We’re officially less than three weeks away from the start of the college baseball season, and Texas Longhorns They prepare to return to Omaha again.
If they can do so, it will be their 39th College World Series appearance, breaking their own record of 38 appearances which they set only last year. However, that would be much easier said than done with the roster turnover they are facing.
The talent is there for the Longhorns thoughAnd, if they can make it through a tough schedule, don’t be shocked if they get to Omaha in back-to-back seasons for the first time since they went four straight seasons from 2002-2005.
While they don’t play many games in February, it’s a tough start to the season, with three Top 10 teams in the list.
Speaking of their tough scheduleFor the rest of the week, we’ll be scanning the Longhorns’ schedule month by month to provide an in-depth look at who the Texans will be playing.
February 17-19 – College Baseball Showdown (Arlington, TX)
February 17 – No. 8 Arkansas Razorbacks
record 2022 – 46-21
2022 RPI – 20
2022 team average. – .276
2022 ERA Team – 4.07
Result 2022 – College World Championship
player to watch – From Jared Wegner
The Razorbacks have added Jared Wegner via the transfer gate from Creighton, and it’s likely he’ll bolster their lineup. For the Bluejays last season, Wegner batted .334/.459/.635 while hitting 11 home runs and driving in 53 runs. He also went 11-for-12 on stolen base attempts.
Feb 18 – Missouri Tigers
Record year 2022 – 28-23
2022 RPI – 56
2022 team average. – .284
2022 ERA Team – 5.58
Result 2022 – Missed the NCAA Tournament
player to watch – INF Trevor Austin
With the Tigers losing their two best players from the 2022 squad, they will be looking to those who return to pick up the slack. Among the returnees was Trevor Austin, who finished third for the Tigers with a . 297 average. If he can repeat his success, or take the next step, he could be the engine that makes the Tigers attack go.
February 19 – No. 10 Vanderbilt Commodores
Record year 2022 – 39-23
2022 RPI – 11
2022 team average. – .286
2022 ERA Team – 3.95
Result 2022 – Corvallis Regional
player to watch – Carter Holton
From Jack Leiter to Kumar Rocker, the Commodores have had their fair share of elite shooters over the years. Their player of the year will likely be Carter Holton, with a fastball of 92-95mph and off-the-beaten-path pitches that can be thrown for strikeouts. He finished his freshman season with an 8-4 record, with a 3.14 ERA and 97 strikeouts to only 28 walks.
Feb 21 – Texas A&M Corpus Christi Islanders
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Record year 2022 – 27-28
2022 RPI – 185
2022 team average. – .291
2022 ERA Team – 5.96
Result 2022 – Missed the NCAA Tournament
player to watch – From Trey Jones
The Longhorns and Islanders faced off last season, as Texas swept the two-game midweek series. Leading the way for a strong Islanders lineup was outfielder Trey Jones, who batted . 354/. 441/. 743 with 11 home runs and 37 runs batted in.
February 24-26 – Indiana Hoosiers
Record year 2022 – 27-32
2022 RPI – 108
2022 team average. – .278
2022 ERA Team – 7.04
Result 2022 – Missed the NCAA Tournament
player to watch – From Carter Mathison
The Hoosiers have their share of returning talent, among them second year football player Carter Matheson. As a freshman, Matheson hit an impressive .273/.393/.608 while hitting a new Indiana record 19 home runs and runs in 58 runs.
February 28 – No. 1 LSU Tigers
Record year 2022 – 40-22
2022 RPI – 21
2022 team average. – .289
2022 ERA Team – 4.32
Result 2022 – Hattiesburg Regional
player to watch – P Paul Skines
LSU, like Texas, is one of the blue bloods of college baseball and as such, will always be College World Series contenders. To reinforce that fact, the Tigers added two-way Air Force star Paul Skenes via the transfer gate. The starting weekend prospect went 10-3 with a 2.73 ERA and 96 strikeouts, while slashing .314/.412/.634 with 13 home runs and 38 runs batted in.
What to expect in february
All in all, the Longhorns’ February schedule is a relatively easy mix. Three of the top 10 opponents are mixed with three opponents coming off a few years back in 2022. If Texas can leave February with a 5-3 record, which would include dropping all three of their first 10 games, that would be setting them up for a solid winning streak in March.
sYou can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @tweet
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