Texas baseball overcomes injuries to sweep doubleheader vs Mizzou: Recap
David EckertThe way Texas baseball starter Ruger Riojas pitched against Missouri would have been remarkable if it weren’t becoming so typical.
Like a painter sizing up every corner of his canvas, Riojas spent the second half of Saturday’s doubleheader placing the ball exactly where he wanted it to go.
A slider on the outer half. A fastball underneath the batter’s hands. An offspeed pitch out of the zone. The result was seven innings of shutout ball that propelled the Longhorns to a 7-1 victory. Riojas struck out a career-high 10 Tigers.
In his last 16â…” innings of work, Riojas has allowed three runs with 21 strikeouts and one walk.
He was supported by an offense that drove the ball out of the ballpark five times during Saturday’s twin bill, which also included a 7-4 Texas victory in the opener.
Will Gasparino, who slugged two homers on Friday night, left the yard twice in the first game on Saturday to help secure a series sweep for the Longhorns (23-3, 8-1 SEC). Kimble Schuessler, Jalin Flores and Casey Borba each also hit home runs.
Luke Harrison started the first game of Saturday’s double-dip and surrendered four unearned runs in four innings of work against the Tigers (9-17, 0-9). Max Grubbs came on to relieve him with three innings of scoreless production, followed by two more clean innings from star freshman Dylan Volantis.
It wasn’t all good news for the Longhorns on Saturday, though. Already without sluggers Max Belyeu and Adrian Rodriguez, star catcher left the first game of the doubleheader after being struck on his bare right hand with a foul ball. He did not play in the second game.
His status will be one to watch when Texas resumes play against Texas State at home on Tuesday before Georgia comes to Austin for a weekend SEC series.
Texas baseball live score updates vs Missouri
Game 2
FINAL: Texas 7, Missouri 1
End 8: Texas 7, Missouri 1
After Texas left Will Gasparino in scoring position in the eighth, the Tigers finally scratched across a run against the Texas bullpen. Jason Flores came on to calm things down and get Texas out of the inning.
End 7: Texas 7, Missouri 0
The Longhorns stranded the bases loaded in the top half of the frame before turning the ball back over to Ruger Riojas in the bottom half. The righty struck out another pair of Tigers, bringing his whiff total on the night to 10 as he pitched a clean inning.
End 6: Texas 7, Missouri 0
Will Gasparino's bunt single was the only offense Texas could conjure in its half of the inning. In the bottom half of the sixth, Ruger Riojas allowed his first hit since the first inning, but the runner was quickly erased on an inning-ending double play.
End 5: Texas 7, Missouri 0
After the Longhorns went down in order, Ruger Riojas struck out another pair of Tigers to set a new career high with eight strikeouts. He's faced 16 Missouri batters and retired 15 of them.
End 4: Texas 7, Missouri 0
Kimble Schuessler extended the Longhorns' lead with a towering two-run homer, his second of the season. Texas added on by scoring another pair of runs on a Mizzou throwing error. The Tigers finally managed to put the bat on the ball against Ruger Riojas in the bottom half of the frame, but he nonetheless retired the side in order.
End 3: Texas 3, Missouri 0
The Longhorns added a pair of insurance runs on free passes. Jaquae Stewart drew a bases-loaded walk, then Tommy Farmer was hit by a pitch. Ruger Riojas continued his dominance in the bottom of the frame, striking out the side to make it five consecutive whiffs.
End 2: Texas 1, Missouri 0
Casey Borba opened the scoring for Texas in the second, slugging a 403-foot shot over the wall for his fourth of the season. Ruger Riojas retired Missouri in order in the bottom half of the frame, picking up a pair of strikeouts.
End 1: Texas 0, Missouri 0
Texas went down in order to open the second game. In the bottom of the frame, Ruger Riojas stranded a runner on first base with his first strikeout of the night.
FINAL (Game 1): Texas 7, Missouri 4
Dylan Volantis struck out the side in the ninth inning to lock down the victory.
End 8: Texas 7, Missouri 4
Will Gasparino deposited his fourth home run of the weekend, and second of the game, over the wall in left-center field to give the Longhorns some more insurance. After Max Grubbs allowed the leadoff man to reach, Dylan Volantis took over on the mound for Texas. He gave up a pair of hits but kept the Tigers off the board in the inning.
End 7: Texas 6, Missouri 4
The Longhorns failed to score again in the seventh after Kimble Schuessler's leadoff single was wiped out by a double play. Max Grubbs completed a third scoreless inning of work out of the bullpen, adding his fifth strikeout. He was aided by an outfield assist from Will Gasparino as the Tigers made yet another out on the basepaths.
End 6: Texas 6, Missouri 4
The Tigers sent the Longhorns down in order in the sixth thanks to a spectacular play by shortstop Jackson Lovich, who robbed Ethan Mendoza of his third hit of the game. Max Grubbs completed his second scoreless frame with help from Cole Chamberlain's strong throw from behind the dish to catch a runner stealing.
End 5: Texas 6, Missouri 4
The Longhorns added a run in the fifth on Will Gasparino's RBI groundout, giving him 10 RBIs in the series. Luke Harrison allowed the first two Tigers to reach base in the bottom half of the frame, prompting Jim Schlossnagle to move to the bullpen. That proved to be a good decision, with Max Grubbs striking out all three batters he faced.
End 4: Texas 5, Missouri 4
After Texas went down in order in the fourth, Luke Harrison used his second pickoff of the game to help him work around two walks and a single as he posted another zero.
End 3: Texas 5, Missouri 4
The Longhorns found their own power stroke in the third. Jalin Flores tied the game with a two-run shot to left field, his second homer of the series. Then Will Gasparino slugged his third home run of the weekend to put Texas ahead.
Luke Harrison recovered in the bottom half of the frame, pitching around a two-out infield single to produce a shutdown inning.
End 2: Missouri 4, Texas 2
An inning that began in promising fashion for the Longhorns ended in disaster. Jaquae Stewart and Tommy Farmer each drove in runs to give the Longhorns the lead, but a defensive mistake by Casey Borba at third base extended the bottom of the second inning and allowed Chris Patterson to slug a three-run homer for the hosts.
To make matters worse for Texas, slugging catcher Rylan Galvan was forced to leave the game after taking a foul ball off his right hand.
End 1: Texas 0, Missouri 0
The Longhorns grounded out three teams as they were retired in order in the top of the first. Texas starter Luke Harrison allowed a two-out single but erased the runner with a successful pickoff play.
What time does Texas baseball play Mizzou today?
- Game 1 time: 2 p.m. CT
- Game 2 time: 45 minutes after the conclusion of Game 1
- Date: March 29
- Location: Taylor Stadium in Columbia, Mo.
How to watch Texas baseball vs Mizzou today
- TV: N/A
- Streaming:SEC Network+
- Radio: The Longhorn Radio Network
Texas lineup (Game 2)
- 2B Ethan Mendoza
- 1B Kimble Schuessler
- SS Jalin Flores
- CF Will Gasparino
- 3B Casey Borba
- DH Jaquae Stewart
- RF Tommy Farmer IV
- C Cole Chamberlain
- LF Jayden Duplantier
Missouri lineup (Game 2)
- DH Gehrig Goldbeck
- SS Jackson Lovich
- CF Kaden Peer
- 2B Keegan Knutson
- 1B Cayden Nicoletto
- RF Pierre Seals
- LF Isaiah Frost
- C Jedier Hernandez
- 3B Chris Patterson
Texas baseball starting pitcher (Game 2)
RHP Ruger Riojas (5-1, 3.81 ERA)
Mizzou baseball starting pitcher (Game 2)
LHP Brady Kehlenbrink (0-1, 7.20 ERA)
