Texas baseball: Dylan Volantis dazzles with career-high 12 strikeouts vs Alabama
Dylan Volantis was given the baseball as Texas opened an SEC series against Alabama on Friday night. In his first-ever Friday start, Volantis struck out 12 batters in a 10-2 win over Alabama.
Ahead of Friday's home game against Alabama, four Texas baseball fans wearing fake mustaches posed on the concourse for a pregame picture. As a nod to a look fashioned by Texas starting pitcher Ruger Riojas, fake mustaches have started to be a common sight in the stands on Friday nights at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. Those fake mustaches, however, may now permanently become part of a Saturday costume for Texas fans.
Sophomore left-hander Dylan Volantis was given the baseball Friday as Texas opened an SEC series against Alabama. In his first Friday start, Volantis responded by allowing four hits in a 10-2 win over Alabama . The 12 strikeouts that he recorded over a six-inning, 91-pitch start were a career-high total.
Texas Longhorns pitcher Dylan Volantis (99) throws in the fifth inning as the Texas Longhorns play their first game of a three-game series against the Alabama Crimson Tide, April 17, 2026. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman) Even though those mustached fans didn't get the memo, Texas opting Friday to start Volantis over Riojas wasn't a surprise. Texas coach Jim Schlossnagle had announced after Tuesday's win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi that Volantis, who had been pitching in UT's series finales, would open the three-game set against the Crimson Tide .
Texas then planned on shifting Riojas (5-1, 3. 40 ERA) from Friday on Saturday before turning to Luke Harrison (4-1, 4. 33) on Sunday.
Continue to the original source for the full article.