No. 16 Texas takes series against Dartmouth with 3-2 win

The Horns prevailed in another close win over the Big Green.

The No. 16 Texas Longhorns secured the first weekend home series of the season with a 3-2 win over the Dartmouth Big Green on Saturday at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in another game impacted by cold weather in the Austin area.

Moved back by an hour due to rain, the game featured another anemic performance by the offense as the damp weather and wind blowing in cost the Horns at least one home run — sophomore second baseman Ethan Mendoza only posted a .443 slugging percentage last season with three home runs, but hit a ball about as hard as he can that hung in the air and only made it to the warming track.

Still, there wasn’t much pop for Texas with two extra-base hits among the eight knocks for the Longhorns, including multi-performances by junior right fielder Max Belyeu and freshman third baseman Adrian Rodriguez, but striking out eight times and only drawing one walk were both disappointing results for head coach Jim Schlossnagle’s team.

The season’s second start for redshirt junior left-hander Luke Harrison wasn’t as impressive as his 2025 debut, lasting 57 pitches over 3.1 innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits with two strikeouts and a walk.

The superlative performance on the mound by Texas came from senior right-hander Andre Duplantier, who was effective in his lowered arm slot, striking out three and allowing only a single hit in 3.2 innings.

Junior right-hander Max Grubbs earned his first career save, escaping a jam created in part by Duplantier and senior left-hander Will Mercer in the eighth inning when a one-out error by junior catcher Rylan Galvan ended Duplantier’s appearance and Mercer walked the first batter he faced on four pitches and was pulled after throwing two more pitches outside the zone in the next at bat.

Grubbs hit that batter to load the bases, but only needed three pitches to strike out the Dartmouth catcher to preserve the narrow lead.

The ninth wasn’t particularly smooth for Grubbs after allowing a leadoff infield single and a full-count walk, but the Big Green weren’t able to get down a bunt, striking out instead, and Grubbs was able to retire the final two batters with efficiency.

In the first inning, Texas matched an unearned run scored by Dartmouth by loading the bases with one out on two singles and a walk, getting on the scoreboard thanks to a wild pitch. A chance for a big inning went lacking, though, when sophomore center fielder Will Gasparino hit into a fielder’s choice and sophomore left fielder Tommy Farmer struck out looking on a full count.

The Longhorns didn’t score again until the sixth inning when they tied the game at 2-2 when Rodriguez used his quick hands and ability to barrel the baseball to knock a one-out double into right center, scoring on a single up the middle by Gasparino.

The eighth inning saw Texas score the go-ahead run thanks to a two-out rally started by senior first baseman Kimble Shuessler, who singled to left field on a 1-2 pitch and scored on a bloop double by Belyeu into center field.

Texas goes for the sweep on Sunday at noon Central on SEC Network+ as sophomore left-hander Kade Bing makes his second start for the Horns.