The ‘stache lives.
An offseason razing of junior first baseman Casey Borba’s mustache by head coach Jim Schlossnagle led to a promise — if the No. 2 Texas Longhorns won five straight games, Schlossnagle would start growing a mustache and keep it until the end of the winning streak.
Now at 15-0 in one of the best starts in school history, the Longhorns put that winning streak, and Schlossnagle’s mustache, on the line Tuesday when Texas travels south to San Marcos for the first true road game of the season
against Texas State at Bobcat Ballpark.
The annual trip always produces a hostile environment with a reputation as the biggest home matchup of the season for the Bobcats, although Texas State has given Texas more trouble in Austin than in San Marcos — the ‘Cats are only 2-11 against the Horns at Bobcat Ballpark with the last win in 2019, but have a four-game winning streak at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in addition to a 2024 win in the Astros Foundation College Classic.
Expect a standing-room only crowd, as last year’s game featured attendance of 3,217 at the 2,500-seat ballpark.
At 12-3 overall and 9-2 at home, Texas State is off to its best start since 2022 after taking three of four games over the weekend against future Pac-12 opponent Washington State. Texas State also dropped a home game against Gonzaga in a weekend series.
First baseman Manny Salas leads the Bobcats with a .392 average and is tied for the team lead with 14 runs scored and four home runs. Texas transfer Jacquae Stewart is batting .356 with two home runs and nine RBI. With 18 RBI, shortstop Dawson Park paces the ‘Cats in that category with the help of home runs in each of the last three games.
Set to take the mound for Texas State on Tuesday is left-hander Titan Targac (1-2; 8.00 ERA), who has 11 strikeouts in nine innings over five relief appearances.
Texas has notched run-rule victories in each of its three midweek games so far this season, as well as in three weekend games, including the Friday and Sunday wins over USC Upstate that featured walk-off home runs from freshman outfielder Anthony Pack Jr. in the opener and redshirt senior designated hitter Josh Livingston to sweep the Spartans.
Sunday’s win was a breakout performance for Livingston, the Wichita State transfer who slugged two home runs and notched six RBI after entering the game batting .125 on the season.
“Super happy for him,” Schlossnagle said. “He’s one of the hardest workers, if not the hardest worker, on our team since he’s been here. He’s put up numbers in college like he did last year at Wichita State, and just really hasn’t been rewarded for all the work.”
A left-handed power bat, Livingston has pressed early in the season, causing mechanical issues that led him to roll over on pitches instead of staying on the ball and using the entire field to hit.
“If you stay on the baseball, when the pitch is thrown in the right spot, then he’ll hit it out. But if he’s thinking about pulling the baseball, then he’s gonna be an easy guy to pitch to. So he knows that, and he’s worked really hard at it, he just hasn’t been able to execute it,” Schlossnagle said.
With sophomore Jonah Williams banged up again after aggravating his shoulder injury attempting a diving catch on Friday, the Horns may need Livingston to remain in the lineup until Williams is healthy again.
Texas also enters Tuesday’s game with a different look to its midweek options on the mound.
Last season in San Marcos, right-handed reliever Grayson Saunier made his only start of the season and was the first of eight pitchers to appear in the 14-11 victory with right-handers Cody Howard and Thomas Burns the only pitchers who didn’t give up earned runs to the Bobcats.
This year, the Longhorns not only have a deeper bullpen, they also have a weekend-quality starter in freshman right-hander Sam Cozart, who is 3-0 with a 1.38 ERA and 0.68 WHIP over two starts and three appearances, striking out 18 batters over 13 innings and limiting opponents to a .116 batting average.
On Monday, the 6’6, 260-pounder was named SEC Freshman of the Week after allowing one run over five innings against Houston Christian, retiring the first 14 batters he faced before allowing a solo home run in the fourth inning. Cozart struck out six without issuing a walk and threw 52 of his 73 pitches for strikes.
First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m. Central on ESPN+.
