Even after an unfortunate walk-off loss on Friday, the Longhorns battled to take two out of three in enemy territory as conference action heats up.
The Texas Longhorns needed a bounce back after its embarrassing two-hit loss to Tarleton State at home last week.
With SEC play resuming, it wasn't going to be an easy task as the schedule took them on the road to face Auburn at Plainsman Park.
But the No. 2-ranked Horns ultimately rebounded to capture two out of three against the No. 5-ranked Tigers.
We go game by game to recap the action, because after a shaky Game 1, things threatened to unravel for Jim Schlossnagle's squad in a pivotal three-game set that could define a conference championship pursuit.
Game 1: Longhorns Leave the Door Open in the Worst Way
With the game tied 1-1 going into the ninth inning, the Longhorns' center fielder Aidan Robbins hit a solo home-run - his second of the game - to take the lead, and the Horns tacked on another run by a fielder's choice to go ahead 3-1.
The bottom of the inning saw Auburn respond with a leadoff double and a walk. Texas changed pitchers, but the Tigers kept the foot on the gas with a single to load the bases with no outs.
A strikeout set up the double play that could've ended the game. Auburn singled up the middle that should have kept it at least a tie game, but Robbins' committed a fielding error in the outfield that allowed all runners to come across and the Tigers to walk it off 4-3.
It was a disastrous ending to a series opener, but the Longhorns made sure not to led that shortcoming - and the season's first two-game losing skid - define the rest of the weekend.
Game 2: Texas Leans On Early Offense to Even the Series
The Longhorns' bats came ready on Saturday. Robbins - for the third time in his last five at-bats, smacked a home run - this one to dead center during a four-run third inning that put Texas up 6-0.
Auburn chipped away with two in the fourth and three in the seventh after another Longhorns tally. The Tigers singled in a run in the bottom of the eighth to draw within one, 7-6, but Texas' bullpen came in to slam the door in the bottom of the ninth after Auburn loaded the bases.
It's the Horns' first top-5 road win during the regular season since 2021, but they had their eyes set on clinching the series on Sunday.
Game 3: Longhorns Shut Out Tigers to Quiet Mid-Season Doubts
Texas improved to 20-3 on the year after four Longhorns pitchers banded together to allow just four Auburn hits as the visitors earned a 5-0 win to take the series.
Lefty star Dylan Volantis tossed four innings before Sam Cozart, Brett Crossland and Max Grubbs came in relief to pitch one-hit ball the rest of the way.
Casey Borba steadied the offense with his seventh homer over the last 11 games. He added another run batted in on a groundout in the fifth inning to take the 5-0 lead, which was all the pitching staff needed to secure a massive victory that wipes away any mid-season lulls Schlossnagle's squad may have threatened to fall into.
Texas stays on the road for a non-conference standalone game against Houston on Tuesday before the Oklahoma Sooners come to town for a rivalry series beginning Thursday at Disch-Falk Field.
