Texas State loss could knock Texas out of projected NCAA Tournament field

On Tuesday evening, the trip down to San Marcos for Texas Longhorns baseball was more than just a game that could end a losing streak for the Horns and a winning streak for the Texas State Bobcats.

In heart-wrenching fashion, the Horns blew a three-run lead in the ninth inning and suffered a second straight walk-off loss for the program’s second all-time defeat in San Marcos.

But the implications were more significant than just another midweek loss for a program in the midst of a four-game losing streak now — Texas is a bubble team at the moment thanks to a disastrous month of April.

In fact, D1Baseball.com projected head coach David Pierce’s team as the No. 3 seed in the Atlanta regional on Tuesday, along with host Georgia Tech, the nation’s No. 7 overall seed, No. 2 seed Auburn, and No. 4 seed Navy, a projected automatic bid.

Since the No. 4 seeds often go to conference champions from weaker leagues, the No. 3 seed is the lowest possible for the Longhorns, as the projections had Texas as one of the last five teams in the tournament. One of the last five teams out, coincidentally enough? Tuesday’s opponent, Texas State.

So the head-to-head victory could boost the Bobcats past the Longhorns in the next projections, especially if Texas struggles this weekend at home against West Virginia, which is 11-11 on the road this year.

The good news for the Horns is that there will be another opportunity to pick up a win against the Bobcats when Texas State travels to Austin on May 7. At the moment, however, the blown opportunity on Tuesday looms large for both bubble teams.