Before Texas baseball punched its ticket to the 2018 College World Series, the Longhorns called their shot with what they had planned to do in David Pierce's second season coaching at Texas. The Longhorns in Omaha playing for the College World Series has been a common trend over the last number of decades. Texas baseball had clinched 35 trips to Omaha prior to the 2018 season, but was on a three-year drought of playing in the College World Series. And the Longhorns had enough. On February 16, the Texas Baseball Twitter account published a video of the Longhorns' players as they discussed how being good hasn't been good enough for the standard set at the University of Texas. The Longhorns made it to the post season just one year ago, but ended their road to the College World Series after the first round of the NCAA Tournament. And being close, yet not close enough was not an option in 2018. "The University of Texas Longhorns," the video began and was tweeted with the caption Welcome to Next Year, as seen above. "The most storied program in College Baseball history. 35 trips to Omaha. 85 wins on the biggest stage. But it's been three years—three long years. Last year we came up short. Good isn't good enough anymore. People always say, 'Wait til next year.' Well, we're done waiting." Welcome to Next Year. pic.twitter.com/9B5J6VEQ1J — Texas Baseball (@TexasBaseball) February 16, 2018 The Longhorns were clearly not being cliche when they claimed they were done waiting, and that was proven this past weekend when Texas took back-to-back games from Tennessee Tech to advance to the College World Series. The win over the Golden Eagles in the Austin Super Regional clinched the Longhorns' ticket to Omaha, marking the thirty-sixth time Texas baseball will play for the College World Series and the first time for Texas with Pierce at the helm. What's next for the Texas Longhorns? Make sure you stay in the loop by signing up for a FREE seven-day trial to Horns247 now! "It feels awesome, it really does," Pierce said after the Longhorns' 5-2 win over the Golden Eagles Monday. "It’s never been about me and it never will be, but the thing that I loved is I told these guys back in the fall I want this for you guys, but I also want it for those three coaches who have been with me for seven years. To watch all that happen was really, really special and I’m just so proud of our team. The things that we’ve had to do. I’ve said it before, we’re not always pretty a lot of times we’re ugly, but we just figure out how to keep playing and that’s what’s so special about this group." Texas' journey continues Sunday when the Longhorns take on Arkansas at 1 p.m. CT on ESPN for the first round of the College World Series.<doc-sep>Texas' journey in Omaha begins Sunday when the Longhorns take on Arkansas for Game 1 of the College World Series. Texas faces its former Southwest Conference Foe at 1 p.m. CT with live coverage on ESPN. University of Texas Game Preview Where: TD Ameritrade Park | Omaha, Neb. Time: Texas Game One: Sunday @ 1 p.m. CT TV: ESPN Radio: 104.9 The Horn, AM 1260 No. of NCAA College World Series appearances: 36th All-time CWS Record: 85-59 GAME NOTES BACK TO OMAHA—Texas is making its NCAA-record 36th appearance at the College World Series…the Longhorns return to Omaha after a three-year absence. THE SUPER—After dropping game one, 5-4, to Tennessee Tech at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, Texas bounced back for a 4-2 win on Sunday and a 5-2 win on Sunday to clinch its first berth to Omaha since 2014…Kody Clemens homered in each of the three contests while hitting .625 for the series…in game two, Chase Shugart tossed six strong allowing one run (unearned) before giving way to Blair Henley who, after allowing a solo homer on his first pitch, sat down the next nine in order…in the decisive game three, Texas got a strong performance from Matteo Bocchi, making his fourth career start…TTU made it interesting in the ninth, loading the bases, but Nolan Kingham made his fourth relief appearance of the year to secure the save…the Longhorns held the nation's top-ranking offense, which averaged over 10 runs per game entering the weekend, to just nine runs over three contests. REGIONAL RECAP—Texas had a 3-0 performance at the NCAA Regional…the Longhorns won game one, 10-0, behind strong performances from Chase Shugart and Matteo Bocchi on the hill…in game two, Texas defeated A&M, 8-3… Kody Clemens hit a three-run homer in the 1st and Nolan Kingham kept the Aggies at bay for 7.2 innings…in game three, Blair Henley delivered a career performance, going 7.1 allowing two runs (none earned) while Zach Zubia hit a game-tying homer and Clemens hit the go-ahead RBI double to win in…in the 9th, the Hoosiers loaded the bases with one out before Shugart entered in relief and got two strikeouts to end it. What's next for the Texas Longhorns? Make sure you stay in the loop by signing up for a FREE seven-day trial to Horns247 now! #RIPAG16—When former Texas Baseball head coach Augie Garrido passed away on March 15, 2018, the Longhorns were sitting at a 9-9 record…the first game after his passing, Texas pounded out 16 hits—Garrido's number—in a 14-1 rout of Kansas…since the Longhorns were 9-9, Texas has gone 32-11, winning the Big 12 Conference title, the Austin Regional, and the Austin Super Regional to return to Omaha, a place where Augie's Texas teams went eight times. FEELING THE DRAFT—Kody Clemens was the first Longhorn off the board in the 2018 MLB Draft after he was selected with the first pick of the third round, No. 79 overall, by the Detroit Tigers…Nolan Kingham (12th, Braves), Chase Shugart (12th, Red Sox), Josh Sawyer (16th, Cubs), and Andy McGuire (28th, Blue Jays) were also selected. FINAL FOUR/FIVE—Kody Clemens was named one of four Golden Spikes Award finalists and one of five remaining Dick Howser Trophy finalists…both honors are given to the top player in the country. FIRST-TEAMER—Clemens was also named the first-team All-America 2B by five different organizations …he became the first Longhorn position player to earn first-team honors since Kyle Russell did so in 2007…Clemens is also the first Texas player of any position to earn first-team distinction since RHP Corey Kneel and RHP Taylor Jungmann were honored in 2011. BOTTOM THIRD—The Horns' 7-8-9 hitters—DJ Petrinsky, Tate Shaw, and Jake McKenzie, respectively—have turned it on in the postseason…Petrinsky has 3 HR and 6 RBI while hitting .316…Shaw snapped an 0-for-17 skid in his first at-bat in game one of the regional and has hit .300 since, and McKenzie has 3 doubles while hitting .391/.400/.522, raising his season average nearly 30 points. HOOKEM HOUDINI—Redshirt-junior Parker Joe Robinson has been Houdini this season, inheriting and escaping bases loaded jams on five occasions, three times in the regular season and twice in the Super…he has not allowed a hit in any of those appearances and has stranded 12 of 15. THE BACKEND—David Pierce has utilized a veteran trio to solidify the back end of the bullpen…RH Andy McGuire, RH Parker Joe Robinson, and LH Josh Sawyer…McGuire, who was named to the All-Big 12 second team and who had not played baseball in each of the last two seasons, has led the Longhorns with seven saves…in front of McGuire is fifth-year Sawyer, who also missed most of the past two seasons with injury including all of 2017…the relievers, all redshirt-juniors, totaled 49 apps together before this season and have combined for 77 so far in 2018. DEEEEFENSE—Texas' .977 fielding percentage. across all games was tops among Big 12 teams and ranks 26th nationally…Texas has also turned 71 double plays on the year, tied for most in Division I…Texas' everyday infielders have committed just 25 errors total on the year: 1B Jake McKenzie (1), 2B Kody Clemens (5), SS David Hamilton (11), 3B Ryan Reynolds (8). THE COMEBACK KIDS—Texas has recorded 18 come-from-behind wins this season…the Horns trailed 3-0 after the first inning on May 18 vs. TCU and walked off the game after Duke Ellis beat out an infield single with 2 outs in the 9th and Clemens followed with his 18th homer…in both wins over Texas Tech, the Longhorns had to rebound from a deficit…on May 1 vs. Texas State, Texas trailed, 10-6, entering the 9th when Masen Hibbeler and Ellis led off with walks, Clemens singled, and Zach Zubia walked to set up Hamilton's 9th inning walk-off slam…at the time, it was the Horns' 2nd walk-off homer of the season (Austin Todd on Feb 17 vs. Louisiana) and first walk-off slam since Preston Clark's against Army in the 2009 NCAA Regional. THE DUKE—Sophomore OF Duke Ellis had a 23-game on base streak snapped on the Sunday of the Regional…in Big 12 play, the transfer finished 2nd in the conference with a .390 batting average (WVU Kyle Gray, .391) and first in on-base (.484)…he's also successfully stolen 16-of-18 bases so far this season, his first season on the Forty Acres. ZUUUBOMB—Zubia hit his 11th HR of the year in game three of the regional, tying the game vs. Indiana at 2-2…twice this season, Zach Zubia hit a two-run homer to help clinch a Big 12 road series…he first did it at OU and also did it in the Sunday rubber match against Texas Tech…the redshirt-freshman was named the All-Big 12 first-team DH, named to the Big 12 All-Freshman team, and a Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American…Zubia and Clemens are the first pair of Longhorns teammates with at least 10 homers apiece since Cameron Rupp, Kevin Keyes, and Kevin Lusson all had double-digit dingers in 2010. HAMMY TIME—Sophomore SS David Hamilton has also elevated his offense…he had his career-high 13-game hitting streak snapped during game one of the regional, but he has raised his average nearly 20 points to .294 since April 27…the San Marcos native has 40 walks and just 38 strikeouts on the year while swiping a team-high 31 bases in 38 attempts…his 31 bags are the most since Tim Moss stole 40 in 2002…Hamilton also leads the team with 11 bunt singles and 6 triples…the Longhorns' 2017 Spike Owen Defensive Player of the Year continues to play exceptional defense at shortstop, making just 11 errors while helping turn 71 double plays…he was the only shortstop named on either the All-Big 12 first- or second-teams.<doc-sep>OMAHA, Neb. – Behold, the long orange line. That’s the endless parade of Texas Longhorn teams to the College World Series, and college baseball has never seen anything like it. RELATED: Scores, bracket and live updates from the 2018 CWS Now that we’re on the eve of another hook-‘em-horns sighting in Omaha — Texas meets Arkansas Sunday — we can stand back and appreciate how astonishing it has been. Texas baseball is . . . Seventy-two College World Series, and the Longhorns in 36 of them, or fully half. The only three sure things in life have been death, taxes and Texas in Omaha — if not today, certainly tomorrow. Miami is a distant second at 25. Texas has won 85 CWS games. USC is second at 74 (though the Trojans lead big in national titles, 12-6). “This young man is the best hitter in college baseball when the game’s on the line.” Vote @kodyclem for @USAGoldenSpikes. https://t.co/zc0AXVYs6z pic.twitter.com/6JUg2cIFDK — Texas Baseball (@TexasBaseball) June 13, 2018 Kentucky’s Big Blue Nation might appreciate all that. The Wildcats have been to 37 Elite Eights. Texas baseball is . . . Beard-less players and busy razors, because that’s the way it’s been done in Austin. “Our guys know when they come to the University of Texas, they understand the history, they understand the traditions,” coach David Pierce was saying Friday. “They continue to admire it and they continue to want to be a part of that, even to the point of no facial hair. “They understand it and they embrace it.” Texas baseball is . . . When the Longhorns made their first CWS appearance in 1949, Harry Truman was president of the United States. RELATED: Scoreboard | Print the CWS bracket | See the updated interactive bracket Texas has made at least one trip to Omaha during the administrations of all 12 presidents since. Texas baseball is . . . The glory splashing across generations. Kody Clemens is this team’s most dangerous hitter, just like father Roger used to mow down hitters. James Street showed up on campus as the seventh string quarterback, and not only passed the Longhorns to the 1969 national championship, but was a two-time All-American pitcher and still owns the ninth best season ERA in school history. One spot above him in eighth is son Huston, who did it 34 years later, and would one day end up in the major league All-Star Game. Texas baseball is . . . Nearly as close to the collective heart in that state as Texas football. And sometimes they intersect. Day one in Omaha is complete. Let the fun begin. #HookEm pic.twitter.com/OatDbm13hs — Texas Baseball (@TexasBaseball) June 15, 2018 The Longhorn pitcher who holds the school record for most conference victories? NFL legend Bobby Layne. Texas baseball is . . . Nearly three pages of the record book needed to list all the all-conference selections. Texas baseball is . . . Only four head coaches since the College World Series was born in 1947. And all four have brought teams to Omaha. The giant of the game who did it eight times – Augie Garrido – died of a stroke in March. The day he passed away, the Longhorns were scuffling along at 9-9. They’re 32-11 since, won the Big 12, the regional, the super regional. Their first game after he died, they had 16 hits in routing Kansas. The same number as Garrido’s jersey. No wonder even the other coaches here this week have noticed. “I think he’s still right there in the background right now, watching all of us,” Texas Tech coach said Tim Tadlock Friday. RELATED: How to watch the CWS | Shop CWS gear | Highlights and videos from CWS “It’s been like this since his passing,” Pierce said. “There’s too many signs to say he hasn’t been, and it’s been really special.” Pierce got Texas here in his second season, so it looks like they’ll let him stay in Austin. Talk about your high bars. What can it be like to take a job where history shouts that you should average a trip to the College World Series once every two years? It ain’t that easy. “I’ve never felt pressure from the University of Texas,” he said. “I’ve been very secure and very comfortable. I guess you could say confident, but it’s really about understanding and putting the work in day to day, that I have no regrets. I get more frustrated when I feel like we haven’t maximized a player; for whatever reason, we didn’t get through to him. I feel more pressure with that individual player than I’ve ever felt for winning or losing a game.” Still, he knows what is expected in Austin. And it’s not regionals. Howdy from Omaha. Catch Texas GameDay before and after every @TexasBaseball game. pic.twitter.com/2sieCUMGB0 — Longhorn Network (@LonghornNetwork) June 14, 2018 “What it does is create an anticipation, it creates an expectation. You go into the fall and you truly feel like you’re going to Omaha. And when the season starts, the journey begins, that’s what it does to you. That’s why I’m excited that we’re in year two, and now we’re already creating that culture of we’re going to Omaha.” He’s a native Texan who was here three times last decade as an assistant with Rice. Then he put in successful head coaching stints at Sam Houston State and Tulane, and got a call from Texas when Garrido retired in 2016. That was after the school courted a good many high-profile head coaches, who ended up staying with new and better deals at their current schools. “Augie did a great job of getting a lot of coaches raises,” Pierce said. “I honestly think I got the job because I have a proven track record to win. It’s not I, it’s we, and what we have done on other stages. I truly believe that I was the right fit, for the simple fact I understand the state of Texas and I understand the tradition and the history of the University of Texas.” Maybe the masses weren’t sure at the beginning. A guy from Tulane with five seasons experience as a college head coach? But now the Longhorns are in Omaha. And that’s Texas baseball.<doc-sep>
Texas is set to face defending national champion Florida Gators Tuesday in an elimination game in the College World Series. The Longhorns dropped the first game of the tournament to Arkansas in an 11-5 loss, and will need a much more solid performance Tuesday if David Pierce's squad wants to advance in the College World Series. Texas and Florida will face off 65 minutes after the completion of Mississippi State and North Carolina. University of Texas College World Series Preview Texas (42-22) vs. Florida (47-20) Where: TD Ameritrade Park | Omaha, Neb. | Time: Tuesday around 2:05 p.m. CT (65 minutes following Mississippi State vs. North Carolina) TV: ESPN Radio: 104.9 The Horn, AM 1260 No. of NCAA College World Series appearances: 36th All-time CWS Record:85-60 Probable starters: Texas RHP Blair Henley (6-6, 3.32) vs. Florida RHP Jackson Kowar (9-5, 3.24) BACK TO OMAHA—Texas is making its NCAA-record 36th appearance at the College World Series…the Longhorns return to Omaha after a three-year absence…in 1950, the Longhorns lost their first game of the CWS and went on to win the national championship, rattling off five straight…Texas has lost game one on 12 prior occasions but has gone on to win game two 8 of those times. #RIPAG16—When former Texas Baseball head coach Augie Garrido passed away on March 15, 2018, the Longhorns were sitting at a 9-9 record…the first game after his passing, Texas pounded out 16 hits—Garrido’s number—in a 14-1 rout of Kansas…since the Longhorns were 9-9, Texas has gone 32-12, winning the Big 12 Conference title, the Austin Regional, and the Austin Super Regional to return to Omaha, a place where Augie’s Texas teams went eight times…head coach David Pierce will honor his friend Augie Garrido by wearing No. 16 throughout the series. FEELING A DRAFT—Kody Clemens was the first Longhorn off the board in the 2018 MLB Draft after he was selected with the first pick of the third round, No. 79 overall, by the Detroit Tigers…Nolan Kingham (12th, Braves), Chase Shugart (12th, Red Sox), Josh Sawyer (16th, Cubs), and Andy McGuire (28th, Blue Jays) were also selected. What's next for the Texas Longhorns? Make sure you stay in the loop by signing up for a FREE seven-day trial to Horns247 now! FINAL FOUR/FIVE—Kody Clemens was named one of four Golden Spikes Award finalists and one of five Dick Howser Trophy finalists…both honors are given to the top player in the country, with Brady Singer winning the Dick Howser. FIRST-TEAMER—Clemens was also named the first-team All-America 2B by five different organizations …he became the first Longhorn position player to earn first-team honors since Kyle Russell did so in 2007…he is also the first Texas player of any position to earn first-team distinction since RHP Corey Knebel and RHP Taylor Jungmann in 2011. BOTTOM THIRD—The Horns’ 7-8-9 hitters—DJ Petrinsky, Tate Shaw, and Jake McKenzie, respectively—have turned it on in the postseason…Petrinsky has 3 HR and 6 RBI while hitting .273…Shaw snapped an 0-for-17 skid in his first at-bat in game one of the regional and has hit .391 since, and McKenzie has a team-high 4 doubles while hitting .357 in the Longhorns’ 7 games. SHAWS LOVE OMAHA—OF Tate Shaw opened his first game at the College World Series by going 3-for-3 with a walk, a triple, and a run scored…Tate’s brother, Collin, who played at Texas from 2012-2015, finished his first CWS game (June 14, 2014 vs. UC Irvine) 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored. THE COMEBACK KIDS—Texas has recorded 18 come-from-behind wins this season…the Horns trailed 3-0 after the first inning on May 18 vs. TCU and walked off the game after Duke Ellis beat out an infield single with 2 outs in the 9th and Clemens followed with his 18th homer…in both wins over Texas Tech, the Longhorns had to rebound from a deficit…on May 1 vs. Texas State, Texas trailed, 10-6, entering the 9th when Masen Hibbeler and Ellis led off with walks, Clemens singled, and Zach Zubia walked to set up Hamilton’s 9th inning walk-off slam…at the time, it was the Horns’ 2nd walk-off homer of the season (Austin Todd on Feb 17 vs. Louisiana) and first walk-off slam since Preston Clark’s against Army in the 2009 NCAA Regional. DEEEEFENSE—Texas’ .978 fielding percentage.