As they enter the meat of the season, the Texas baseball team is playing the best they've played all year. But it's only going to get harder.
In the last two weeks, The No. 18 Longhorns played seven games, winning five of them. During that stretch, Texas won four games against top-25 opponents, including No. 3 Rice, No. 22 Long Beach State and No. 16 Arizona State.
Twice over the break, Texas was either tied or trailing in the bottom of the ninth and went on to win. By scrapping for victories against quality opponents, the Longhorns ended their non-conference schedule on a high note. It's safe to say Texas' first half of the season has been disappointing. Head coach Augie Garrido is adamant about not focusing on expectations, but that's impossible after starting the season ranked No. 1 to be satisfied with a 15-10 record at this point.
Winning is an important habit for the inexperienced Longhorns to form, because the time for adjustments is over. Texas is almost halfway through the season. The heart of conference play is about to begin, and the postseason is just over the horizon.
The Longhorns will find no relief from the Big 12 conference this season. Texas is ranked in the top 25, along with Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and Baylor.
Texas received a sampling of the depth of the Big 12 last weekend, splitting two games in Lubbock against Texas Tech. The Red Raiders played the Longhorns tough, and if it had not been for designated hitter Carson Kainer's game-winning ninth-inning sacrifice fly, Tech would have swept Texas.
The good news for the Longhorns is that key members of their roster are reaching mid-season form. During their two-week stretch, sophomore pitcher Kenn Kasparek, normally a closer, made his first two starts of the season. Both games were against the top 25, and both were wins, a feat that earned Kasparek Big 12 Pitcher of the Week honors. Kasparek's recent stellar play further solidifies a deep, yet unexperienced, bullpen.
Kainer was Texas' most valuable player over the break, collecting 10 hits while driving in nine runs. Kainer had three consecutive three-hit games against Long Beach and Arizona State. He was at his best during the Longhorn's upset of the Sun Devils, with three hits and a career-high five RBIs.
The Longhorns don't get any respite. Rice travels to Austin on Wednesday looking for revenge. But fortunately for Texas, winning ways are back in style.
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