Texas hosts Indiana in first weekend home series

Friday marks the second game of a five-game homestand for the Texas Longhorns as the Indiana Hoosiers make their way to the Forty Acres for the first weekend home series of the 2023 season for the Longhorns at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.

Now at 1-3 on the season following Tuesday’s 12-2 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Texas has a chance to consolidate some momentum against 2-2 Indiana, which lost its opening series at Auburn before beating Miami (Ohio) on Tuesday.

The offense for the Longhorns was able to get on track against the Islanders with 17 hits, including five for extra bases, as right fielder Dylan Campbell, second baseman Jack O’Dowd, and shortstop Mitchell Daly all turned in three-hit performances. Designated hitter Jalin Flores also hit his first collegiate home run.

On the mound, left-hander Lucas Gordon, right-hander Zane Morehouse, and right-hander Travis Sthele will look to eat up more innings this weekend after the longest outing in the College Baseball Showdown was only five innings by Gordon.

Indiana is hitting .264 as a team with five regulars at .200 or below through four games although there’s plenty of experience overall for the Hoosiers with eight of nine position players returning. Outfielder Hunter Jessee is off to a hot start, hitting .500 with two doubles and two home runs in 14 at bats. He’s now reached base in 23 consecutive games.

In an odd trend to start the season, Ben Seiler will be the fifth straight left-handed starter Texas has faced. Seiler lasted only 2.1 innings last week against Auburn, allowing four runs, three earned, on four hits with four walks and five strikeouts. As a staff, the Hoosiers have a 4.76 ERA with 38 strikeouts in 34 innings, but have also allowed 23 walks and 14 extra-base hits.

First pitch on Friday is at 6:30 p.m. Central, followed by a 1 p.m. Central start on Saturday and the series finale at noon on Sunday. All three games are on Longhorn Network.