AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Longhorns are Omaha bound, sweeping South Florida to book a spot in the College World Series for the 37th time in program history.
Texas withstood South Florida’s best shot, winning on a walk-off Saturday night 4-3. On Sunday, the Longhorns offense battered the Bulls’ pitching staff for a 12-4 win. Texas posted four crooked number innings, piling up an 8-3 lead by the fifth inning.
Back-to-back doubles by Trey Faltine and Silas Ardoin knotted the game at 2 in the second inning. Texas finished the inning with a 4-2 lead after a sacrifice fly by Eric Kennedy and a ground out by Mike Antico.
Texas never trailed again.
Starting pitcher Tristan Stevens wasn’t at his best, but he escaped several tight jams and earned the winning result. Stevens threw five and two-thirds innings, allowing four runs.
Cam Williams added the boom in the eighth inning, hitting a two-run homer over the center field wall for an 11-4 Texas lead.
In the ninth inning, the celebration was on. The Texas faithful cheered “Omaha” as Aaron Nixon struck out Julio Cortez to clinch the Austin Super Regional.
Up to this point, Texas has played nearly perfect postseason baseball, outscoring its regional and super regional opponents 49-12 in five games. The Longhorns fans at UFCU Disch-Falk Field created a daunting environment, helping Texas to a 5-0 postseason record.
Now, Texas needs to continue its momentum at Omaha’s TD Ameritrade Park as one of the eight finalists in the College World Series. The first day of the College World Series is Saturday, June 19.
This is David Pierce’s second trip with Texas to the College World Series, leading the Longhorns to Omaha in 2018. That appearance was short-lived with a quick 0-2 exit.
These Longhorns believe their 2021 stay will be much longer with a solid three-man rotation and a dangerous lineup from one through nine. Texas will be in bracket two, which is still undecided. No. 2 seed Texas and No. 3 seed Tennessee are awaiting the winners of the Mississippi State-Notre Dame and Dallas Baptist-Virginia super regionals.
