FINAL:
Georgia - 3
Texas - 4
BOX SCORE
Winning Pitcher: Dylan Volantis (3-0)
Losing Pitcher: Brian Zeldin (1-1)
RECAP
In the Top 1st, RHP Ruger Riojas gave up a lead off double down the LF line to the UTA transfer Ryan Black, who was inserted into the lineup today. Ruger then got a ground out by the next batter, but runner moved over to 2B with just one out. After striking out the next batter, Ruger tapped into his luck as he threw an 82mph breaking ball to the back stop which saw the ball bounce hard off the wall and back to Galvan who flipped to Ruger covering home who was able to get the tag in just before the runner from 3B slid in to keep it 0-0.
In the Bottom 1st, 2B Ethan Mendoza led off with a HBP as he took a fastball up and inside near the head. Unfortunately, the Horns could not take advantage as SS Jalin Flores, C Rylan Galvan, and CF Will Gasparino went down in order.
In the Top 2nd, Ruger Riojas again let the first guy he faced reach base as he issued a lead off walk. Ruger bounced back though with a strikeout and then back to back fly outs to keep it 0-0.
In the Bottom 2nd, the Horns would take the early lead as 1B Kimble Schuessler led off by hitting a ball hard on the ground to the SS who was playing back and he threw wide of the bag. It was ruled a single as it would have been very hard play to make due to how far back he had been playing. Kimble then advanced to 2B on a wild pitch and then immediately moved over to 3B, followed by a Casey Borba walk to put runners on 1B and 3B for no outs. That brought DH Jaquae Stewart to the plate and just as he did yesterday, he came through in the clutch with an RBI single to LF to make it 1-0 Horns. Texas could not tack on any more runs though as RF Tommy Farmer struck out and then LF Jayden Duplantier grounded into a double play to end the frame.
In the Top 3rd, Ruger was back out and immediately got the first batter to ground out, but that is when things went south for the mustache man. He walked the next two batters and then hit the batter after that to load the bases up with just one out, which brought the 3 hole hitter and second best hitter on the team to the plate. Ruger's struggles continued as he would battle but walk in a run to make it a 1-1 ball game. With the bases still loaded and Georgia's best hitter and one of the top hitters in all of the NCAA at the plate, things looked bleak. Ruger dug deep though and induced a ground out double play to end the threat and keep it a 1-1 ballgame.
In the Bottom 3rd, the Horns went down in order as the top of the lineup could not get anything going.
In the Top 4th, Ruger was back on the mound and was able to retire the side in order.
In the Bottom 4th, Georgia returned the favor by retiring the Horns in order, sending it to the 5th inning still tied 1-1.
In the Top 5th, after getting back to back strikeouts, Ruger left a pitch out over plate and UTA transfer Ryan Black mashed it to RF, getting some wind help to give Georgia a 2-1 lead.
In the Bottom 5th, Georgia's starter Finley retired the Horns in order as he racked up two strikeouts and a ground out.
In the Top 6th, Ruger Riojas was back on the mound and retired the side in order with back to back strikeouts and then a ground out to keep the Horns within one run.
In the Bottom 6th, Ethan Mendoza led off the inning being hit by a pitch, again up near the head by Georgia starter Finley. That brought Jalin Flores to the plate and he put the Horns ahead as he hit the first pitch he saw, a slider, to right CF for a two run HR. That home run by Jalin Flores was career home run number 30, which ties him for 10th all-time at Texas.
Rylan Galvan then drew a walk, prompting Georgia's coach Wes Johnson to make a call to the bullpen. With no outs and Galvan on 1B, Will Gasparino hit a single up the middle that was 108 off the bat, but unfortunately, Galvan tried to go from 1B to 3B and on a perfect throw from CF was tagged out as he slid into 3B. Kimble Schuessler would then strike out and Casey Borba would foul out preventing Texas from incurring any more damage and sending it to the 7th with the Horns leading 3-2.
In the Top 7th, Ruger Riojas, who had thrown 85 pitches to that point was back on the mound. Unfortunately, Nolan McCarthy of Georgia who had a decent weekend overall got a hold of a 94mph fastball and sent it over the wall in RF to tie the game up at 3-3. That prompted Jim Schlossnagle to make a call to the bullpen to bring in freshman LHP Dylan Volantis who struck out the first two batters he faced, before issuing a 2 out walk. Volantis, cool as a cucumber as he has been all season proceeded to strike out the next batter to end the top half of the frame.
In the Bottom 7th, Jaquae Stewart led off the inning with a strike out. Tommy Farmer reached base after he drew a walk, but was called out on hitter interference by Jayden Duplantier. Jayden did battle back to draw a walk, followed by a 2 out single from Ethan Mendoza to RF to put two runners on, but Georgia went to the bullpen again and the new pitcher, JT Quinn was able to strike out Jalin Flores on a chest high fastball to end the threat.
In the Top 8th, Dylan Volantis was back on the mound and retired the side in order as he struck out all three batters he faced.
In the Bottom 8th, Kimble Schuessler got a 2 out single to CF after Galvan grounded out and Gasparino struck out. Casey Borba then drew a walk, once again putting two runners on with two outs, but Georgia went to the bullpen again to bring in the veteran Brian Zeldin who struck out Jaquae Stewart to end the threat and send it to the 9th inning still tied 3-3.
In the Top 9th, Dylan Volantis gave up a lead off single to the right side, but induced two fly outs and then got a strikeout to end the Georgia threat.
In the Bottom 9th, Tommy Farmer led off with a hard hit to LF that went into the corner for a lead off double. Jayden Duplantier unfortunately was not able to lay down a sac bunt to move Farmer over and wound up striking out. Ethan Mendoza then hit a ground out to the SS which advanced Farmer to 3B. That brought Jalin Flores to the plate who had the chance to be the hero but a hard hit ball to LF was into the wind and knocked down for an out to send it to extra innings.
In the Top 10th, Dylan Volantis was back out on the mound to face the 9-1-2 and retired Georgia in order with a pop up, fly out, and strike out, which was Volantis's career high 8th strikeout. That sent the game to the Bottom 10th with the game still tied 3-3.
In the Bottom 10th, Junior Catcher Rylan Galvan came to the plate and worked a 3-1 count, fighting the urge to chase a couple of sliders outside. On the 5th pitch that Galvan saw from Brian Zeldin, he got a 92mph fastball over the plate and he pounced on it, hitting it 410 feet with an exit velo of 111 off the bat to RF off the top of the RF scoreboard for a walk off opposite field home run, giving the Horns a 4-3 win and series sweep.
BIG MOMENT
There can be only one.
In the Bottom 10th Junior Catcher Rylan Galvan came to the plate and worked a 3-1 count using everything he could to lay off several good breaking balls away. On the 5th pitch he saw, hunting fastball he got a hold of one and CRUSHED it to right CF, hitting it off the top of the RF scoreboard for a walk off oppo taco.
INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE
Freshman LHP Dylan Volantis has been sensational this season, but this might have been his best yet.
In 4 IP, he faced 14 batters, striking out 8 of them, giving up just 1 walk and 1 hit en route to the win. The freshman southpaw who humorously missed the walk off home run by Rylan Galvan due to hitting the bathroom had everything working today. He used a mix of fastball, curveball, and slider keep the Georgia lineup guessing, twice striking out the side and racking up a career high 8 strikeouts.
His season stats are just absurd for a freshman at this point. 3-0, 7 saves, 0.95 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 28.1 IP, 5 BB, 36 K.
TAKEAWAYS
Wow. Not just a series win, but a series sweep over the #3 team in the nation.
That makes 3 sweeps out of 4 series to start SEC play. One coach after the game would comment, "it's just not normal". The thing is, he is right, this is NOT normal. Playing in the SEC is not supposed to be like this and no one certainly expected this kind of start out of the Horns in the preseason, but this is baseball and this team sure has made it fun so far.
While there is a lot of baseball still to play, the Horns have clearly made their case to be #2 in the polls tomorrow and continue to steam ahead full speed towards a potentially special season.
I will have a lot more in tomorrow's article Rounding the Bases, but the start to the season is special and this is definitely a special team, so tune in, head to the Disch, and support the team.
Lastly, on the injury front, things are looking upward to having freshman Adrian Rodriguez back next weekend against Kentucky in some manner.
NEXT UP:
The Longhorns (26-4, 11-1 SEC) are back in action on Tuesday night against Houston Christian at 630pm at Disch-Falk field before they head east to face Kentucky next weekend
