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No. 4 Texas Longhorns face Vanderbilt Commodores in Nashville for the first time since 1907. The series is critical for Vanderbilt as they aim to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
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NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JUNE 01: Head coach Tim Corbin of the Vanderbilt Commodores during the fifth inning during the NCAA Nashville Regional game against the Wright State Raiders at Hawkins Field on June 1, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Carly Mackler/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the first time since 1907, the No. 4 Texas Longhorns (30-8, 11-6 SEC) are in Nashville to play the Vanderbilt Commodores (25-17, 9-9 SEC), the third road series in the last four weekends for head coach Jim Schlossnagle’s team.
The 9-7 edge for Vanderbilt in the all-time series includes meetings in 2004 and 2014 in Omaha in the College World Series, as well as neutral-site games in 2023 and 2024.
As Texas travels to Hawkins Fields, which opened in 2002 and features a 35-foot curved wall in left field that will provide a challenge for the Longhorns outfielders, the Commodores enter the series with a level of desperation because longtime head coach Tim Corbin’s program is sitting firmly on the NCAA Tournament bubble, increasing the pressure on Corbin, the winningest head coach in Vanderbilt history who took over the program in 2002, but hasn’t made it out of a regional since finishing as the national runner-up in 2021.
Picked as a middle-of-the-pack SEC team in the preseason, the Dores have struggled on the mound, ranking last in the conference in ERA at 5.38 — seven different pitchers have missed time due to injury this season with two pitchers recently returning and four are still out.
The injuries have left Vanderbilt without a clear ace as the Commodores enter the weekend without announcing a Saturday starter. Right-hander Connor Fennell (3-1, 4.74 ERA) will receive the nod on Friday, followed by right-hander Wyatt Nadeau (1-2, 5.40 ERA) for the series finale.
At the plate, however, Vanderbilt is dangerous, ranking third nationally with 87 home runs, led by third baseman Brodie Johnston (13), right fielder Braden Holcomb (12), and second baseman Mike Mancini (12). Mancini has been particularly hot in conference play with eight home runs to lead the SEC and also paces the Dores with 12 stolen bases. Johnston boasts the team’s best batting average at .367, leading the conference in hits, ranking fourth in doubles, and has a nine-game hitting streak. Holcomb bats .329 with five doubles in the last four games.
Vanderbilt leads the all-time series against Texas with a 9-7 record.
Vanderbilt is on the NCAA Tournament bubble and needs strong performances to secure a spot.
Tim Corbin is the head coach of the Vanderbilt Commodores and has been since 2002.
Hawkins Field features a 35-foot curved wall in left field, posing a challenge for Texas outfielders.
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When Texas pitchers take the mound, it will be strength on strength — the Longhorns rank first in opponent batting average (.212) and FIP (2.88), third in WHIP (1.16), and fifth in ERA (3.41). In last weekend’s series win over then-No. 11 Alabama in Austin, Texas set a program record for a three-game series with 49 strikeouts as all three starters reached double digits.
Sophomore left-hander Dylan Volantis (5-0, 2.13 ERA) made the first Friday start of his career, a role which he is retaining against Vanderbilt, setting a career high with 12 strikeouts while allowing two runs on four hits in 6.0 innings.
In relief of Volantis, freshman right-hander Sam Cozart pitched the final three innings to earn his first of two saves against the Crimson Tide, striking out five on Friday and three more batters in his one inning of work on Saturday.
Saturday starter Ruger Riojas (5-1, 3.25 ERA), the senior right-hander, bounced back from two poor starts by striking out 11 over 5.0 innings, allowing one run on three hits. The 19 combined strikeouts by six different Longhorns pitchers on Saturday tied the nine-inning program record. And although the Horns weren’t able to secure the sweep with a 2-1 loss on Sunday, senior right-hander Luke Harrison (4-2, 4.09 ERA) was excellent, setting his own career high 10 strikeouts.
After moving junior center fielder Aiden Robbins from the three hole to the leadoff spot last weekend, Schlossnagle plans to keep that lineup change in effect while acknowledging the importance of the bottom of the order getting on base for the heavy hitters at the top, an area in which the Horns struggled against the Tide.
First pitch on Friday is at 6 p.m. Central on SEC Network+ with an evening matchup scheduled for Saturday on SEC Network at 7 p.m. Central, and the series finale set for Sunday at noon Central on ESPN2.