With conference baseball tournaments underway this week a total of 30 Division I automatic regional post-season bids will be claimed. Unfortunately, Texas will not be among the teams securing an automatic bid after an abrupt exit from the Big XII Tournament in Oklahoma City.  The ‘Horns failed to score any runs in Game 1 vs. Missouri, losing 5-0 and they fell short in a 9th inning comeback effort vs. Kansas in an elimination game yesterday. Texas finishes the season with a record of 30-22 which may or may not be enough to get the Longhorns into a regional.
Some may say this isn’t the year for Texas baseball while others have said (if you can believe it) it’s time for Coach Garrido to go. Let’s quickly address the latter first.  Augie is going nowhere. He has 5 College World Series Championships and is the all-time NCAA Division I leader in wins as a head coach.  He leaves Texas when HE wants to.  Trust us when we say you don’t want to get in his face. It is a battle you will lose (see infamous YouTube video). Now on to the topic at hand… We would be blowing smoke up your rear if we said this wasn’t an adverse year for Longhorn baseball. Texas experienced a myriad of injuries, namely to the pitching staff, which makes it very difficult to win games consistently. In case you don’t remember the “hits that kept on coming†to the team, take a quick look at the direct hits to the Longhorn baseball battleship this season:
Regional pairings are announced early next week. Depending on how the selection committee sees the merits or shortcomings of a depleted Texas program, the Horns will be playing in a Houston/ Baton Rouge Regional or watching it all take place from afar. Until the committee makes its decision… TEXAS FIGHT.