Texas Advances to Regional Final Off Powerful Offense

Tarleton State had gotten the better of Texas earlier this season, but the Longhorns made sure to defend home field when it mattered most on Saturday in the Austin Regional round of the NCAA tournament.

After launching six home runs in the regional opener, the Longhorns made quick work of the Texans, 16-2, off of five homers at Disch-Falk Field.

The offensive outburst was most extreme in the second inning, when Aiden Robbins, Carson Tinney and Anthony Pack Jr. hit back-to-back-to-back jacks.

Ethan Mendoza added a homer in the third, and Adrian Rodriguez put the cherry on top with one of his own in the eighth.

Texas' ace lefty Dylan Volantis, who set the program's single-season strikeout record in the game, improved to 9-1 on the mound by throwing 6.2 innings and punching out seven. His lone run allowed came in the seventh inning, where one base runner was his responsibility in a two-run single by Tarleton State's Raphael Smeenk.

"Great ballgame for us," said Texas head coach Jim Schlossnagle postgame. "Felt like Dylan did a great job of trying the best he could to stay in rhythm given the long sits he had between innings. ... Obviously, the top of the second with the three straight homers really got [the crowd] going and gave us a little breathing room."

Where Friday's win over Holy Cross was thanks to a season-high in hits, Texas' on-base percentage on Saturday was a result of plate discipline. Tarleton State issued 17 walks in the game, including a stretch of six in a row and seven overall in the fourth inning.

However they've come by, the Longhorns' offense has been potent in the regional. Texas has outscored its opponents 35-3 across the last two games, which is the most runs scored in any two-game stretch in Texas postseason history.

For all the offense, there was still some defense, as well. Schlossnagle called Dariyan Pendergrass' sixth-inning diving catch in centerfield the "highlight of the game."

"I thought we played awesome defense," Schlossnagle said. "I thought Pendergrass' catch was a huge sign for us. We've been looking for, you know, a premium defender in center field, and he's been hurt most of the season. Now that he's, knock on wood, back in full speed, you know, he gets on base, and that's a really good sign for us."

The Longhorns advance into the regional final to face the winner of UC Santa Barbara and Tarleton State on May 31 at 5 p.m. CT. It will be the second game of the day for Texas' opponent.

The No. 6-seeded Horns are one win away from a berth in the Super Regionals, which would be back in Austin next week.