Longhorns drop second straight to Arkansas, first series loss of the season
Different night. Same story. Amidst a raucous crowd of over 11,000 at Arkansas' Baum-Walker Stadium, the No. 1-ranked Texas Longhorns fell again. The Razorbacks have left the Longhorns searching for answers heading into today's finale. Back-to-back losses on Thursday and Friday night ensured the Longhorns' first series loss of the season.
Over two games in Fayetteville, Texas has been outscored 15-1, shut down by elite pitching, and undone by quiet bats.
Another slow start, another uphill climb
Texas starter Luke Harrison ran into trouble early, giving up four runs across four innings, including a solo home run by Brent Iredale and a three-run double by Kuhio Aloy in the second. Just like Thursday night, Arkansas took control early and never gave Texas a chance to settle in.
The Longhorns' lone run came on a Rylan Galvan solo shot in the fourth—one of just five hits on the night. The Texas lineup looked overwhelmed all night. Razorbacks pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts, and Texas failed to mount any real threat. Longhorns batters have struck out 29 times through the first two games.
Reality check in the SEC
This is Texas's first series loss of the season and a harsh reminder that SEC competition is as good as it gets in college baseball. The Longhorns entered the series winners of 10 straight, and owners of 13 consecutive series wins. None of that mattered in a hostile environment against a team nipping at the heels of the Longhorns in the SEC.
SEC teams have won the last five College World Series. If Texas wants to add to that number this year, they'll need to prove they can handle weekends like this—and respond to them.
Salvage the finale, reset the tone
Texas has a chance to avoid the sweep today at 2 PM CST. A win won't make up for the last two nights, but it would steady the ship heading into the final stretch of the season. Right now, it's not about rankings or resumes—it's about showing this team can respond when it gets punched in the mouth.
There's still everything to play for, but it starts with bouncing back. The Longhorns need a spark, a tone-setter, and a reminder of the level it takes to win against elite competition, especially on the road.