Texas baseball tops San Diego to win season-opening series

No. 16 Texas baseball and head coach David Pierce had some ups and downs to open the 2024 regular season this weekend in a three-game series against the San Diego Toreros. But a 9-4 win over San Diego at UCFU Disch-Falk Field on Feb. 18 clinched the season-opening series for Texas.

The Longhorns ended this three-game season-opening series this weekend with two wins and one loss. Texas picked up a win in the season opener by a score of 7-3 at the Disch on Feb. 16 behind a grand slam from sophomore Jalin Flores.

Multiple RBIs from Jalin Flores and Peyton Powell lift No. 16 Texas baseball over San Diego

San Diego got their revenge on the Longhorns in Game 2 in this series by a narrow 6-5 edge in extra innings on Feb. 17.

However, the Longhorns got the last laugh in this series, rallying behind some late-inning offense to get the five-run win on Feb. 18. Texas overcame an early-game two-run deficit and some defensive gaffes to get the series-clinching win on Sunday at the Disch.

Starting pitcher Tanner Witt allowed one earned run and two walks in one inning of work on the mound. Texas's bullpen came in clutch with just one earned run and six hits allowed over eight innings.

The bats finally came alive for the Longhorns in the middle innings, including runs batted in from Jayden Duplantier and Porter Brown (who was hit by a pitch to drive in a run). Late-inning singles from Peyton Powell and Will Gasparino essentially sealed the victory for Texas heading into the eighth.

But Texas didn't making it easy on themselves to close out the game. San Diego had the bases loaded, with the potential game-tying run in the on-deck circle, in the top of the ninth. Fortunately, Texas worked out of that jam to close out the 9-4 win.

The stars of the weekend for the Texas bats were Flores and Powell. They combined for two home runs, a dozen RBIs, and nine hits to ensure that the Longhorns came out of this weekend's series with a winning record.

Powell came up big with at least one RBI in each of the Longhorns' three games this weekend. Flores also had big outputs offensively in Texas's two wins in this series against the Toreros.

Flores, Powell, and the 2-1 (0-0 Big 12) Longhorns get back to work at the Disch in a one-game midweek series on Feb. 20 against the Houston Christian Huskies. The first pitch time between Texas and Houston Christian at the Disch on Feb. 20 is set for 6:30 p.m. CT.

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