It’s early, but Longhorns look like a complete team

The early returns are in and the Texas Longhorns are where they need to be.

Stellar starting pitching? Check. How about solid relief from the bullpen? Check-aroo.

Offense? Let’s give it a blue mark without checking in with grok.

Friday’s 8-1 win over Michigan State represents an early blueprint to how the Longhorns can return to college baseball’s Promised Land for the first time in five years, even if the season is still in its infancy. If a team can go 3-0 in those aforementioned areas, success is inevitable and so far coach Jim Schlossnagle has few complaints about where things are going, especially with Friday night starter Ruger Riojas off to a tremendous start in his second season on campus.

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The Texas locker room’s resident hippie pitches like he lives — to his own beat — and so far the music is sweeter than Mmom’s July 4th apple pie.

Riojas, lovingly called the “freakiest of all freaks” by teammate Casey Borba and a “hippie” by coach Schloss because of his unique fashion sense and general approach to life, went six sturdy innings and lowered his ERA to 1.63.

“It’s just the relentless competitor I am and the will I have to win and that is in any shape possible,” the right-hander said when asked to describe his personality. 

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From being the most energetic veteran in the locker room to burning incense and candles in UT pitching coach Max Weiner’s office, Riojas is in a great place after losing 18 pounds due to an illness in the second half of last season. He was already popular before the season began, but to pitch like he has in his first two starts has added to his Q rating.

Ruger has made a huge impact and not just on the mound.

“He’s a demon, man,” UT second baseman Ethan Mendoza said. “He’s crazy off the field and crazy on the field. The energy he brings on the field is what you see all the time. You never see him having a bad day. You never know if things are going good or going bad. He’s always happy and just excited to be around. He’s a great person to be around.”

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After arriving at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in a denim jacket fit, Riojas undressed the Spartans with a three-hitter and 10 strikeouts on 83 pitches.

“I like to show some pizzazz,” Riojas said. “I like to dress up on my starting days, feel good going to the park, having that self-confidence that carries on throughout the day. “

It’s way too early to start talking about the postseason, but this has been a promising start for Weiner’s pitching staff. Riojas (2-0) has held up his end in his first two starts against UC Davis and Michigan State, allowing the coaches the luxury of starting the experienced Luke Harrison on Saturday before coming back with Texas’ best pitcher, Dylan Volantis, on Sunday. 

At least for now. With the wealth of arms Schlossnagle has assembled — Michael Winter, Brett Crossland and Brody Walls pitched shutout ball over the last three innings — the Horns will have options if the unforeseen happens this season. 

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It helps to have a lineup of sluggers at a pitcher’s back, too.

“It’s sick,” Riojas said. “Just watching our offense crush everybody gives us confidence for today, tomorrow and the rest of the season. Just seeing those guys take such comfortable at-bats … it’s very comforting.”

The Horns blasted three homers to push their total to eight through five games, which is two ahead of last season’s pace. The 2025 Horns hit 85 bombs in 58 games. No one was hitting Riojas on Friday night and things were made even easier with five of the eight runs coming via the long ball.

This team is on pace to hit 86 homers in 54 games, which is pretty much a wash by comparison. Texas doesn’t have an all-world power guy like Ivan Melendez, the Hispanic Titanic who hit 32 home runs for the 2022 team that banged out 128 homers and basically rewrote the UT record books in the power categories, but the Longhords do have the potential to hold their own once the money games start.

Schlossnagle and assistant coach Troy Tulowitzki have preached the patient approach. Mendoza, Adrian Rodriguez (who’s a switch hitter), Aiden Robbins and Carson Tinney occupy thetop half of the order with the ability to drive the ball from corner to corner and all points in between.

“I haven’t had right-handed hitters that use the whole field (the way those do),” Schlossnagle said. “I’ve rarely had (one). You see when guys hit for a high average when they use the whole field.”

The tougher games are coming. Shoot, the tough series are coming even sooner because it’s the SEC. That said, Texas looks promising early, but temper total enthusiasm until the Horns prove it against someone like College World Series runner-up Coastal Carolina, who they play Feb. 27 at the Bruce Bolt College Classic in Houston.