Rylan Galvan Sails Walk-Off Home Run to Clinch Texas Longhorns Sweep Over Georgia

As soon as junior catcher Rylan Galvan heard the knock on his bat, he knew his ball was gone, and it was headed straight for the UFCU Disch-Falk Field sign. 

The walk-off home run in the 10th inning capped a 4-3 win for No. 5 Texas on Sunday to complete the series sweep against No. 3 Georgia, the team’s third in the SEC. 

Galvan flung his helmet in triumph while his teammates celebrated with him once he rounded home plate, spraying water and eventually ripping off his jersey.   

“Which one was better, my swing or my shirt coming off?” Galvan asked during the post game press conference. “I was kind of able to back them into a corner with the three-one count, and I knew if I got it, I wasn’t going to miss it, and [I] put a good swing on it.”

Prior to Galvan’s homer, the Bulldogs and the Longhorns played a cat and mouse game that led to a 3-3 stalemate by the time the ninth inning rolled around.   

To get Texas on the board first, graduate student and first baseman Kimble Schuessler singled, advancing all the way to third on two wild pitches, and sophomore third baseman Casey Borba walked to open the bottom of the second inning. Similar to how his home run got Texas in the game during Saturday’s contest, sophomore designated hitter Jaquae Stewart knocked a single to bring in Borba.

However, Texas starting junior pitcher Ruger Riojas racked up three walks and a hit-by-pitch in the third inning alone to let Georgia tie things up 1-1. 

Texas was left scoreless through the next three consecutive innings, while Riojas allowed a solo home run at the top of the fifth to push the Bulldogs ahead.

It wasn’t long until the Longhorns were able to come up with an answer in the sixth inning. Sophomore second baseman Ethan Mendoza took a pitch to the helmet and moved to first base before junior shortstop Jalin Flores stepped up to the plate. Flores sailed a ball to right center field, and the wind carried it right over the fence for his 30th career home run.