No. 2 Baseball drops series opener at South Carolina

Thursday, April 2

Columbia, SC.

6 p.m. CT / 7 p.m. ET

University of Texas

24-5, 7-3

South Carolina

15-16, 2-8

Texas

South Carolina

No. 2 Baseball drops series opener at South Carolina

04.02.2026 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Robbins launches team-leading 11th home run in defeat

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The second-ranked University of Texas baseball team came up short at South Carolina, falling to the Gamecocks, 9-1, at Founders Park on Thursday night.

South Carolina (15-16, 2-8 SEC) posted a five-run second inning and cruised the rest of the way to pick up its second league win of the year.

After pushing across a tally on an RBI groundout, the Gamecocks mounted four consecutive two-outs across an eight-pitch span to cap off the crooked number.

With the Longhorns (24-5, 7-3 SEC) one out away from limiting the damage to a run, Will Craddock beat out a 48-mph infield hit to pad the South Carolina advantage.

On the next pitch, Erik Parker doubled to put a pair of Gamecocks in scoring position.

Patrick Evans followed by swinging at the first pitch, driving a two-run triple into the left field corner.

Ty Bak punctuated the five-run burst with an RBI double to left.

Aiden Robbins delivered his team-leading 11^th homer to answer in the third, but South Carolina held the visitors there.

The Gamecocks added three insurance tallies on a pair of blasts in both the sixth and seventh innings.

South Carolina right-hander Zach Russell (3-0) earned the win, tossing 2 1/3 scoreless in relief of Alex Valentin. Russell allowed one hit and totaled four strikeouts.

Texas ace Ruger Riojas (5-1) was tagged with his first loss of the season. Riojas, who had not yielded a run in 13 2/3 consecutive frames entering the evening, surrendered six over three innings.

The Longhorns will look to even the series on Friday. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. CT / 7 p.m. ET at Founders Park.