The Longhorns gave up six runs in the first inning and could never recover against the GAtors.
On Friday night at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in the final regular-season home series of the 2025 season, the deficit for the No. 1 Texas Longhorns looked like the crown on the field, sloping uphill to the pitcher’s mound.
After falling behind 6-0 in the first inning as junior right-hander Ruger Riojas was only able to secure one out while allowing four walks and three hits, the Longhorns couldn’t recover, striking out 16 times and stranding 10 runners on base.
“Played uphill all night,” Texas head coach Jim Schlossnagle said. “Obviously, the first inning really set us back. Ruger’s obviously better pitcher than that, but free bases and the balls that were hit hard and then the balls that got through, we were playing uphill the entire night.”
It was the second straight poor start for Riojas, who had pitched three times in 13 days in last week’s rocky performance against Arkansas and was fighting the flu on Friday in retiring only one of the eight batters that he faced and throwing a wild pitch that scored a run.
“A little life lifeless to his body, maybe a little bit, but if anything, we get him out of there and maybe gets a little bit of time to catch his breath, has more rest for next week,” Schlossnagle said.
Texas missed an opportunity to level that upslope a little bit in the first inning, but it was also ultimately indicative of the struggles that the Horns faced at a plate. Sophomore designated hitter Ethan Mendoza was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, but junior catcher Rylan Galvan and junior shortstop Jalin Flores both struck out.
Attempting to mount a two-out rally, senior first baseman Kimble Schuessler and freshman second baseman Adrian Rodriguez both singled to load the bases. Quickly down in the count on three pitches, sophomore center fielder Will Gasparino popped out to the third baseman to end the threat.
The Longhorns only managed single runs in the third and eighth inning as the Gators scored again in the third and the fourth to maintain a comfortable margin.
“We had a few guys in the lineup really fighting in their at bats and a few other guys just had really rough nights, I think pressing pretty hard, trying to carry the team. Can’t hit three-run home runs with nobody on base,” Schlossnagle said.
Of the seven hits by Texas, two apiece came from Schuessler, Rodriguez, and sophomore third baseman Casey Borba while Mendoza, Galvan, and Flores combined to go 1-for-13 with nine strikeouts, including four by Galvan in five at bats.
“Rylan’s one of the best hitters, if not the best hitter on our team, and he feels it, and he’s trying to carry the team. Can’t do that — you just have to get your pitch to hit,” Schlossnagle said.
Texas has now been outscored 36-11 in its four consecutive conference losses.
“The team that put it to us tonight that’s playing really well started the season 1-11. If anybody thinks that we’re immune to that, we’re not, not in this conference. So we’ll be get back at it tomorrow, see what happens,” Schlossnagle said.
First pitch is at 1 p.m. Central on SEC Network with redshirt junior left-hander Luke Harrison taking the mound.