Super Regional. Texas beat USF in the first game of the Austin Super Regional by a score of 4-3. It took a walk-off game-winning base hit to center field from Eric Kennedy for the Longhorns to get that narrow one-run win over the Bulls to open the weekend, specifically on June 12.

Redshirt junior right-hander Ty Madden was brilliant for Texas on the mound in Game 1 against USF. He served up 6.2 scoreless innings on the hill, and nearly got his eighth win of the season if not for USF’s three-run rally in the top of the ninth inning on June 12.

What helped to push the Longhorns to get this win over USF on June 13 was a nice effort from the pitching staff after taking over for Tristan Stevens. It wasn’t the best night on the mound for Stevens, who gave up four earned runs in 5.2 innings worked. But thankfully, Cole Quintanilla and Aaron Nixon shut out the Bulls bats from then on out.

The bats and bullpen help guide Texas baseball to the College World Series

A trio of Longhorns players helped to gash USF with their bats in this eight-run triumph. Cam Williams had a nice two-run shot in this game, along with a whopping four walks. Williams really helped to give Texas the spark needed to put up double-digit runs on the Bulls.

Kennedy was also big for Texas at the plate for the second straight game in this Super Regional. He knocked in two runs and had two additional walks on the night. Although he didn’t have a single hit, Kennedy managed to make an impact at the plate in a number of other ways.

Another Longhorn that had a big night at the plate was Trey Faltine. In one of his best games with the bat in the postseason thus far, Faltine had two hits in three at-bats, with two runs and three runs batted in. Faltine was also good for Texas with the glove as usual.

This trio of Williams, Kennedy, and Faltine were just part of a well-rounded effort from this Texas squad that makes up why they are so dangerous heading into the College World Series. This will be the first berth in the College World Series in Omaha for Pierce and the Longhorns since the 2018 season.

Despite the down night from Stevens on the mound, the Longhorns still rallied to get this massive win to sweep the Austin Super Regional against USF. This means that Texas went unscathed in five games through the Austin Regional and Super Regional. They are red hot heading into the College World Series with a record of 47-15.

Texas is the sixth team that has already moved onto Omaha to the College World Series. The Longhorns are also the lone school from the Big 12 that looks like they will make it to Omaha this season. The four teams remaining that are vying for a spot in the College World Series at this point are Dallas Baptist and Virginia in the Charlottesville Super Regional, and Mississippi State and Notre Dame in the Starkville Super Regional.