No. 11 Alabama Crimson Tide vs. No. 4 Texas Longhorns
The Horns have a hugely important home series this weekend. The Longhorns are 28-7 and 9-5 in the SEC, and 20-2 at home. Alabama is 27-11 overall and 8-7 in conference play. The Tide are 5-6 in road games. Going to be a fun weekend at the Disch. LFG!
We own the Crimson Tide in baseball. 11-1 all time. Texas went to Tuscaloosa for a 3-game series in 1899 and got a sweep. We went back 5 years later and won the first 2 games, and in game 3 of the series, Alabama beat Texas 6-3. That was Saturday, April 30, 1904, and the last time that Bama beat Texas on the diamond. It is nice to not have a loss to them in 122 years.
One of the great College World Series of all times was 1983, and Texas and Alabama played for the National Championship. This was one of Cliff Gustafson’s most storied teams, led by Calvin Schiraldi on the mound and other legends including Roger Clemens and Billy Bates. Texas beat James Madison 12-0 and then beat Oklahoma State and Pete Incaviglia 6-5 in 11 innings. Texas beat the Tide 6-4 in ten innings to advance to the semifinals where the Horns beat Michigan 4-2. Alabama beat Arizona State 6-0 in the other semifinal game to get to the championship game. Clemens got the ball and Texas got the 4-3 win behind a complete game from the Rocket for the Longhorns’ fourth national championship.
https://x.com/SECNetwork/status/2044584202658603126
Full game: Alabama vs Texas (6-11-1983) – YouTube
Series history here:
University of Texas Athletics Baseball History vs University of Alabama
Texas desperately needs a series win, and a sweep would be most advantageous.
Probable Pitching Matchups
Jim has shuffled the rotation. He is not shy. I like it.
Friday: Alabama RHP Tyler Fay (6-2, 3.79 ERA) vs. Texas LHP Dylan Volantis (4-0, 2.01 ERA)
Saturday: Alabama LHP Zane Adams (4-2, 4.13 ERA) vs. Texas RHP Ruger Riojas (5-1, 3.40 ERA)
Sunday: Alabama RHP Myles Upchurch (4-2, 3.50 ERA) vs. Texas LHP Luke Harrison (4-1, 4.33 ERA)
Game times & Info:
Friday: 6:30 p.m., SEC Network+
Saturday: 2:00 p.m., SEC Network+
Sunday: 1:00 p.m., SEC Network+
Radio: 103.1 FM/AM-1300 The Zone, with the Voice of the Longhorns Craig Way and Roger Wallace on Friday. Saturday and Sunday, Craig and the Great Longhorn (and Chicago Cub) Keith Moreland.
Link to the official Texas Game Notes:
Alabama_Notes – University of Texas Athletics
Key Stats Comparison
Texas pitching is No. 6 in the nation with 112 earned runs in 291.1 innings, a 3.46 ERA (130 total runs). Texas staff WHIP is No. 5 nationally at 1.16. Texas is 23rd in Walks per Nine Innings with 3.52. Alabama is 18th with a team ERA of 3.87 (136 earned runs in 316.1 innings, and 160 total runs). Nationally the Tide is 15th in WHIP, at 1.25. Alabama is 28th in Walks per Nine Innings, at 3.56.
On offense, Texas is 47th in batting average with a team BA of .299. The Longhorns are 41st in runs scored, with 283 in 34 games. Texas is 11th with 215 walks, and 28th in On Base Percentage at .419. The Crimson Tide is 171st nationally with a .267 team batting average. Bama is 68th in scoring, with 263 runs in 37 games. Alabama is 20th with 205 walks, and 83rd in On Base Percentage at .399.
Texas Longhorns Football
Lots of folks needing a football fix, and fan day is Saturday. My brother, the Man from Mart, Quan Cosby was on the Third and Longhorn podcast. Enjoy! 140 days to kickoff.
https://youtu.be/KwJHt2HaVY8?si=VlZsxwKmI7mPC88-
Texas Longhorns Baseball
The series loss to the Aggies hurt, and losing a chance at getting a win with Sunday’s game getting canceled didn’t help at all.
The rally Tuesday night to beat Texas A&M Corpus Christi was encouraging. Texas Baseball vs Texas A&M – Corpus Christi Highlights
Texas Pitching
Our weekend rotation is hanging in there, but the bullpen is making me weep some games.
| ERA | W-L | WHIP | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | 2B | 3B | HR | B/AVG |
| 2.01 | 4-0 | 1.07 | 44.2 | 33 | 11 | 10 | 15 | 57 | 6 | 0 | 1 | .198 |
Ruger Riojas. Strikeout to walk ratio is still insane. But Ruger got rocked by the Aggies, giving up 5 hits and 5 earned runs in 5 innings, with 4 strikeouts and 2 walks.
| ERA | W-L | WHIP | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | 2B | 3B | HR | B/AVG |
| 3.40 | 5-1 | 1.09 | 47.2 | 41 | 18 | 18 | 11 | 72 | 12 | 3 | 2 | .227 |
| ERA | W-L | WHIP | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | 2B | 3B | HR | B/AVG |
| 4.33 | 4-1 | 1.31 | 43.2 | 38 | 25 | 21 | 19 | 44 | 15 | 1 | 2 | .233 |
Sam Cozart. 5-0 with 4 saves.
| ERA | W-L | WHIP | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | 2B | 3B | HR | B/AVG |
| 2.08 | 5-0 | .59 | 30.1 | 12 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 41 | 4 | 0 | 3 | .117 |
Texas Offense
Aiden Robbins leads the team with a .362 batting average, an OPS of 1.181, 15 home runs, 40 RBI, and .745 slugging percentage. He is seeing, and hitting, the ball well.
Carson Tinney hits the baseball very hard. Our outstanding defensive catcher is batting .325 and slugging .691. His 1.166 OPS is stellar. From Justin Nash (@NashTalksTexas) – Tinney’s home run data:
Texas Defense
Texas defense is very good. 17th in the country at .981 percent, 23 errors. Alabama is 256th at .961, with 53 errors.
Season stats here:
2026 Baseball Cumulative Statistics
Aiden Robbins & St. Baldrick’s Foundation
In kindergarten, Aiden lost a friend to cancer. Fighting childhood cancer has been a lifelong passion and commitment. Please join me in supporting him and St. Baldrick’s Foundation.
Aiden Robbins St. Baldrick’s Mission | A St. Baldrick’s Fundraiser
The Alabama Crimson Tide
The Crimson Tide are having a solid season. Full schedule and results here. Games and series of note:
- Got run-ruled by No. 12 Southern Miss 14-4 in 8.
- Beat No. 19 Oregon State 8-7 and lost to Houston 2-8 in the Frisco College Baseball Classic.
- Got swept at No. 21 Kentucky to open SEC play.
- Swept No. 18 Florida in Tuscaloosa. Heck of a weekend.
- Swept No. 5 Auburn in Tuscaloosa.
- Took 2 out of 3 from No. 11 Oklahoma in Norman. Big for Bama.
- Got swept by No. 22 Arkansas in Tuscaloosa. Hate the Pigs.
Alabama is coached by Rob Vaughn, from Humble, Texas, who played catcher for the Kansas State Wildcats from 2006-2009.
Alabama Offense
Alabama Pitching
No. 11 Alabama Crimson Tide vs. No. 4 Texas Longhorns
College Baseball Analytics PEA Ratings comparison and projection and some statistics.
Ratings and Resume:
https://pearatings.com/cbase/d1?season=2026
Rankings.
https://pearatings.com/cbase/d1/stats?season=2026
TSR – Team Strength Rating | WAR – PEAR’s WAR Approximation | WPOE – Win Percentage Over Expected (Luck) | PYTHAG – Pythagorean Win Percentage | KSHOTS – Inning where team scores 2+ runs and allows 0 | CONCD – Conceded Killshots | KSHOT R – Killshot Ratio | KSHOTS/G – Killshots Scored Per Game | CONCD/G – Conceded Killshots Per Game | ERA – Earned Run Average | WHIP – Walks + Hits per Inning Pitched | K/9 – Strikeouts Per 9 Innings | RPG – Runs Per Game | BA – Batting Average | OBP – On Base Percentage | SLG – Slugging | OPS – On Base Plus Slugging | PCT – Fielding Percentage
Texas Longhorns Killshots
https://pearatings.com/cbase/d1/team-profile?team=Texas&season=2026
Alabama Crimson Tide Killshots
https://pearatings.com/cbase/d1/team-profile?team=Alabama&season=2026
TCT Thoughts
A great match-up, and I am confident Texas will win the series. If we lose a game, I see it a one-run loss that goes to the last out, if not extra innings. Keys will be run support for Volantis Friday (he will pitch a great game in his first Friday night start), Riojas pitching to contact and relying on his defense on Saturday, and the bullpen throwing strikes all weekend. Free bases and free outs will be costly. Will be interesting to see the lineup when Laughlin and I get to the Disch Friday evening and pop that cold Modelo Especial. I would not object to seeing Dariyan Pendergrass this weekend! Word is Adrian Rodriguez may be able to play. We need Adrian’s leadership and fire but we need him healthy for the next 65 days. Dogpile in Omaha.
Texas One
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No. 2 Texas Longhorns at No. 18 Texas Agricultural & Mechanical Aggies
As the saying goes in the Dean and Taylor families, “Not a good one” [thank you Peter!]. Texas Agricultural & Mechanical kicked the Horns hard, although Game 1 was at least competitive.
Ruger’s rough start noted above. The Horns and Aggies traded punches for the first 5 innings, and the game was tied at 4 going to the sixth inning. A Duplantier single and a Tinney home run gave Texas a 6-4 lead. But the walk bug bit the Horns, as Riojas walked the leadoff batter. Leffew came in and walked the first Aggie he faced, but did get an out on a sacrifice bunt. He then walked the next 2 batters, forcing in a run. Crossland came in and walked his first batter, forcing in the tying run, and a sac fly gave the Aggies a 7-6 lead. In the Aggy seventh, Crossland walked the second batter, gave up a hit, and then hit a batter to load the bases. Another sac fly made it 8-6. The Aggies stole a run with a Texas error in the 8th. The Longhorns got back-to-back home runs from Robbins and Pack to get within a run, but that was it. Texas lost 8-9.
Saturday’s game was disastrous. The Horns got a run in the top of the first, and in the Aggie half of the first frame, Harrison gave up 2 singles, a walk, and a double which yielded 2 runs for Texas Agricultural & Mechanical. With 2 on and 1 out, a 1 hour and 38 minute rain delay. When play resumed with Kiel batting and a 3-2 count, the umpire completely blew the decisive call. Even Kiel thought it was a strike.
Nash on X: “WHERE DID THAT MISS? https://t.co/grDs84A7ll” / X
That loaded the bases and opened the floodgates. Starting two batters later, a double, a walk, a triple, and a double. 8-1 Aggies. Momentum is a real thing, and bad ball/strike calls are part of baseball. [At least MLB finally decided to move to ABS.] Texas lost, and I am not blaming the umpire. But that was a critical turning point in the game, and the Longhorns never recovered. Final score was 11-4 Aggies.
Tough weekend in College Station, but aren’t they all.
SEC This Weekend
Southeastern Conference Baseball
SEC Baseball Stats: Stats – Baseball – Southeastern Conference
Rankings
USA Today Coaches Poll
D1 Baseball
Jim Nicar
1940: The overhead view of U.T. Austin’s Texas Memorial Stadium and Clark Field for baseball. Just northwest of the stadium are the Penick Tennis Courts. At lower left is Gregory Gym and the Intramural Fields that extend to the south – where Jester Center stands today.
From Jim’s April 15, 2026 Post on X.
Photo of the Week
A photo looking up Congress Avenue on a rainy Austin day. 100 Congress on the left, my office since 1987.
From JType’s Instagram post on April 11, 2026
On X: @tctayloratx
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On Instagram: @tctayloratx
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Tim Taylor P.O. Box 5371 Austin, Texas 78763-5371