Thoughts on last night’s game and Texas Longhorn Baseball Team…. Reasons for optimism…

[Bevo92]

Still processing last night.   I can only imagine what our team is feeling this morning.  Sucks to lose that way.    Couple of thoughts on the morning after…

1) I can’t recall another game all year with that many compounding mistakes in the field combined with stranding 10 runners on base.   

2) It would be one things if we got beat playing our best and the other team simply played better.   This stings more because much of the loss felt self inflicted due to poor execution.   Hats off to UTSA for grinding after we took the 6-1 lead but we shot ourselves in the foot last night.   How will we respond in the elimination game against KSU?

3) Hard to believe how well the Horns have played all season when you look at the team’s individual performances.  Statistically, our Horns have been middle of the conference for much of the season.   Hitting, fielding, pitching.   Our team is largely the same as last season.  For a few of our hitters, their numbers have actually regressed this season which is a bit troubling.  

4) The most impressive (and surprising) part of the team imo is our shut-down freshman closer Dylan Volantis.  He’s been a lot of fun to watch.   Excited to see his career progress on the 40 acres.  What’s not surprising is that we’ve struggled as a team ever since Jared Spencer went down with the season ending shoulder injury.   We don’t have the depth in quality pitching to handle the loss of our #1 starter.  This was obvious and when Spencer went down, the probability of a long run into the CWS looked bleak. 

5) Flashing back to Sark’s first year, it was painful watching the Horns.   Felt like we were going backwards as we endured loss after loss against mediocre opponents.   The team was t having fun.   The foundation was being set but it takes time.  Well Schloss needs time as well just not as much it appears.   The immediate future looks really bright with our top recruiting class coming and what’s likely to unfold with the transfer portal.  This team has outperformed all expectations through the season, the foundation of winning culture is getting laid and an improved roster with more depth at pitching is on the way. 

6) Schloss and the Horns achieved the improbable and unthinkable in winning the SEC conference championship…. in year 1!!  Crazy.  No one could have predicted.   Especially not in the SEC. They kept grinding and winning one series after another.    It’s been fun to watch this team pull off the unexpected.  Last night doesn’t change that.  

7) Hope we rebound against Kansas State with the team that confidently won the SEC so we can get another shot at UTSA.   Feel like we have much better baseball left to play this season than what we saw last night; however, our lack of pitching depth is going to be a challenge.   Would be fun to see the Horns bounce back.   We’ll see if they’ve got it in them or have they run out of gas?  Predicting a high scoring game.

Either way, this has been a fun gritty team to watch this season with much better seasons ahead as Schloss builds his team for sustaining success.   Feels like Schloss and our Horns baseball team is just getting started.

Hook em! 🧡🤘🏼🐂

Edited June 1 by Bevo92