The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Texas State
No. 2 Baseball preview: Texas State
03.30.2026 | Baseball
Longhorns meet Bobcats for the second time in last three weeks
TEXAS STATE vs. #2 TEXAS
Date: March 31, 2026
Where: UFCU Disch-Falk Field
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Stream/TV: SEC Network+
Radio: 103.1 FM
Live stats: texas.statbroadcast.com
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUP
Texas State LHP Ryan Markwardt (0-1, 37.80 ERA) vs. Texas RHP Max Grubbs (2-0, 4.08 ERA)
THE MATCHUP — No. 2 Texas faces Texas State for the second time in the last three weeks, as the Longhorns welcome the Bobcats to UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Tuesday. On March 10 at Bobcat Ballpark, Texas defeated Texas State, 15-4, highlighted by Casey Borba's second career multi-homer effort. Borba drove in five runs, as the Longhorns notched double-digit tallies for the sixth consecutive game, tying a program record set in 1940. Across the all-time series, Texas sports a 58-17 advantage, including a 44-14 lead in Austin. Texas State head coach Steven Trout played for Texas skipper Jim Schlossnagle during the 2006-07 seasons at TCU.
AIN'T NO LOVE FOR OKLAHOMA — For the first time since 2014, the Longhorns swept the Oklahoma Sooners in the annual rivalry series. Texas run-ruled Oklahoma, 14-0, before walking off the Sooners in back-to-back contests to break out the brooms. In the series opener, the Longhorns recorded the largest shutout victory in Red River Rivalry history. Texas' offense scored at least three runs in four of the first five innings. Meanwhile, Ruger Riojas became the first Longhorn to post a complete game shutout since Pete Hansen accomplished the feat against TCU on April 8, 2022. In each of the final two contests, Texas erased 3-0 deficits, with Ashton Larson and Casey Borba each delivering the walk-off hit in the 10th inning on Friday and Saturday, respectively. Over the series, Texas welcomed 23,407 fans to UFCU Disch-Falk Field, the third-highest mark for a three-game set in the ballpark's history. On Saturday, the 8,059 fans in attendance were the second-most for a regular season contest since opening more than 41 years ago.
SCORCHING START — The 2026 Longhorns are one of three Texas teams to begin 23-4 or better over the past 21 years. Last season, the Longhorns notched a 44-14 record, earning the No. 2 overall seed in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship. In 2005, Texas finished with a 56-16 ledger, capturing its sixth national championship. Heading into the midweek, the Longhorns have outscored their opponents, 235-85. As of March 30, Texas has posted the country's third-best ERA (2.85) and sixth-best WHIP (1.13). Meanwhile, the Longhorns' .948 OPS is 20th in all of Division I Baseball.
THE EYES OF TEXAS ARE UPON YOU — Texas is ranked No. 2 by all five major outlets, trailing only consensus No. 1 UCLA. Through three weekends of league action, the Longhorns are in a three-way tie for first place in the Southeastern Conference, sharing the top spot with Mississippi State and Georgia. In the SEC's preseason poll voted on by the league's 16 head coaches, the Longhorns were picked second behind defending national champion LSU.
MASTERING MIDWEEKS — Texas is 4-2 in midweek games, registering three run-rule wins in those contests. Last season, the Longhorns went 9-2 in midweeks. Since 2020, Jim Schlossnagle's clubs have notched a 56-12 (.824) ledger in midweek games, winning 28 of the last 33 contests.
