Will it be viva Las Vegas or will it be what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas?
New weekend, new test for the Longhorns as they continue their non-conference slate in preparation of SEC opening weekend which is quickly looming. Can the Longhorns bats get going? Will the starting pitching duo of Jared Spencer and Luke Harrison continue to shove? Does Kade Bing continue to come into his own and entrench himself as the third starter? How about that Longhorn bullpen, will they continue to be effective and do we see any new arms? How will the natural surface affect the defense?
All questions that the Horns will need to answer and do so against three solid teams. When looking at the team records, ignore the fact that two of the teams are sub .500. Both teams have the arms to compete and Texas Tech certainly has the offensive potential to compete.
What I want to see this weekend is Spencer and Harrison both continue to compete and go at least 5 innings. I want to see Kade Bing continue to throw strikes and compete on Sunday. I want to see Rylan Galvan manage the run game, especially on Sunday against an Illinois team that likes to put pressure on the base paths. I want to see the INF trio of Jalin Flores, Adrian Rodriguez, and Ethan Mendoza handle the natural grass surface and play error free ball. I want to see the Horns continue to build upon the offensive strategy of getting deep into counts and force the opposing pitchers to work. Nothing cheap! Lastly, I want to see the team play loose and have fun.
Overall though, this weekend should be a good test of where the team is currently and provide another data point in the litmus test of what the potential lineup and pitching rotation will be.
Details on Las Vegas Ballpark:
The weekend tournament is being played at dully named Las Vegas Ballpark, which is home to the Las Vegas Aviators which is a Triple-A club in the Pacific Coast League and affiliated with the Athletics. The $150M stadium was completed back in 2019 and it is a natural grass surface.
Capacity at Las Vegas Ballpark is 8,196. The dimensions are 340 to LF, 380 to left CF, 415 to CF, 380 to right CF, and 340 to RF. Based on those dimensions, the ballpark will play large.
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#15 TEXAS LONGHORNS v. Washington Huskies
Date: Feb 28th
Where: Las Vegas
Time: 8pm CST
TV: D1Baseball.com – Use code TEX25 for $10 off the fee
Radio: AM-1300 The Zone
Horns v. Huskies. After meeting up for a three-game series in Austin during the 2024 season which saw the Huskies come away with a series win, though not without some fair play questions, the teams will matchup again in Las Vegas. Gone is head coach Jason Kelly, who is now the pitching coach at Texas A&M, and several other notable figures from the 2024 squad.
The 2025 Huskies have been a tough lot. They opened up the season by beating a tough Kansas State squad, but have struggled since going 2-6, including losing four in a row to Stanford. The Huskies haven’t quite gotten things going offensively yet and have questions around bullpen depth, but their frontline guys and a core group of relievers have been solid.
SERIES MATCHUP:
- Huskies and Horns first met last season (2024) in Austin. The Huskies won the first two games before Texas bounced back to win a time shortened Sunday finale.
- Huskies lead the all-time series 2-1
- Washington was picked to finish 17th out of 17 by D1Baseball.com
RECORDS:
Texas: 6-1 (0-0 SEC)
Washington: 3-6 (0-0 Big 10)
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS:
FRIDAY–Texas LHP Jared Spencer (0-0, 0.90 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 10 IP) v. Washington RHP Max Banks (1-1, 1.50 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 12 IP)
- Banks is a Div III transfer that has started the year off with a bang. He has gone 6 innings in both of his starts, getting a win against Kansas State and taking a 2-0 loss against Stanford.
- Banks has a mid-70s curveball and a low 90s fastball that has some late life
Washington Top Relievers:
- Thomas Jackson (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 3 apps, 1 start, 9.2 IP)
- Peysen Sweeney (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 3 apps, 6.2 IP)
- Sawyer Parkin (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 3 apps, 3.1 IP)
- Isaac Yeager (1-0, 3.18 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 3 apps, 5.2 IP)
Washington Offensive Leaders:
- Trevor Kole (.324 BA, .925 OPS, 2 HR, 4 RBI, .500 SLG%, .425 OB%, 0-1 SB)
- Casen Taggart (.290 BA, 1.135 OPS, 2x 2B, 3 HR, 10 RBI, .710 SLG%, .425 OB%, 0-1 SB)
- Colton Bower (.286 BA, 1.036 OPS, 4x 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, .607 SLG%, .429 OB%, 1-1 SB)
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#15 TEXAS LONGHORNS v. Texas Tech Red Raiders
Date: March 1st
Where: Las Vegas
Time: 6pm CST
TV: D1Baseball.com – Use code TEX25 for $10 off the fee
Radio: AM-1300 The Zone
The Red Raiders have certainly not started the season how they would have liked, but some of that can absolutely be attributed to the schedule. The Red Raiders opened the season on the road against a Top 10 ranked North Carolina squad. Tech battled but ended up getting swept. Texas Tech then welcomed UC Irvine into Lubbock, only to lose the series 2-1 to a tough Anteaters squad. Offensively and defensively, the Red Raiders have struggled mightily.
What this team is currently capable of has yet to truly be seen, as there are some talented guys on the roster, but so far, this is a team that is struggling to find an identity and play well in all aspects.
Offensively, the name to know is TJ Pompey who has started the season with a bang after an impressive freshman campaign. One thing to watch this weekend is if Junior reliever Zane Petty is moved to the starting rotation. He has been solid out of the pen, but did make 11 starts as a freshman back in 2023.
SERIES MATCHUP:
- First meeting: 1968
- Last meeting: 2024 (Texas won the opening conference series in Lubbock 2-1) but fell to the Tech in the opening game of the Big 12 Tourney in Arlington.
- All-Time Series: 121-54
- Home: 64-24
- Away: 50-25
- Neutral: 7-4
- Texas Tech is picked to finish 6th out of 14 in the Big 12 by D1Baseball.com
RECORDS:
Texas: 6-1 (0-0 SEC)
Texas Tech: 1-5 (0-0 Big 12)
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (not yet confirmed):
Saturday – Texas LHP Luke Harrison (1-0, 0.93 ERA, 0.72 WHIP, 9.2 IP) v. Texas Tech TBA
Red Raiders have only played six games so far and have mixed up their rotation both weekends. Horns will likely face one of the following two arms.
- RHP Max Heuer (0-1, 9.39 ERA, 1.96 WHIP, 7.2 IP)
- Heuer went 6 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 8 K against Texas in 2024 getting the win
- RHP Lukas Pirko (0-0, 4.82 ERA, 1.71 WHIP, 9.1 IP)
- Transferred in from Cal Baptist where he had a 5-3 record over 14 starts, striking out 76 in 72.2 IP
Red Raiders Top Relievers:
- Zane Petty (0-0, 1.69 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 2 apps, 3.1 IP)
- Zach Crotchfelt (1-0, 3.86 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 2 apps, 4.2 IP)
- Trendan Parish (0-1, 10.80 ERA, 3.00 WHIP, 2 apps, 3.1 IP)
- Tyler Boudreau (0-0, 2.70 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 2 apps, 3.1 IP)
Red Raiders Offensive Leaders:
- TJ Pompey (.409 BA, 1.480 OPS, 1x 2B, 4 HR, 7 RBI, 1.000 SLG%, .480 OB%, 1-1 SB)
- Damian Bravo (.304 BA, .864 OPS, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .435 SLG%, .429 OB%, 2-2 SB)
- Kyeler Thompson (.292 BA, .872 OPS, 1x 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .458 SLG%, .414 OB%, 5-5 SB)
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#15 TEXAS LONGHORNS v. Illinois Fighting Illini
Date: March 2nd
Where: Las Vegas
Time: 1pm CST
TV: D1Baseball.com – Use code TEX25 for $10 off the fee
Radio: AM-1300 The Zone
Illinois is off to a good start in 2025, with back to back series wins over Abilene Christian and Texas State. The series win over Texas State looks even more impressive after the Bobcats went into College Station and beat the #1 ranked team in the nation this past Tuesday.
Offensively, the Fighting Illini have had the bats going and continue to supplement the hot bats with a bevy of stolen bases to put pressure on opposing pitching staffs. That is one aspect of the matchup against Texas that will be worth watching as Texas struggled mightily with runners on the base paths last year. Has Rylan Galvan taken the next step?
The Illini were strong offensively in 2024, which helped them win the Big 10, but the most surprising aspect in 2025 is how well the starting rotation has done. Texas will have a battle on their hands on Sunday as they will go up against Julius Sanchez who has 13Ks in 12 IP and has walked just 1 batter.
SERIES MATCHUP:
- First meeting: 1914
- Last meeting: 1991 – Horns swept the three-game series in Austin
- All-Time Series: 5-4
- Home: 5-2
- Away: 0-2
- Neutral: 0-0
- Illinois was picked to finish 8th out of 17 by D1Baseball.com
RECORDS:
Texas: 2-1 (0-0 SEC)
Illinois: 5-2 (0-0 Big 10)
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS:
Sunday – Texas LHP Kade Bing (0-0, 5.40 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 5 IP) v. RHP Julius Sanchez (1-0, 2.25 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 12 IP)
Illinois Top Relievers:
- Sam Reed (0-0, 1.80 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 2 apps, 5 IP)
- Ryan Daly (1-0, 2.08 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 2 apps, 4.1 IP)
- Jake Swartz (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP, 1 app, 3 IP)
Illinois Offensive Leaders:
- Nick Groves (.417 BA, 1.041 OPS, 1x 2B, 9 RBI, .458 SLG%, .583 OB%, 5-5 SB)
- Greg LaChance (.400 BA, 1.020 OPS, 1 HR, 11 RBI, .520 SLG%, .500 OB%, 4-4 SB)
- Kyle Schupmann (.391 BA, 1.213 OPS, 2x 2B, 1x 3B, 1 HR, 6 RBI, .696 SLG%, .517 OB%, 3-3 SB)
PREDICTION
- Horns will go 2-1 over the weekend
- On the season, I am 7-0
COLLEGE BASEBALL SERIES/GAMES TO WATCH
- #2 LSU v. Kansas State - the Wildcats and Tigers have both been hot
- #19 Dallas Baptist v. Oral Roberts - intriguing early season matchup of mid-majors
- #3 Tennessee v. Oklahoma State - the Pokes rotation has not lived up to the billing so far and Vols are on a tear
- #8 Florida v. Miami - always an entertaining series
- #22 Southern Miss v. #25 TCU - most anticipated series this weekend for me as it is a big test for both
- #13 Clemson v. South Carolina - big test for the in-state rivals
- #9 Oregon State v. Baylor - big test for the Bears against an Oregon State squad that had a so-so weekend previously
- #1 Texas A&M v. Arizona - can the Ags bounce back after two straight losses?
- #9 Oregon State v. Auburn - big early test for Auburn against a top 10 team
- #15 Texas v. Texas Tech - can the struggling Red Raiders get some pay back against their former Big 12 foes
- #1 Texas A&M v. Oklahoma State - another big matchup of teams that can really hit the ball
- #18 Mississippi State v. Oklahoma State - good matchup to determine how real the Miss State rotation is
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