OTF Premium Jim Schlossnagle, No. 6 Texas media availability ahead of Missouri series | Wednesday, 12 p.m.

[Jeff Howe]

AUSTIN, Texas — Ahead of No. 6 Texas welcoming Missouri to UFCU-Disch Falk for the final three-game series of the regular season, Jim Schlossnagle and the Longhorns will meet with the media.

Wednesday’s availability is on the eve of Texas (36-12, 16-10 SEC) hosting the Tigers in Thursday’s series opener (6:30 p.m., SEC Network+). The Longhorns are tied with No. 10 Texas A&M in the conference standings and remain in contention for a Top 8 national seed in the NCAA Tournament. D1Baseball.com’s latest field of 64 projections have Texas clinging to a Top 8 seed, with the Longhorns slotted as the No. 6 overall seed in the tournament (Texas is one of four SEC clubs currently projected to be a national seed, which means one of the eight roads to Omaha would go through the Forty Acres).

On Texas Football is at Disch-Falk Field, providing updates as the Longhorns prepare for Missouri (23-27, 6-21) before next week’s SEC Tournament in Hoover, Ala.

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[Jeff Howe]

We're moments away from getting started, live from the third-base dugout at the Disch.

[Jeff Howe]

Ruger Riojas said the Longhorns aren’t thinking about a national seed this weekend.

”The goal is to win,” he said. “That’s it.”

[Jeff Howe]

On his arm soreness issue, Riojas said he feels fine. He believes it’s just the heavy workload that a starter goes through that’s led to the soreness.

He said he’s fine and ready to pitch however much the Longhorns need him to the rest of the way.

[Jeff Howe]

“I don’t want to say that I’m unlucky or anything, but baseball is such a random game,” Riojas said when asked about why things haven’t gone his way lately.

[Jeff Howe]

Riojas isn’t sure why the first inning has been a struggle for him lately. He thinks he might be too calm to start the game.

[Jeff Howe]

Riojas on how he feels about the season winding down: “The end hasn’t come yet. I don’t want it to end yet.”

[Jeff Howe]

On his pitch selection, Riojas said he and Max Weiner haven’t talked about narrowing down his pitch selection or simplifying things. He believes the variety he brings to the mound is one of his biggest assets.

[Jeff Howe]

That’s it from Riojas. Hopefully, we’ll get word from Schloss on the rotation for the Missouri series.

[Jeff Howe]

Jayden Duplantier said the Longhorns weren’t shaken up by the Tennessee series, but he said the Longhorns learned a lot about themselves.

”It was a good kick in the tail,” he said.

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Duplantier was named to the SEC Baseball Community Service Team today.

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“It’s definitely flown by super fast,” Gumbo said of his time at Texas.

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On why he didn’t transfer out of the program, Duplantier said he wanted to be at a place where he could win and succeed. He bet on himself and he’s got a key role on this team heading into the postseason.

”There is was no point in trying to leave this place,” he said.

[Jeff Howe]

Gumbo said that he’s continued to work with the infielders throughout the season to stay sharp. The work has come in handy now that he’s manning second base with Ethan Mendoza on the mend.

[Jeff Howe]

On the Gumbo nickname, Duplantier said when he was a kid he put potato salad in him gumbo. His dad started calling him Gumbo Salad and it stuck.

”I don’t even hear my first name anymore,” he said.

[Jeff Howe]

That’s it for Gumbo. Schloss is up next.

[Jeff Howe]

Per Schloss, the plan is for Ethan Mendoza will DH this weekend. Schloss said he doesn’t have enough information to make a determination regarding Mendoza’s status beyond that.

[Jeff Howe]

Schloss said Maddox Monsour is a better offensive player than he’s shown. He added that Monsour is giving the Longhorns what they want from him defensively.

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Schloss said Dariyan Pendergrass is close to coming back. They’re being careful with him right now.

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Schloss said the pitching rotation will remain the same.

”We’re going to pitch to win,” he said.

 

[Jeff Howe]

Schloss said the starters will be on short leashes this weekend because of the short week.

[Jeff Howe]

Schloss said Anthony Pack Jr., who is fine now, previously aggravated his wrist throwing a medicine ball in the weight room.

[Jeff Howe]

Schloss: “Most soft tissue injuries are somebody’s fault.”

Unfortunately, Texas isn’t dealing with a ton of those, which makes it tougher to explain some of the ailments.

[Jeff Howe]

Schloss said the players are having to push through a lot right now, but…

”You want to be a pro player? Well, here it is, buddy,” he said.

[Jeff Howe]

If the team wants to get to Omaha, their habits and work needs to reflect that.

”If not,” he said, “then shame on you.”