The No. 3 Texas Longhorns are set up how head coach Jim Schlossnagle prefers — tuned up after an eight-game homestand at UFCU Disch-Falk Field to open the 2026 season before heading to Houston for the BRUCE BOLT College Classic at Daikin Park for three games starting on Friday.
Still undefeated, Schlossnagle expects the Longhorns to face some adversity this weekend, even more so than the self-imposed adversity of playing from behind in several games to start the season.
“Everybody has a plan until
you get punched. So I’m sure we’ll take some punches this weekend, and I’m looking forward to seeing how guys handle the different environment,” Schlossnagle said on Thursday.
Last year, when the Longhorns traveled to Globe Life Field to open the season Shiners Children’s College Showdown, Texas bounced back from an extra-inning loss to Louisville on Friday with wins over Ole Miss and No. 17 Oklahoma State.
“You have the season opening, you have the new coach thing going, and then you’re in a big league stadium against great teams, so there were a lot of sped up heart rates last year. Two things you’re always dealing with in competitive sports are adrenaline and adversity,” Schlossnagle said.
Now the coaching staff has a greater level of familiarity with each other, there’s more talent on the team thanks to highly-ranked high school signees and talented NCAA transfer portal additions, and the Horns have built a sustainable culture within the program. They’ve also played those eight games to start the season instead of opening in a classic.
“It is nice, certainly, to have games under your belt any time because experience matters,” Schlossnagle said.
So while the Texas head coach has some concerns about his team playing on grass for the first time this season, which he expects will cause an adjustment period early in the weekend, something he’s used to seeing from the Longhorns when he coached at other programs.
“That’s going to be something that will be interesting to see how it plays out,” Schlossnagle said.
To help prepare his infielders, Schlossnagle took them up to Dell Diamond on Wednesday to work on their fielding on a natural surface.
When Texas opens the classic against No. 9 Coastal Carolina on Friday, the Horns won’t have to face ace Cameron Flukey, who is projected as a top-10 prospect in this year’s MLB Draft, has a stress fracture in his ribs that is expected to keep him out for two months. Also out is left-hander Hayden Johnson, a key bullpen piece for the Chanticleers last season who earned preseason All-Sun Belt recognition. Another preseason All-Sun Belt pitcher, right-hander Ryan Lynch, is yet to make his first appearance for Coastal this season due to injury.
Expected to start in Flukey’s place is sophomore right-hander Luke Jones (0-0, 2.35 ERA), who allowed two runs on five hits in 3.1 innings last Friday in a win over VCU.
“We’re preparing for the guy that we’re going to face right now and he’s got outstanding stuff as well. I don’t think there’s another pitcher in the country similar to Flukey. So it’s definitely going to be different, but we’re still facing a great team, and still have to go play the game,” Schlossnagle said.
Coastal Carolina is coming off an appearance in the national title series last year in Kevin Schnall’s first season after taking over for Hall of Famer Gary Gilmore, under whom Schnall served as associate head coach for nine seasons and as an assistant for two seasons prior to three years as an assistant at UCF.
Pitcher Jacob Morrison and catcher Caden Bodine, stars on the 2025 team, were both selected early in last year’s MLB Draft, but in the outfield, Dean Mihos is back for his senior season and is batting a team-leading .424, and newcomer Rex Watson, a San Diego transfer, is hitting .381. Both have on-base percentages of .500. Designated hitter Trace Mazon is the only other hitter for Coastal batting over .300 at .371.
As a team, the Chanticleers haven’t hit particularly well so far with a .260 batting average, seven home runs, and a .402 slugging percentage through eight games. On the mound, Coastal Carolina has been much better with a 3.80 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 71 innings while holding opponents to a .216 batting average.
On Saturday, Texas reprises its Big 12 rivalry with Baylor for the 376th time after not playing last season for the first time since 1919 (excluding the pandemic and World War II). Left-hander Ethan Calder (0-0, 0.00 ERA), a Lake Travis product, will take the mound for the Bears.
Picked to finish 11th in the 14-team Big 12, Baylor enters the weekend 5-3 on the season with five home wins, including a midweek 14-4 win over Texas State. In the Round Rock Classic at Dell Diamond last weekend, however, fourth-year head coach Mitch Thompson’s team lost to two ranked teams in Oregon and Southern Miss while also dropping the Saturday matchup against Purdue.
Preseason All-Big 12 selection Travis Sanders, the team’s shortstop, is leading the Bears with a .448 batting average and first baseman Tyce Armstrong is hitting .323 with four home runs, three of which were grand slams in the season opener against New Mexico State, only the second time in college baseball history a player has accomplished that feat in a single game.
The Baylor staff has been solid with a 4.02 ERA and 1.41 WHIP with opponents batting .274 against them.
In the weekend finale, the Horns face the Buckeyes and right-hander Pierce Herrenbruck (1-0, 2.70 ERA). After a weekend sweep of Saint Louis in Florida, Ohio State lost two games to Louisiana Tech in the Grind City Classic before winning two against host Memphis.
The Buckeyes are batting .242 as a team, led by center fielder Miles Vandenheuvel at .391 and designated hitter Mason Eckelman at .346. Outfielder Noah Furcht is hitting .364. Although Ohio State was not picked to finish in the top six of the Big Ten, the pitching staff has been a strength with a 3.77 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP with opponents batting .232.
First pitch for Texas is scheduled for 7 p.m. Central on Friday and Saturday, times that will likely be delayed, and at 2 p.m. Central on Sunday. All three games will stream on Astros.com and the Astros YouTube channel.
