Texas baseball sees undefeated run come to an end vs. UCLA

The magical run to begin the 2022 season came to an end on the evening of March 6 for No. 1 ranked Texas baseball and head coach David Pierce against the UCLA Bruins out of the PAC-12 South. Texas did appear to be facing a team on a building hot streak coming into this finale game in the Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic on March 6.

UCLA came into this meeting with the Longhorns after a 1-1 start against Big 12 competition this weekend. The Bruins dominated the Oklahoma Sooners in a seven-inning game that ended in UCLA’s favor by the final score of 15-3.

But UCLA also fell short to the Baylor Bears in the first game of the Shriners College Classic this weekend.

Moreover, what looked to be the most manageable game of the weekend for Pierce and the top-ranked Longhorns turned out to be a real snag. Texas downed two ranked SEC opponents to start out this weekend event after toppling the No. 17 Tennessee Volunteers and No. 7 LSU Tigers by a combined margin of 10 runs.

UCLA proved to be a more capable challenger at least in this game, though. Texas did get off to a decent start in terms of effort on the mound. Sophomore Lucas Gordon got his second start of the season, and only allowed one earned run in four innings of work.

David Pierce sees No. 1 Texas baseball fall for the first time this season after 4 IP from Lucas Gordon

Gordon also gave the Longhorns one strikeout, allowed one walk, and four hits in his four innings on the mound.

The loss in this game wouldn’t go to Gordon, though, as the bullpen wasn’t as solid as Longhorns fans were used to early this season. Texas saw the loss go to Lebarron Johnson, who got only one-third innings pitched in this game while allowing one earned run.

Three earned runs and four runs allowed were tallied up to Texas’ bullpen in this loss to UCLA. That is not something that faulted the bullpen throughout much of the early portion of this season.

Texas also just couldn’t get much of anything going with the bats in this game. With only five hits and five runners left on base, there just weren’t many opportunities for the Longhorns to get anything going offensively.

UCLA also capitalized on more of their opportunities, scoring five runs while leaving nine runners on base.

Some really big names for the Longhorns fell flat with the bats in this game. Eric Kennedy, Austin Todd, Douglas Hodo III, and Trey Faltine were all held without any hits or runs against UCLA.

You have to give credit to UCLA’s bullpen in this game, which came through with nearly four scoreless innings of work to top Texas. UCLA’s pitching staff gave up just five hits, two walks, and struck out 14 in this game.

This loss to UCLA ended the undefeated run for Pierce and the Longhorns to start out the regular season. Texas was really on a roll heading into this game. But there was going to be an endpoint for this run.

Texas will be looking to bounce back from this loss to the Bruins as they get back to work on March 8 on the road against the Texas State Bobcats.