The Longhorns left Lawrence on Sunday afternoon with a bitter taste in their mouths.

The Texas ball club returned to Austin after another one-run loss, capping off a dramatic weekend for the team. 

Despite Texas’ victory over Kansas to kick off the series Friday, the Longhorns dropped their second conference series of the season after back-to-back, one-run losses to the Jayhawks, including a 5-4 defeat Sunday.

But the Longhorns had to deal with more than a pair of losses during the trip to Lawrence. On Friday, head coach David Pierce announced that freshman Kevin Roliard is not with the team at this time. 

But once the Longhorns arrived to Hoglund Ballpark on Friday night, they were all business. Pierce’s ball club took a 1-0 series lead following a 5-3 win over the Jayhawks on Friday night. A seven-inning performance on the mound from sophomore Nolan Kingham paired with 11 Texas hits allowed for the 1-0 series lead. 

However, the Longhorns couldn’t maintain the lead throughout their stay in Lawrence.

Redshirt junior Morgan Cooper got the start in game two Saturday. Senior Jon Malmin and sophomore Chase Shugart followed Cooper’s efforts, only allowing a combined two runs. But that’s all Kansas needed. 

The Jayhawks kept Texas off the board until the ninth inning where the Longhorns were one play and a controversial call away from extending the game. 

Although the Longhorns failed to plate a run through eight innings, freshman Austin Todd got the bats going in the final frame with a single. The Longhorns cut Kansas’ lead to 2-1 following junior Michael Cantu’s double to right field. 

With two outs and sophomore Tyler Rand pinch- running for Cantu at second, redshirt sophomore Tate Shaw sent a shot to left field. Rand rounded third and headed for home as a Kansas left fielder slung the ball to the Jayhawk catcher who dove to tag the game-tying run out at home, ending game two in
dramatic fashion. 

The Longhorns took an early 3-0 lead in Sunday’s series finale with a home run from freshman Ryan Reynolds, who hit two home runs during the series. But Texas couldn’t hold on as it dropped the final game, 5-4.  

The Longhorns (19-12, 4-5 Big 12) will have one day to prepare before hosting Sam Houston State at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Tuesday at 6:30 pm.