The Longhorns get a non-conference weekend opponent today thanks to the fact that Colorado and Iowa State don't have baseball programs (anymore). So the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs come to town for the first post-exams baseball games. The end of the academic year is always a major way to mark time for the spring sports: baseball and softball are all that's going on for UT now, and a successful postseason run allows us to enjoy Longhorn athletics long past the end of the school year. Next weekend the 'Horns travel to MIssouri to finish the regular season, so today marks Texas' last two regular season games at the Disch. The first game starts at 12:30 and the second will start 30 minutes after the first ends (perhaps around 3:00)
As the Longhorns are virtually guaranteed to host a sub-regional and receive a top eight seed, it is likely that Texas won't have to leave home after the Big XII Tourney unless it's to go to Johnny Rosenblatt's house. So that takes some of the luster away from the whole "last home games" thing. Still, it's the last chance to see Texas at the Disch for a couple of weeks so if you're in Austin, head out and be loud. That goes for you graduating seniors especially: you're done next weekend and most of you probably won't be in Austin for the postseason run. Particularly if you have (shamefully) gone your entire tenure on the 40 Acres without seeing a live home baseball game, head out and see what you've been missing.
Stepping down from the ol' soapbox for a moment, the Texas Sports preview has a couple of awe-inspiring Texas history tidbits. First of all, 2010 marks the Longhorns' 53rd winning season in 54 years. That's not a typo--Texas has won more games than it has lost fifty-three out of fifty-four years. Perhaps even more amazingly, between the SWC and Big XII this year makes 70 conference championships in baseball for Texas. Before you dismiss much of that history as simply an indication that the early years of Longhorn hardball was simply an earlier Cal Rugby, keep in mind that baseball has actually been played on a varsity level longer than football and an awful lot of schools have played continuously for an awful long time. So the program's rich history is worthy of some contemplation.
As for the task at hand, Tech comes in playing better than it has for most of the season. They took red-hot Arkansas to extra innings before falling this week, and swept a 4-game conference series from Sacramento State last weekend. They have ad trouble keeping other teams off the board, but have been pretty effective hitting the ball. You can get the perspective from Ruston in the La Tech preview.
For Texas, Jungmann and Green are listed as starters. They are each likely to get a few innings in but we'd be shocked to see them go the distance even if they're cruising. Look for Augie to make sure to get Workman several innings out of the 'pen as well.
You can catch both games on video from Texas Sports, and this will serve as your open thread for both halves of the double-header. It's going to be a great day for baseball; her Ernie, let's play two!