The first pitch came nearly 30 minutes late, but the Longhorns packed things up early in the seventh thanks to a dominant fourth inning scoring seven runs. Sprinkling three more runs in the final inning coasted Texas to a 10–0 victory over the Ole Miss Rebels Saturday night at Globe Life Field in Arlington.
“I’m just super proud of the way our guys responded after the excitement of starting the season last night,” Texas head coach Jim Schlossnagle said. “I told them after (last night’s) game, we would be defined by how we responded.”
Freshman infielder Adrian Rodriguez kicked off the Longhorns massive fourth inning, hitting a double to left field. Two pitches later, the Rebels suffered a major fielding error advancing Rodriguez and giving junior infielder Jalin Flores a single of his own.
Capitalizing on the window, Flores stole a base set up by junior outfielder Max Beyleu with two runners in scoring position. Getting the right pitch, Belyeu singled out towards right field, bringing Rodriguez home for the game’s first score.
Getting tired on the mound, Ole Miss senior pitcher Riley Maddox hit sophomore outfielder Tommy Farmer IV with his pitch, sending him to first and loading the bases. Sophomore outfielder Will Gasparino continued the hitting onslaught, doubling to an open left field bringing two more runners home.
Texas was not done just yet.
Junior catcher Rylan Galvan hit a single, paving the way for Gasparino and Farmer IV to come home. Switching pitchers did not do the trick for the Rebels, closer Sam Tookoian walked sophomore infielder Ethan Mendoza and allowed graduate infielder Kimble Schuessler to hit a double to bring in another Texas run.
After two more walks with the second advancing a runner to home for the Longhorns seventh run of the inning, Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco had enough, pulling Tookoian after just 19 pitches.
Finding another spark, Belyeu came up big one last time, hitting the game’s only home run, meeting Flores at home for the RBI double. With just one run to go, Gasparino quickly tripled deep into left field, setting himself up in scoring position.
“Troy (Tulowitzki) has done such a good job with him, Will has finally bought into something,” Schlossnagle said. “He’s a completely different hitter, and hopefully he’ll stay consistent with that.”
The Rebels swapped out pitchers, their fifth of the night, but it made no use. Mendoza got in on the action, hitting the game winning single bringing Gasparino home for the Longhorns’ 10th run.
Making his first start this season after being sidelined last year with an elbow injury junior pitcher Luke Harrison dominated on the mound. Pitching 6.1 innings, Harrison threw for 44 strikes on 71 pitches holding the Rebels to just two hits and one walk all night.
“My arm been feeling healthy as ever, body’s feeling great,” Harrison said. “I’m ready to keep going.”
Texas will play former Big 12 foe, the Oklahoma State Cowboys for the final game of the Shriners Children’s College Showdown Sunday at 6:30 P.M. at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
