The No. 2 national seed Texas Longhorns opened play in the Austin Regional by ruthlessly dispatching the overmatched Southern Jaguars in an 11-0 victory at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday.
Head coach David Pierce’s decision to start typical No. 2 starter Tristan Stevens in the first game paid off, as Stevens cruised through a Southern lineup that typically struggles at the plate in hitting .251 this season despite the unlikely run to the SWAC Tournament title. Stevens was his usual efficient self throughout, needing only 82 pitches to get through seven innings. Southern managed four hits, but struck out six times without drawing a walk from Stevens, who retired 10 of the 24 batters he faced on groundouts.