Texas Baseball Sweeps Michigan State Behind Volantis Gem

Longhorns pitcher Dylan Volantis dominates with career-high 9 strikeouts in 7-inning shutout performance.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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The Texas Longhorns baseball team completed a series sweep of the Michigan State Spartans, led by a dominant outing from starting pitcher Dylan Volantis. Volantis threw 7 shutout innings, allowing just 5 hits and 1 walk while striking out a career-high 9 batters. The Longhorns' offense provided just enough support with a 2-run first inning, and the bullpen closed out the 4-0 victory.

Why it matters

Texas has now won 7 straight games to open the season, outscoring opponents by 43 total runs. The strong pitching performances from Volantis and the rest of the rotation have been a key factor in the team's hot start, showcasing the Longhorns' potential to be one of the best pitching staffs in the nation this year.

The details

Volantis was dominant on the mound, retiring 13 batters in a row at one point and not allowing a hit after the 3rd inning. He finished with a career-high 9 strikeouts, throwing 91 pitches with a 70% strike rate. The Longhorns' offense provided just enough support with a 2-run first inning, and the bullpen closed out the 4-0 victory.

  • On Friday and Saturday, Texas took home two wins, allowing a combined two runs.
  • By the time Volantis had thrown his final pitch of the game, he had earned his ninth strikeout and thrown 91 pitches, both career highs.

The players

Dylan Volantis

The Texas starting pitcher who threw a dominant 7-inning shutout, striking out a career-high 9 batters.

Jim Schlossnagle

The head coach of the Texas Longhorns baseball team.

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What they’re saying

“They're enjoying playing with each other, playing as a team. I think it took, maybe it was the chilly temperature, but I think it took Dylan a little bit to find his breaking ball. Once he found his breaking ball, then he's gonna be tough to hit when he's got three, actually four pitches for strikes.”

— Jim Schlossnagle, Texas Head Coach (on3.com)

“I really didn't notice anything was career high today, I just kind of went out there, took every pitch like it was my last, and had a lot of fun. That's the biggest thing for me, just going out treating it like a game. It's, you know, kids play it, just have fun with it. Don't let age determine how much fun you have with it. So I just enjoy every moment.”

— Dylan Volantis (on3.com)

What’s next

Texas will host UTRGV on Tuesday night before heading to Houston for the BRUCE BOLT College Classic over the weekend.

The takeaway

Texas' dominant pitching performance, led by Dylan Volantis' career-best outing, has been a key factor in the team's 7-0 start to the season. The Longhorns' deep and talented rotation is positioning them as one of the top pitching teams in the country early on.