Big third inning pushes No. 3 Texas past Ohio State, 10-3

The No. 3 Texas Longhorns remained undefeated by handling their first big test of the 2026 season, sweeping three games in the BRUCE BOLT College Classic at Daikin Park in Houston by beating the Ohio State Buckeyes 10-3 on Sunday.

A seven-run third inning provided all the margin that the Horns needed behind a third straight strong start by sophomore left-hander Dylan Volantis as Texas recorded 12 hits, but missed some opportunities in stranding 10 runners.

Texas scored all seven runs in the third before Ohio State got an out. Junior first baseman Casey Borba opened the inning with a walk before sophomore right fielder Jonah Williams doubled down the left-field line to advanced Borba to third. After graduate designated hitter Josh Livingston drew a walk, junior second baseman Ethan Mendoza singled to center field to drive in two runs.

An RBI groundout by junior catcher Carson Tinney added another run, junior center fielder Aiden Robbins drove in Livingston on an infield single, and Mendoza scored on a wild pitch. Then sophomore shortstop Adrian Rodriguez doubled down the line to chase the Ohio State starter from the game.

Redshirt senior third baseman Temo Becerra capped the inning with a two-run blast into the Crawford Boxes, his third home run of the weekend to tie his career total before transferring to Texas last summer.

The Longhorns battled to produce two runs in the seventh and another run in the eighth with Becerra recording a team-high three RBI, Borba going 3-for-3 with two walks, and Mendoza and Williams each coming up with two hits. Ten different players scored runs for Texas as eight players had hits.

Volantis wasn’t especially efficient, needing 91 pitches to get through 4.2 innings thanks to three walks and eight strikeouts, but it was another impressive performance for the lanky California product in allowing one run on two hits while also hitting a batter.

Freshman right-hander Brett Crossland earned the win by getting out of the fifth inning, ultimately getting four outs. Ohio State did hit a home run off of Crossland, who struck out two and didn’t allow any other damage.

Over the final three innings, freshman right-hander Brody Walls went two innings, giving up one run on one hit with a walk, hit batter, and two strikeouts.

In the ninth, graduate left-hander Cal Higgins worked around two hits and a hit batter to strand three runners.

Texas returns to UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Tuesday for a midweek matchup against Houston Christian at 6:30 p.m. Central on SEC Network+.