Kimble Schuessler Leads No. 1 Texas Longhorns to Series Sweep Over Auburn

“What a guy, what an incredible leader, baseball player, competitive athlete,” head coach Jim Schlossnagle said during post game interviews. “[He’s] one of the top four or five pure competitors that I've ever coached, and I’m honored to be on his team.”         

The Tigers started out on top thanks to a solo home run from junior right fielder Ike Irish, his fourth of the weekend, but Texas wouldn't give Auburn the satisfaction of an early lead.   

Junior catcher Rylan Galvan ignited the five-run first inning with a double to center field, and junior shortstop Jalin Flores shot a single up the middle. Center fielder Will Gasparino reached first on a throwing error, bringing in Galvan for Texas' answering run.

The dogs over in left field would have plenty of balls to fetch thanks to Schuessler and freshman second baseman Adrian Rodriguez, as the two slammed back-to-back home runs for a combined four RBI.  

Flores picked up right where the Longhorns left off in the second inning by singling down the right side while Gasparino tacked on a double down the opposite line. Schuessler brought both runners home to score with a double of his own to extend the lead to 7-1.

Following a brief intermission through the third and fourth innings, Texas came back around in the bottom of the fifth with a two-RBI single on bases loaded by Galvan. 

The Tigers remained scoreless for five consecutive innings before a double, a walk and a wild pitch allowed Auburn to add a run at the top of the seventh inning. Between starting Longhorns junior pitcher Ruger Riojas and freshman relief Jason Flores, they allowed just four hits, two runs and two walks across just over six innings of work.  

On the other hand, Auburn had already cycled through five different pitchers, but still could not figure out how to slow down a heated Texas offense. Sophomore third baseman Casey Borba rekindled some fire in the bottom of the seventh with a two-RBI home run that nearly soared to the tennis fields opposing UFCU Disch-Falk Field.

The Longhorns just needed one extra run to enact the run rule, and Schuessler was the unspoken candidate to get it done.    

Schuessler appropriately cut the meeting short with a home run to left center field, securing the 14-2 win and the program's fourth SEC series sweep.  

“My approach this week was to really stay on the heater,” Schuessler said. “I knew we needed one more to go home early, but at the end of the day, I was just hunting the fastball and got it and put a good swing on it.”                   

Texas will have another challenge ahead of it with a midweek rematch against the unranked Texas State Wildcats, a team that handed the Longhorns one out of their five losses this season. The contest will begin at 6:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday night in San Marcos.