After dropping the series finale against Oklahoma on Sunday, Texas couldn’t bounce back against Texas A&M’s stellar pitching in a 2-0 shutout Tuesday night.

“(We) played defense, pitched well; it was a clean ball game,” Texas head coach David Pierce said. “(The Aggies) hit two balls out of the park and we didn’t score, and that was the only difference.”

A&M freshman starting pitcher Nathan Dettmer left Texas batters in shambles, allowing just three hits and no runs in seven innings pitched. He kept the Longhorns from getting into their groove and forced them to try to beat Texas A&M with their defense. 

However, Pete Hansen, Texas redshirt freshman starting pitcher, gave Dettmer a run for his money. Hansen gave up just four hits and didn’t allow a run up until the bottom of the fourth inning when Aggies sophomore outfielder Logan Britt rocketed a ball out of the park to give A&M a 1-0 lead. 

The Aggies went on to score one more run on a home run from graduate catcher Mikey Hoehner and rode their hot pitching to a 2-0 shutout.

The Longhorns batting struggles have continued since their loss to Oklahoma on Sunday, as they’ve only been able to muster two runs on nine hits in the last two games. 

Texas was struck out nine times and was shut out for just the second time this season, their first game scoreless since the State Farm College Baseball Showdown in Arlington to begin the year. 

Pierce felt that his team left a lot on the table against the Aggies on Tuesday night. 

“I thought we competed,” Pierce said. “We just didn’t do enough to get any kind of rhythm going in our offense to have an opportunity.” 

Texas was led at the plate by redshirt freshman catcher Silas Ardoin who recorded two of the team’s four hits on the night. 

Texas couldn’t garner any momentum as Texas A&M’s pitching and fielding group kept them in check for most of the game. Aggies senior first baseman Will Frizzell had a tremendous night as he recorded nine putouts in his dominant performance against the Longhorns batters.

Although Texas’ batting wasn’t great, its pitching and fielding kept the Longhorns within striking distance. Their pitching group allowed just two runs on six hits, and their fielding group performed just as great, recording 24 putouts.  

Ardoin led the way fielding, recording nine putouts to keep Texas close. 

It was a tough loss for the Longhorns, who have now dropped two straight games that could have been decided in the final inning. They look to end their two-game skid Thursday night as they play the opening game of their three-game series against Kansas.