Texas Longhorns Overpower Houston Christian 7-1 to Begin NCAA Regional Run

AUSTIN, Texas – The No. 2 seeded Texas Longhorns made a loud statement to begin their NCAA Regional journey, cruising to a 7-1 win over Houston Christian University on Friday evening at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. Behind elite pitching, timely offense, and sharp defense, the Longhorns showcased the dominance that earned them a top national seed.

Junior right-hander Tanner Witt was brilliant in his start, tossing six shutout innings with eight strikeouts and no walks. The Longhorns never trailed and Witt’s early dominance allowed the team to settle in comfortably.

Texas drew first blood in the bottom of the first inning. Jared Thomas doubled with two outs and Dylan Campbell drove him home with a base hit to center. The offense was just warming up.

The third inning proved pivotal. With runners aboard, Ivan Melendez sent a mammoth three-run homer deep into the night sky, putting Texas up 4-0 and electrifying the home crowd.

Houston Christian struggled to respond. Their lone score came late, in the eighth inning, long after Texas had taken firm control of the game.

The Longhorns continued to add on with runs in the fifth and seventh, including a highlight-reel RBI triple by outfielder Eric Kennedy. Offensively, Texas spread the production across the lineup and never let the visitors gain momentum.

Defensively, the Horns were sound. Their infield executed two double plays, and catcher Garret Guillemette threw out a base runner attempting to steal. Every aspect of Texas’ game seemed postseason-hardened.

With this win, Texas moves into the winner’s bracket and will face the winner of Louisiana Tech vs. UC Santa Barbara. Houston Christian now faces elimination in the double-elimination bracket.