Ruger Riojas fans 10 as Ethan Mendoza, Casey Borba and Anthony Pack Jr. homer in Texas’ 8-1 win over Michigan State.
If this is what early-season Texas baseball looks like, the rest of the country should probably take notice. No. 3 Texas moved to 5-0 on the year with a convincing 8-1 win over Michigan State at Disch-Falk Field, powered by dominant pitching and a trio of home runs that turned a tight game into a runaway.
It all started on the mound with Ruger Riojas.
The right-hander tied a career high with 10 strikeouts across six strong innings, allowing just one run on three hits. He walked one, hit a batter, and most importantly, got nastier as his pitch count climbed.
After Texas padded its lead late, Riojas slammed the door by striking out the side in his final frame, improving to 2-0 on the season.
Through two starts, he’s piled up 19 strikeouts and looks every bit like a Friday-night anchor. The offense wasn’t exactly quiet either.
Ethan Mendoza continues to look like a different hitter in 2026. The sophomore, who added 20 pounds in the offseason, launched his third home run of the year with a two-run shot that gave Texas breathing room in the fourth inning.
Mendoza finished 3-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored, pushing his average to .450.
Casey Borba added fireworks in the fifth with a two-run blast of his own, and freshman Anthony Pack Jr. kept the momentum rolling in the sixth.
Pack, who entered the night hitting .538, crushed his first collegiate home run and is now batting a ridiculous .571 through five games.
Texas’ depth showed up late as well. Freshmen Michael Winter, Brett Crossland and Brody Walls combined for three scoreless innings, surrendering just two hits and striking out multiple batters. The bullpen never let Michigan State sniff a comeback.
Add in Adrian Rodriguez’s two doubles and a highlight-reel defensive play at shortstop, plus Jonah Williams reaching base twice in his season debut, and it was a complete performance.
Game 2 comes on Saturday at 2 p.m. CT, with Luke Harrison set to take the ball as Texas looks to stay unbeaten.