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With three players selected during the first two days of the MLB Draft (Ty Madden - 1st Round, Mike Antico & Cole Quintanilla - 2nd Round), four more Longhorns were selected on the final day of the MLB 2021 Draft. Hard-hitting slugger Ivan Melendez went to the Florida Marlins in the 16th Round with the 479th overall pick. Melendez led the team with a .319 batting average last season and finished with 51 RBI's. Pitcher Kolby Kubichek was taken in the 18th round by the New York Mets with the 532nd overall pick. Kubichek who battled an injury during the season, made 12 starts and finished with a 5-3 record and a 3.86 ERA. Catcher Zach Zubia, who led Texas in RBI's last season, was selected by the Florida Marlins with the 599th overall pick in the 20th round. Zubia finished his career at Texas with 30 home runs, 162 RBI's and 140 walks - all Top 10 on Texas' all-time career lists. Complete list of Longhorns selected in the 2021 MLB Draft: CB-A (32) – Ty Madden – Detroit Tigers 8 (241) – Mike Antico – St. Louis Cardinals 9 (263) – Cole Quintanilla – Washington Nationals 16 (479) – Ivan Melendez – Miami Marlins 18 (532) – Kolby Kubichek – NY Mets 19 (559) – Cam Williams – Kansas City Royals 20 (599) – Zach Zubia – Miami Marlins

Photo: Lola Gomez/American-Statesman - USA TODAY Network via Imagn Content Services, LLC Following Ty Madden's Round One selection at #32 in the MLB Draft, the Texas Longhorns saw two more players drafted on Day Two. Versatile outfielder Mike Antico was selected with the 241st overall pick (8th Round) by the St. Louis Cardinals. Hard-throwing right-handed pitcher Cole Quintanilla was picked up in the next round, with the 263rd pick by the Washington Nationals. Antico played only one season with the Longhorns, as a graduate transfer, after playing for three years at St. John's University. In his lone season at Texas he held a .273 batting average and stole 41 bases (team high). He also finished the season with the most walks in the NCAA (63). His 41 stolen bases were good enough to rank him second nationally. Cole Quintanilla pitched three years for the Longhorns and was a key piece of the Texas bullpen. He finished the season with a 1.35 ERA and went 5-1 in 40 innings pitched. In his career with the Longhorns he tallied a 3.18 ERA and a 7-2 record with 5 saves.

Photo: USA TODAY Sports Texas Baseball right handed pitcher Ty Madden finished the season with a 7-5 record, a 2.45 ERA and 137 strikeouts as the Longhorns' ace. On Sunday evening he was drafted with the 32nd pick by the Detroit Tigers, becoming the highest MLB draft pick from the Longhorns since 2011 (Taylor Jungman - Milwaukee Brewers #12 overall). Madden was a force on the mound, holding opposing hitters to a .188 batting average. He ended his career with Texas by pitching 13 innings in Omaha in the College World Series, striking out 18 and allowing four runs. In his time wearing burnt orange, he went 14-6, pitched 181 innings and struck out 200 batters while totaling an ERA of 2.59.

Photo: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports Four teams remain in Omaha.... Texas is one of them. With less than 24 hours of rest in between, the Longhorns are back on the diamond on Friday night. Texas knocked Virginia out of the College World Series in the early hours on Friday morning with a 6-2 win, earning a rematch against Mississippi State later that same day. The Bulldogs are undefeated in Omaha and notched their first win in the CWS by defeating Texas 2-1 in the opener for both schools. Since then Mississippi State has played just one more game, against Virginia. The Bulldogs erased a four-run deficit in the late innings to defeat the Cavaliers 6-5 on Tuesday. Mississippi State has the advantage of a 3-day rest, while the Longhorns have a bit of momentum headed into Friday's game with a 2-game win streak. Since putting up just one run in the opener against the Bulldogs, the Texas bats have come alive and scored 14 runs in the last two games. WHAT: #2 Texas Longhorns vs. #7 Mississippi State Bulldogs WHEN: Friday, June 25, 2021 TIME: 6:00 PM CST VENUE: TD Ameritrade Park LOCATION: Omaha, NE TELEVISION: ESPN

Photo: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports Texas Baseball ended its season with a 4-3 loss to the Mississippi State Bulldogs at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha on Saturday night. The Longhorns have consistently responded to having their backs against the wall in the College World Series, but fell just short against the Bulldogs. Cam Williams started the scoring with a two-run shot in the second inning, bringing in Ivan Melendez who walked in his at-bat. Mississippi State added a run in the third thanks to a leadoff double and a two-out RBI single. Douglas Hodo's double to start the fifth followed by Mike Antico's two-out double made the score 3-1 at that point. But the Bulldogs added the run right back in the bottom of the inning on a groundball double play. After five innings Texas led Mississippi State 3-2. Tristan Stevens gave up a run before getting into a bases loaded, no-outs situation in the bottom of the sixth. Stevens was replaced by Cole Quintanilla, who navigated the inning and escaped with the Bulldogs scoring no more runs to keep the score tied at 3-3. Mississippi State walked it off in the ninth with an RBI single to left field of Quintanilla. The Longhorns end an impressive season with a 50-17 overall record and one game short of the College World Series Finals.

Photo: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports Five teams remain in Omaha.... Texas is one of them. Following their 8-4 victory over Tennessee on Tuesday to stay alive in Omaha, the Longhorns are back in action on Thursday Night. Holding strong in the loser's bracket, Texas will face a Virginia team that gave up a large lead and ended up losing 6-5 to Mississippi State on Tuesday evening. The Cavaliers have played well with their backs against the wall in this year's postseason, posting an impressive 6-0 record in elimination games in their regional and super regional play. The winner of this game will have no time for rest, as they will play again tomorrow against Mississippi State at 6:00 PM in a win-or-go-home situation again. RHP Mike Vasil (7-5, 4.82 ERA) is expected to get the start for the Cavs and Southpaw Pete Hansen (9-1, 1.79 ERA) will get the nod for the Longhorns. WHAT: Texas Longhorns vs. Virginia Cavaliers WHEN: Thursday, June 24, 2021 TIME: 6:00 PM CST VENUE: TD Ameritrade Park LOCATION: Omaha, NE TELEVISION: ESPN2

Photo: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports After an almost four hour weather delay in Omaha on Thursday, #2 Texas and Virginia began play in a win-or-go-home game for both teams. The Longhorns struck first, on Douglas Hodo's RBI single in the second inning which drove in Ivan Melendez who had doubled in his at-bat. Texas put up another run in the fifth to take the lead 2-0 on Eric Kennedy's score on a wild pitch, but the Cavaliers were able to tie the score in the bottom of the frame with a two-run homer that cleared the right field fence. Starter Pete Hansen was pulled and replaced with Cole Quintanilla, who was able to get the Longhorns out of the inning without further damage. Melendez delivered again in the eighth with an RBI single which put Texas back in front 3-2. Freshman Aaron Nixon pitched the bottom of the eighth and was able to force a double play to end the inning and preserve the Longhorns' 3-2 lead. Texas loaded the bases in the top of the ninth inning, and the bases were soon cleared thanks to Zack Zubia's three-run double to left-center field. At that point Texas led Virginia 6-2. Nixon trotted out to the mound and pitched a scoreless bottom half of the ninth to end the game and seal a Texas victory. Pete Hansen pitched a solid 5 2/3 innings for the Longhorns, giving up two runs and striking out six. The Longhorns will face Mississippi State on Friday at 6 p.m. and will face the Bulldogs again on Saturday should they win. GAME STATS

Photo: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports The Texas Longhorns (47-16) are back on the diamond today in Omaha in a win-or-go-home scenario as they face the Tennessee Volunteers (50-17) in the loser's bracket. The Longhorns lost their College World Series opener 2-1 to Mississippi State on Sunday, while Tennessee was shut out by Virginia 6-0 in the early game on Sunday. Texas RHP Tristan Stevens (11-5, 2.97 ERA) will get the start for the Longhorns. Tennessee is 2-0 all time against Texas. WHAT: Texas Longhorns vs. Tennessee Volunteers WHEN: Tuesday, June 22, 2021 TIME: 1:00 PM CST VENUE: TD Ameritrade Park LOCATION: Omaha, NE TELEVISION: ESPNU

Photo: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports The #2 Texas Longhorns staved off elimination on Tuesday afternoon with an 8-4 victory over #3 Tennessee at TD Ameritrade Park. Starting pitcher Tristan Stevens gave up four runs in 3.1 innings pitched before being replaced by Tanner Witt. Witt pitched a bullish 5.2 innings in relief, allowing just three hits and no runs. The offensive star for the Longhorns was Eric Kennedy. After Tennessee added two in the top of the second inning, Kennedy's three-run home run in the Longhorns' at-bat gave the Longhorns a 3-2 lead early on. Texas added another run in in the third inning on a Cam Williams' groundout RBI to make the score 4-2. The Volunteers tied the game in the fourth on an RBI single before Stevens was pulled and Witt came in. Witt gave up an RBI single but was able to end the Tennessee charge on a 4-6-3 double play. With two outs, Texas added three runs in the bottom of the frame. Silas Ardoin's single to right field scored two runs and Cam Williams' single drove in Mike Antico from second base. After four innings Texas led Tennessee 7-4. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Eric Kennedy stole third base and scored on a wild pitch after a single to right field, providing the Longhorns with an insurance run and an 8-4 lead which would never be relinquished. Texas stays alive in the loser's bracket in Omaha and will next face Virginia on Thursday at 6:00 PM. The Cavaliers lost to Mississippi State 6-5 on Tuesday evening.

Photo: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports Mississippi State starting pitcher Will Bednar fanned 15 Texas batters and the Longhorns' late rally wasn't enough. OMAHA, Neb. – Bulldog starting pitcher Will Bednar pitched a masterful game, striking out fifteen and stymying the Longhorn offense in the College World Series opener for both teams. Texas managed just one hit off Bednar and struck out fifteen times before Bednar was replaced by Mississippi State closer Landon Sims. Sims managed to strike out six but the Longhorns attempted a late rally in the 9th when Mike Antico led off the inning with a solo home run to right field. With two outs, Ivan Melendez walked, and Cam Williams ripped a single into center field to put runners at the corners. Douglas Hodo grounded out to second base to end the game. While the Mississippi State pitching staff gets most of the attention for the win, Texas starter Ty Madden did his job as well. Madden pitched seven innings and struck out ten, giving up four hits and two runs (both in the fourth inning). Pete Hansen relieved Madden and gave up just one hit in two innings pitched. The Longhorns fall into the loser's bracket and will next play Tennessee on Tuesday at 1:00 PM at TD Ameritrade Park. These two teams have previously met twice before, with the Volunteers winning both games (2008 and 2012 at the Houston College Classic at Minute Maid Park).

Photo: Lola Gomez/American-Statesman - USA TODAY Network via Imagn Content Services, LLC The Texas Longhorns open up Regional play as the #2 National Seed as they host the Southern Jaguars (Baton Rouge, LA) on Friday at 1:00 PM at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. Texas and Southern have met just once previously, in the 1988 Austin Regional with Texas winning that matchup 7-3. RHP Tristan Stevens (9-3, 2.99 ERA) will get the start for David Pierce and the Longhorns, while lefty Jacob Snyder (1-2, 6.94 ERA) will start for the Jaguars. Arizona State and Fairfield round out the other teams in the Austin Regional. Texas head coach David Pierce was recently named Big 12 Coach of the Year, the second time in his coaching career on the 40 Acres he has won the award. The Longhorns have made 60 appearances in the NCAA Tournament, with the last coming in 2018, and have an all-time NCAA Regional record of 145-57-1 What: Texas Longhorns vs. Southern Jaguars When: June 4, 2021 Venue: UFCU Disch-Falk Field Location: Austin, TX Time: 1 p.m. TV: Longhorn Network Live stats: https://texassports.com/sidearmstats/baseball

Photo courtesy Texas Athletics AUSTIN, TX -- The second ranked Texas Longhorns defeated the Arizona State Sun Devils 10-3 in the winners bracket of the Austin Regional at Disch-Falk Field on Saturday night. After a delayed start due to weather in the area, Sun Devil starting pitcher Justin Fall struggled early with his command, allowing Texas to get runners at the corners in the first and second innings. Texas failed to capitalize, but scored three in the third. Cam Williams was hit by a pitch, bringing a run in and leaving the bases loaded. Douglas Hodo III took first base on a a four-pitch walk scoring the Longhorns' second run of the inning. Ivan Melendez scored on a wild pitch by Fall to make the score 3-0 in favor of Texas. Zach Zubia hit his 10th home run of the season in the fourth inning, a two-run blast to center field brought home Mike Antico from first base. Ty Madden got into a little jam in the fifth, loading the bases but escaped by allowing Arizona State to score 1 to cut the Texas lead to 5-1. Texas scored three in the sixth thanks to an RBI by Trey Faltine and two RBI's by Eric Kennedy. Texas led 8-1 at that point. The Sun Devils hit a two run homer in the seventh to cut the Texas lead to 8-3. The Longhorns added a couple of insurance runs in the eighth on Trey Faltine's second RBI of the night and an RBI from Silas Ardoin. Tanner Witt struck out the first two Sun Devil batters in the ninth before ending the game by forcing a ground ball for the third out. Texas starting pitcher Ty Madden notched his seventh win of the season striking out seven and allowing one run on three hits. With the win the Longhorns advance to the Regional Championship Game and will face the winner of the Arizona State vs. Fairfield game at 8:00 PM.

Photo courtesy Texas Athletics AUSTIN, TX -- Starting pitcher Tristan Stevens threw a masterful seven innings of baseball, allowing just four hits and striking out six of the Southern batters, leading the Longhorns (43-15) to an 11-0 opening Regional win at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. Zach Zubia led the Texas offensive barrage with a 3-4 performance, including two RBI's. Cam Williams and Silas Ardoin both had two RBI's on the day as well. The Longhorns scored a pair of runs in the first inning, courtesy of a Zach Zubia sacrifice fly, which was followed by a solo shot by Ivan Melendez in left field. Texas added a four-spot in the second inning, thanks to a pairs of RBI's from Mitchell Daly and Zach Zubia. Cam Williams scored on a ground ball to shortstop in the third to extend the Longhorns' lead to 7-0. Ardoin's two RBI double in the seventh scored Douglas Hodo III and Trey Faltine to make the score 9-0. In the eighth inning Cam Williams smoked a two-run homer over the left field fence, driving in Ivan Melendez to put the score at 11-0. Palmer Wenzel entered in relief of Stevens and pitched a scoreless eighth inning, while Jared Southard struck out two in the ninth and ended the game by forcing a ground ball to first base to end the game. Texas will await the winner of the Arizona State Fairfield game which gets underway later on Friday evening.

Photo: Texas Athletics The Longhorns and Horned Frogs battled it out on Sunday at Lupton Stadium in the rubber match after splitting Friday and Saturday matchups on the diamond. Left-hander Pete Hansen (6-1) pitched a masterful performance on Sunday, going seven innings and giving up just two hits and no runs for the Longhorns. Zack Zubia, who struck out with two men on base on Saturday afternoon to end the game, redeemed himself with a monster day. Zubia went 3-5 at the plate with two home runs and four RBI, pacing the Texas offense to an eventual blowout of TCU on their home field. Cam Williams also homered for the Longhorns and registered a 2-3 day at the plate with three RBI. Texas got to Horned Frog starter Johnny Ray (5-2) early on, blasting three home runs in three innings before Ray was pulled after just 2 1/3 innings pitched. After five innings Texas led 5-0 and added four more runs in the sixth to extend the lead to 9-0. TCU scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth on Bobby Goodloe's three-run homer but it wasn't enough. With the series win over TCU, Texas is one game back of the Horned Frogs in the Big 12 standings. Texas will face Texas Southern on Tuesday night at Disch-Falk before closing out the regular season against Rice and West Virginia next week.

Photo: Texas Athletics The Texas Longhorns Baseball (17-7, 4-2) team went 3-1 last week, defeating Incarnate Word on Tuesday evening and taking 2 of 3 games from rival Oklahoma at Disch-Falk Field last weekend. The series victory over the Sooners propelled the Longhorns up to #5 in the latest D1Baseball.com poll, up four spots from a #9 ranking last week. Texas has won three of the last four series against Oklahoma and will head to College Station next for a Tuesday evening game against Texas A&M.

It's about that time. The time when football ended a month ago and basketball is mid-way through the season. Yes, it's time for college baseball! Texas has a strong squad coming back and the voters acknowledged this with a #13 preseason ranking. Texas kicks off the season against Duke on Feb. 17th and plays additional non-conference games against the likes of Arkansas, Stanford, Tennessee and Rice. Hook'em!