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Ethan Mendoza injured as No. 4 Texas loses to Tennessee, 5-1
TL;DR
No. 4 Texas lost to Tennessee 5-1, with junior second baseman Ethan Mendoza injuring his shoulder in the first inning. Texas struggled offensively, striking out 19 times against Tennessee's pitcher Tegan Kuhns.
Key points
- Texas Longhorns lost 5-1 to Tennessee Volunteers
- Ethan Mendoza injured his shoulder in the first inning
- Texas struck out 19 times during the game
- Tegan Kuhns had 15 strikeouts for Tennessee
- Mendoza's return to action is uncertain
Texas LonghornsTennessee VolunteersEthan MendozaTegan Kuhns
Things went sideways quickly at Lindsey Nelson Stadium on Friday as the No. 4 Texas Longhorns fell into an early hole and never recovered in a 5-1 loss to the Tennessee Volunteers that included another shoulder injury sustained by junior second baseman Ethan Mendoza.
After spending 15 games last year as the designated hitter following a shoulder injury sustained diving for a ground ball, Mendoza left the game in the first inning on a similar play, leaving head coach Jim Schlossnagle without much optimism that the Arizona State transfer will be able to return to action this weekend.
Ethan Mendoza hurt his shoulder diving for that ball in the first inning. Jim Schlossnagle didn’t sound optimistic that he’d play again this weekend. Maybe a DH appearance, if anything. Throwing is the issue.
— David Eckert (@davideckert98) May 9, 2026
Without Mendoza in the lineup, Texas struggled at the plate against Tennessee ace Tegan Kuhns, who recorded a career-high 15 strikeouts in seven innings. Throwing 113 pitches, Kuhns allowed just four hits and one walk in his scoreless outing as the Horns ultimately struck out 19 times, leaving the bottom of the order without much production — sophomore shortstop Adrian Rodriguez struck out all four times he came to the plate and junior designated hitter Ashton Larson, junior infielder Casey Borba, and freshman center fielder Maddox Monsour all struck out three times apiece.
Junior right fielder Aiden Robbins did have two hits — a double and a solo home run in the eighth inning — but didn’t receive help from the rest of the lineup.
And sophomore left-hander Dylan Volantis looked human, a rare occurrence in his sterling career in burnt orange and white, allowing RBI doubles in the first and second innings and giving up another second-inning run on a wild pitch. Volantis recovered to throw three scoreless innings before redshirt senior right-hander Cody Howard pitched the final three innings, giving up two runs on two hits.
Texas tries to bounce back on Saturday with first pitch at 5 p.m. Central on SEC Network+.
Q&A
What happened to Ethan Mendoza during the Texas vs. Tennessee game?
Ethan Mendoza injured his shoulder while diving for a ground ball in the first inning and left the game.
How did Texas perform against Tennessee after Mendoza's injury?
Texas struggled offensively, striking out 19 times and losing the game 5-1.
What were Tegan Kuhns' stats in the game against Texas?
Tegan Kuhns recorded a career-high 15 strikeouts in seven innings, allowing only four hits and one walk.