The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
16-1, 0
Ole Miss
16-3, 0
No. 2 Baseball suffers first loss in 9-8 extra-inning defeat to Ole Miss
03.13.2026 | Baseball
Longhorns’ season-opening 16-game winning streak halted in conference opener
AUSTIN, Texas — The second-ranked University of Texas baseball team dropped its first contest of the season, falling to Ole Miss, 9-8 in 11 innings at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday night.
With the loss, the Longhorns' season-opening winning streak was halted at 16 games, matching Texas' best start to a season since 2005.
In the bottom of the 11th, the Longhorns (16-1, 0-1 SEC) put the tying tally on first and brought the winning run to the plate, but Ole Miss righty Landon Waters (1) slammed the door.
Texas also found itself down to its final strike in the ninth, but Temo Becerra notched a game-tying single to force extra innings.
Across the 4-hour, 34-minute contest, the Longhorns led for 4 ½ frames, coming one out away from registering a win in the Southeastern Conference opener.
Instead, right fielder Tristan Bissetta launched a go-ahead grand slam to vault the Rebels in front, 8-7.
In the defeat, Texas totaled three home runs, capped off by Anthony Pack Jr.'s three-run shot in the eighth. Pack Jr.'s fourth blast of the season padded the Longhorns' lead to 7-3.
Ethan Mendoza and Casey Borba also left the yard, smacking homers in the third and fourth, respectively. Mendoza mashed a game-tying three-run jack before Borba smacked his fifth round-tripper in as many games one frame later.
Ole Miss righty Tyler Rabe (3-0) earned the victory, striking out five over two innings in relief.
Meanwhile, Texas right-hander Brett Crossland (1-1) was tagged with the loss. Crossland struck out four of the six batters he faced, but a hit batsman came around to score the decisive run.
The Longhorns will look to even the series against the Rebels on Saturday. First pitch is set for 2:30 p.m. at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Taylor Rabe (3-0)
L: Crossland, Brett (1-1)
S: Landon Waters (1)
Batting:
2B: Judd Utermark 1
HR: Tristan Bissetta 1
RBI: Dom Decker 1 ; Judd Utermark 1 ; Will Furniss 1 ; Owen Paino 1 ; Tristan Bissetta 5
SH: Brayden Randle 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Dom Decker 1 ; Judd Utermark 1 ; Cannon Goldin 1 ; Tristan Bissetta 1 ; Brayden Randle 1 ; Austin Fawley 1 ; Hayden Federico 3
HBP: Dom Decker 1 ; Brayden Randle 1 ; Hayden Federico 2
Batting:
HR: Mendoza, Ethan 1 ; Pack Jr., Anthony 1 ; Borba, Casey 1
RBI: Mendoza, Ethan 3 ; Becerra, Temo 1 ; Pack Jr., Anthony 3 ; Borba, Casey 1
SH: Duplantier, Jayden 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Mendoza, Ethan 1 ; Robbins, Aiden 2 ; Becerra, Temo 1 ; Pack Jr., Anthony 1 ; Borba, Casey 1 ; Duplantier, Jayden 1 ; Livingston, Josh 1
SB: Robbins, Aiden 2 ; Pack Jr., Anthony 1 ; Duplantier, Jayden 1
HBP: Pack Jr., Anthony 1
