Texas falls to Tennessee, 14-9, drops second SEC series in Knoxville

It felt like everything that could go wrong for the Texas Longhorns did go wrong this weekend.

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The Longhorn bats were non-existent the night prior in Knoxville, scoring just one run in a loss, but this has been a team that has shown the ability to battle after Friday losses this year, winning three separate series, two on the road, despite beginning the weekend in the hole.

That was far from the case, though, against the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday, getting crushed 14-9 and dropping just the second series in SEC play.

The bats started well, to their credit, as the Longhorns would notch three runs before recording two outs, thanks to a Temo Becerra home run. Even though many of the nine runs came in the first and ninth innings, the runs were still produced.

But things quickly turned, as usual, Sunday starter Luke Harrison took to the mound and gave up two solo shots in the smaller ballpark in the bottom half.

Usual Saturday arm Ruger Riojas was taken off the spot before the game, with head coach Jim Schlossnagle noting the team wanted to get him in a better spot physically. He’s expected to start on Sunday.

Tennessee would continue to chip away at the lefty, hitting another solo shot in the second to tie it and a double in the third to take the lead.

Harrison looked to be out of the fourth inning with a strikeout with two outs, but Carson Tinney skied the dropped third strike throw, extending the inning. Four pitches later, another homer, this time an absolute missile to right field.

Harrison would exit with four earned runs and six total given up in 3 2/3 IP, striking out just two.

As this went on, Texas’ bats began to sink back into the ways of the night before. The Longhorns walked into this one incredibly shallow and banged up, as 2B Ethan Mendoza injured his throwing shoulder the night before and was left out of the lineup.

As a result, the bottom of this Texas order struggled, and the Longhorns were blanketed as Tennessee starter Evan Blanco extended deep into the game.

Texas would add two in the fifth thanks to another hit from Becerra, who is currently red hot, but the bullpen and the defense continued to struggle. Texas 5-9 spots in the order combined for two hits in 20 ABs, walking just once and striking out eight times.

Three runs in the bottom of the fifth, as Brett Crossland struggled and Becerra threw away a bunt that scored two.

Two more in the sixth, freshman Brody Walls gave up a homer.

And another in the seventh off of fellow freshman Michael Winter, and two more off him in the eighth.

This was the most hits Texas has allowed all year, all in eight innings, and the most given up in SEC play. More than the A&M Friday night. A complete collapse.

Texas would score four in the final two frames thanks to a Casey Borba homer, another Becerra hit and some poor pitching control from the freshman arm, but it never got back in reach.

On one hand, it’s a series loss that you can write off as the Longhorns. They remain third in the SEC standings, and it’s just the second series loss of the year for the Horns. They’ll still hold a spot as a top-eight national seed heading into a final weekend matchup at home against the worst team in the SEC, Missouri.

But this Texas team just looked lifeless at times. The Horns are clearly thin thanks to many reasons, but there are still several question marks surrounding Adrian Rodriguez and Casey Borba, full-year starters, as well as the final OF and DH spots in the order.

That’s not to mention the struggles defensively, as Harrison gave up three home runs, and a traditionally solid bullpen arm in Crossland looked overwhelmed. The infield, which looked like the best in the nation last weekend, made multiple errors.

It’s a two-game stretch that you have to push way behind you, and hope to steal one win in the series on Sunday and bounce back against the Tigers before the start of the postseason.

On the plus side, regional play is still three weeks away.

On the downside, regional play is just three weeks away.