Texas Longhorns Rout UC-Davis in Season Opener

Ruger Riojas settles in after shaky start, Aiden Robbins and Anthony Pack Jr. shine in debuts

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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The Texas Longhorns baseball team opened their season with a dominant 12-2 run-rule victory over UC-Davis on Friday night. Starting pitcher Ruger Riojas overcame a rocky first inning to strike out nine batters over five innings, while newcomers Aiden Robbins and Anthony Pack Jr. combined for five hits and five RBIs in their Longhorns debuts.

Why it matters

The Longhorns are looking to build on last season's success and make a deep postseason run. This decisive win over a non-conference opponent is an encouraging start, showcasing the team's offensive firepower and Riojas' ability to settle in after a shaky beginning.

The details

Texas starter Ruger Riojas struggled early, allowing the first five UC-Davis batters to reach base. However, he limited the damage to just one run and then settled down, retiring 14 of the last 15 batters he faced. Riojas finished with nine strikeouts over five innings. On offense, newcomers Aiden Robbins and Anthony Pack Jr. made immediate impacts. Robbins hit a two-run home run and an RBI double, while Pack went 3-for-3 with a double in his collegiate debut. The Longhorns' offense pounded out 11 hits, including five extra-base hits.

  • The game was played on Friday, February 13, 2026 in Austin, Texas.

The players

Ruger Riojas

The senior right-handed starting pitcher for the Texas Longhorns who overcame a shaky first inning to strike out nine batters over five innings.

Aiden Robbins

A transfer from Seton Hall, Robbins hit a two-run home run and an RBI double in his Texas debut.

Anthony Pack Jr.

A freshman outfielder who went 3-for-3 with a double in his first collegiate game.

Jim Schlossnagle

The second-year head coach of the Texas Longhorns baseball team.

Tommy Nicholson

The head coach of UC-Davis and a former player and assistant coach for the Texas Longhorns.

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What they’re saying

“Being able to get down like that and find my way back and then just find an even flow. I thought that was the most beautiful thing about that game. The velo had a few more ticks on it. Overall, my stuff's way better.”

— Ruger Riojas, Texas Longhorns starting pitcher (Houston Chronicle)

“Yeah, it was amazing. It was surreal. I've dreamed about playing college ball my whole life. I've never been in front of that before, so it's a blessing.”

— Anthony Pack Jr., Texas Longhorns freshman outfielder (Houston Chronicle)

“I was very excited. I couldn't wait to get on the field tonight. As soon as the crowd roared, I just couldn't keep the smile off my face. Just an incredible, incredible moment for everybody on our team.”

— Aiden Robbins, Texas Longhorns transfer outfielder (Houston Chronicle)

What’s next

The Longhorns will continue their season-opening series against UC-Davis with games on Saturday and Sunday at noon.

The takeaway

The Longhorns' dominant season-opening win showcased the team's offensive firepower and Ruger Riojas' ability to bounce back from a shaky start, providing an encouraging sign for Texas as they look to build on last season's success.