The Horns haven’t won against the Cats at the Disch since 2021.
For the seventh consecutive weeks, the Texas Longhorns have climbed the national rankings, moving up to No. 5 in the D1Baseball poll after the weekend sweep of the Missouri Tigers prior to hosting the Texas State Bobcats on Tuesday at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
With Texas holding a 56-16 advantage in the all-time series against Texas State, it’s not a matchup that is typically considered a rivalry from the Longhorns perspective, but the Bobcats certainly circle it every year and have had some real success over the last several seasons, including wins in four of the last six games and three straight wins in Austin.
It’s a remarkable surge by Texas State that also reflected the cracks in the David Pierce era even as the Bobcats have experienced diminishing success under sixth-year head coach Steven Trout — after finishing first in the Sun Belt in 2022, Texas State has finished fifth in each of the last two years, including a sub-.500 record last year.
Picked to finish eighth in the 14-team conference this year, the Bobcats are 4-5 in the Sun Belt, 12-15 overall, and currently rank No. 127 in RPI, but do have wins over Oklahoma State and Texas A&M. Other matchups against Power Four programs include a series loss to Illinois and home losses to TCU and Baylor, the latter a seven-inning, 19-3 defeat.
Texas State didn’t place any players on the preseason All-Sun Belt team. So far, the team leader in 31 hits (31), runs (20), walks (12), hit by pitches (seven), and stolen bases (seven) is shortstop Ryne Farmer, who is also second on the team with a .304 batting average behind catcher Ian Collier at .339. Both players have 12 RBI. Chase Mora leads the Bobcats with 17 RBI and seven doubles, adding three home runs.
The team batting average is only .253, however, with a .374 slugging percentage.
Right-hander Shane Connell (0-0, 9.64 ERA), a Blinn College transfer, will receive his first start of the season after making four relief appearances with four strikeouts in 4.2 innings. The Texas State staff is holding opponents to a .249 batting average, but has a 6.18 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, and has hit 52 batters in 27 games
Texas will send sophomore left-hander Kade Bing to the mound for his second midweek start after the McLennan CC transfer picked up his first win for the Longhorns last week by going 4.0 innings with two runs allowed on five hits and four strikeouts, marking the second straight positive appearance for Bing, who began the season as the Sunday starter.
In a normal week, sophomore center fielder Will Gasparino earning SEC Player of the Week honors after slashing .533/.588/1.600 slash line with five home runs and 13 RBI might receive top billing, especially after those five home runs came in 10 at bats.
Instead, it’s the injuries sustained against Missouri, including a fractured thumb sustained by junior right fielder Max Belyeu that could keep him out for the remainder of the regular season. The initial prognosis is more positive for junior Rylan Galvan and freshman third baseman/designated hitter Adrian Rodriguez. An X-ray on Galvan’s throwing hand was negative on Saturday after he was hit with a fouled bunt attempt and the upper body injury sustained by Rodriguez was not as serious as initially feared. Both players are reportedly day to day.
“When those guys go down and out, there’s an emotional blow there, but I think our guys did a nice job of overcoming it,” Schlossnagle said on the Around the Horns podcast.
With sophomore Tommy Farmer moving to right field to replace Belyeu, fellow sophomore Easton Winfield could receive the first opportunity to move into a starting role until Belyeu returns. The ULM transfer has gotten off to a slow start, batting .189 in 14 starts, but he’s already a proven college player after hitting .332 with 10 home runs last season.
Replacing Galvan should only be a short-term concern for Schlossnagle with freshman Cole Chamberlain stepping in. In the batter’s box, Chamberlain is only batting .148 with 12 strikeouts in 27 at bats, but he’s also drawn 13 walks, evidence of his ability to control the strike zone. While Chamberlain hit the ball weakly into the shift several times in Columbia, Schlossnagle believes in his ability to use the back side of the field, it’s just a matter of applying that skill in games.
“He hits balls in BP regularly into the Yeti Yard in left-center field, so, he’s got a long ways to go, but there’s certainly the potential to be a very good catcher and a very good offensive player,” Schlossnagle said.
First pitch against Texas State is at 6:30 p.m. Central on SEC Network+.