For the first time in over 250 days, Texas baseball has returned to the field for the 2026 season and kicked off the year in dominating fashion as the Longhorns took care of the first of a three-game series against the UC Davis Aggies, winning 12-2 in seven innings.
To open the season, head coach Jim Schlossnagle decided to go with experience on the mound, sending out senior pitcher Ruger Riojas to take the hill on opening day.
There was clearly still some preseason rust for Riojas to work through as the first inning of action came with some troubles. Riojas surrendered three hits while facing seven batters and gave up an earned run in the top of the first. The senior walked the first batter he faced, which allowed the Aggies to get a roll started and find the lead early.
Riojas would strike out back-to-back to end the inning, which would be an early sign for things to come through the rest of the night.
“One of the reasons why we wanted to pitch him in this particular game was his ability to handle his emotions,” Schlossnagle said postgame. “And I think things definitely could have got away from him in the first inning… but he just kept throwing strikes, limited damage and then kept us right where we needed to be.”
In his five-inning outing, Riojas settled in after the shaky first frame, allowing just three hits and one earned run. The righty was racking up strikeouts throughout the ballgame, as he ended his night with nine strikeouts, just one shy of tying his career-high.
Opening day was the anticipated debut of many of the Longhorns’ newest additions, with one of the biggest being that of junior outfielder Aiden Robbins. In his first official game in burnt orange, Robbins was two of four from the plate with three RBIs, a double and his first home run at the “Disch”, crushing a ball 428 feet and over the fence.
“He’s (Robbins) a ball player,” Schlossnagle said. “Some people play baseball, and then there’s a ballplayer… he plays with a lot of freedom. Hitting a home run at Disch-Falk on opening night in front of a sellout crowd, that’s going to get you going, and he got it pretty good right out of the gate.”
Freshman Anthony Pack Jr. also made a strong debut on Friday night, going a perfect three of three from the dish, with a double and two RBIs.
“Gives him confidence,” Schlossnagle said. “Everyday is not going to be like that, but it’s good for a young player to see some positive things happen right out of the shoot.”
Junior infielder Ethan Mendoza put the final touch on the season-opener with a three-run home run in the seventh inning to invoke the run rule. Mendoza’s home run was his only hit of the night, but it was a big one to close the curtain on day one back in UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
