Texas baseball: With Ethan Mendoza ailing, who will step up at second base vs. Missouri?

Three Longhorns have filled in at second base since Ethan Mendoza's injury

Leading into the opener at Tennessee, Mendoza has started at second base in each of the Longhorns' games this season. That meant that his exit left Texas scrambling for a replacement. Texas immediately replaced Mendoza with sophomore Callum Early, a Liberty transfer who had played in just five games with the Longhorns. Early remained in the game until the Longhorns returned to Mendoza's spot in the lineup, which forced Texas to then play a game of musical chairs. Josh Livingston pinch-hit for Early and then headed out to first base, which shifted starting first baseman Casey Borba over to third base and starting third baseman Temo Becerra over to second base. **MORE:** Balls and strikes can be challenged at upcoming SEC tournament On both Saturday and Sunday, Texas started and mostly stuck with senior Jayden Duplantier at second base (Early manned that position in the ninth inning of the Longhorns' 13-6 win on Sunday). Duplantier had started at second base during his collegiate career, but he had previously started 18 times this season as a right fielder and once as a designated hitter. "I took a lot of reps, obviously, in the outfield, and every now and then throughout the week, I'd take ground balls with the infielders," Duplantier said when asked Wednesday if he had been practicing with the Texas infielders ahead of last week. "I took some reps before (Saturday's) game and was all good. I feel good about it, kind of wherever I am on the field and just confident regardless of the position." Schlossnagle said that Duplantier, Early and Becerra, who have started 41 times at third base this season and another eight times at shortstop, are all possibilities at second base over the next few days. The Longhorns' plans may end up being dependent on matchups and if speedy outfielder Dariyan Pendergrass is healthy enough to add another element to the UT lineup. Texas enters the final week of the regular season with a 37-12 record and the No. 6 ranking in the D1Baseball poll. The Longhorns are tied for second place in the SEC standings with their 16-10 mark in conference contests while Missouri (23-27, 6-21) is the SEC's last-place team.