No. 16 Texas bounces back from a Saturday setback and secures season-opening series win
Texas closed out the first weekend of its baseball season on a high note.
Six Longhorns drove in a run as No. 16 Texas recorded a 9-4 win over San Diego at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Sunday afternoon. Sunday's success secured a series win for UT, which opened its season with Friday's 7-3 victory but was then beaten in extra innings Saturday.
"It's always great to win a series at home to start the (season)," UT coach David Pierce said.
Of the first eight runs scored at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Sunday, only one was plated by a hit. That happened when Texas designated hitter Jayden Duplantier beat out a throw by San Diego third baseman Will Worthington with two outs and the bases loaded in the fifth inning for an infield single.
Aside from that, Texas built its 5-3 lead behind a sacrifice fly, a bases-loaded walk, a bases-loaded hit by pitch and its first successful steal of home since 2019. San Diego scored on two bases-loaded walks and an error.
The Longhorns added four additional runs in the sixth and seventh sessions.
That was enough offense to support the relief efforts of Cody Howard and Max Grubbs, who combined to allow four hits and one earned run over the 6⅔ innings they worked out of the bullpen. Grubbs gave up just two hits over his 2⅔ innings, but the second hit was an infield single that ricocheted off the sophomore right-hander and ended his day in the eighth inning. Pierce said after the game that he thought Grubbs would be fine.
Texas starting pitcher Tanner Witt did not factor in the decision.
"I did alright today, we've got guys that can do just as well if not better," Howard said. "It's going to be a good season. There's going to be a lot of good arms that come out of that pen."
Texas will return to UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Tuesday for a home game against Houston Christian. The Lance Berkman-coached Huskies went 11-37 last season.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas Longhorns begin baseball season with series win over San Diego
