In this “From the Archives” series — subtitled in jest “20,000 Years of Austin History in 20 Minutes” — we’ve introduced the concept for the series, and devoted one column to the arrival of humans in the Austin area.
This, the third column, looks at the arrival of Europeans and Africans 500 years ago.
As previously noted, Spaniard Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca and an Arabic-speaking African named Esteban de Dorantes (Estevanico) were among 80 men shipwrecked on the Texas Gulf Coast. They were among the four survivors of those parties who spent the next years exploring the interior.
Cabeza de Vaca wrote about this initial incursion in his fascinating report, published as “La Relacion.” For their part, the Spanish claimed what is now Texas until Mexican independence in 1821.
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From the Archives: Learn 20,000 years of Austin history in 20 minutes
Claiming, however, is not controlling.
When you look at a traditional map of North America during the 1600s, for instance, you see wide stretches of the northern and central regions as held by France.
Meanwhile, the English laid claim to much of the Eastern Seaboard; and the Dutch West India Company on the region around New Amsterdam, later renamed New York City, as well as land from Maryland to Connecticut and the Hudson Valley (at least from 1614 to 1664).
The Spanish planted their flags in Florida, Texas and the Southwest, especially the relatively populated area around Santa Fe, N.M.
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By 1732, the Russian Empire had joined the imperial scramble, laying claim to the Pacific Coast territories of North America.
Yet as historian Pekka Hämäläinen argues in his magnificent book, “Indigenous Continent: The Epic Contest for North America,” the Europeans generally controlled only slivers of land around forts and settlements. Yes, they operated ports, mines, farms and trading posts, but it took hundreds of years to wrest the North America from the Native Americans.
More: From the Archives: What archaeologists discovered about earliest humans in Austin area
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Texas is a particular case in point.
While maps might have indicated that New Spain included much of what is now Texas, the Spanish, in fact, rarely controlled territory beyond a few scattered presidios, missions and villages. The exceptions might be found in the brushy South Texans land around San Antonio and La Bahía, where Tejanos operated productive ranches.
Similar things could be said about the French, who for a long while considered the entire Mississippi River watershed, which includes the Red River and Texas its tributaries, theirs. This claim sometimes included disputed territory as far south as Matagorda Bay.
These insubstantial claims did not improve much after the European powers departed. During the early 19th century, neither the Mexican central government, nor the American immigrants, who began arriving in numbers during the 1820s, controlled more than a few patches on the map.
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It was not until the Red River War (1874-1875) that the United States — and its still relatively new state of Texas — controlled all of the state’s territory. That was after more than 50 years of almost constant conflict with Native Americans, who were either removed or nearly exterminated in the process.
What about Austin, you say? In 1730, the Spanish temporarily transplanted three East Texas missions to somewhere along the Colorado River in the Austin area. Those were moved to better fortified positions in San Antonio a few months later. Archeologists have unearthed no physical evidence of those incompletely documented missions.
More: Exploring an Austin site that might reveal 1730 Spanish missions
Which means the Spanish presence in Texas, which lasted intermittently from the 1520s to the 1820s, made little direct impact on the area around Austin.
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No. 2 seed Texas will look to avoid a stunningly early elimination in the NCAA baseball tournament when it takes on UTSA at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in the Austin Regional on Sunday night.
The game’s a rematch of the Longhorns’ 9-7 loss Saturday to their in-state rivals, which sent Texas to the loser’s bracket for a pair of games Sunday. The Longhorms eliminated Kansas State 15-8 in the afternoon and takes the field just a short time later to keep their season alive. The Roadrunners, meanwhile had the afternoon off.
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It’s the third meeting between the programs this season, with the Roadrunners winning the previous two. If the Texas can pull out the win Sunday night, the two teams would square off again Monday, with the winner advancing to the super regional round.
USA TODAY will provide updates, scores and highlights from the Texas-UTSA game. Follow along here:
Watch Texas vs UTSA with ESPN+
This section will be updated
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Grubbs produces a better showing from the plate in his first full inning of the game for the Longhorns. He allowed just one hit as the Roadrunners were scoreless.
Back-to-back doubles for the Longhorns produce a positive result. Adrian Rodriguez doubled to deep right to start the inning. Casey Borba’s double allows for Rodriguez to score Texas’ first run of the game.
Pitcher Ethan Walker put Texas in a tough situation, allowing USTA to load the bases with two outs in the inning after hitting Caden Miller with a pitch.
Walker would hit a second consecutive batter that would allow UTSA’s Caden Miller to take first base and Lorenzo Morresi to score to take a 3-0 lead.
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Schlossnagle decides to go with a pitching change, replacing Walker with Max Grubbs.
Hodge hits a bases-clearing double to deep center off Grubbs with two outs. Garrett Gruell, Caden Miller and Jordan Ballin all score for the Roadrunners, who lead the game 6-0.
Hodge would score off an RBI single from Mason Lytle before the inning concluded.
Rylan Galvan of Texas comes up on the wrong end of a risky play, trying to tag up from second before running to third with two outs and getting caught.
“Rylan was trying to hang out there and when he was trying to go back, there was no need to go,” Texas coach Jim Schlossnagle said during the ESPN broadcast.
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Ethan Walker comes in as the Longhorns’ new pitcher, replacing Hudson Hamilton.
Walker and the Longhorns did enough to keep the Roadrunners scoreless in the inning, leaving two runners on base.
The pitcher struck out two runners but did allow a walk after hitting Ty Hodge with a pitch.
Pitcher Gunnar Brown struck out Will Gasparino and Jalin Flores of Texas in the inning. Jonah Williams recorded a hit for the Longhorns. Brown and the Roadrunners managed to get out of the inning after Casey Borba grounded out to third.
Norris McClure and the UTSA bats made the most of their first opportunity at the plate and took a 2-0 lead. McClure had a two-run home run, bringing James Taussig to score.
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UTSA pitcher Gunnar Brown held Texas scoreless after allowing two hits while striking out Adrian Rodriguez to start the game. Rylan Galvan and Ethan Mendoza each recorded a hit for the Longhorns.
Here is the Texas Longhorns starting lineup for their game against the UTSA Roadrunners Sunday night in the Austin Regional:
Here is the UTSA Roadrunners starting lineup for their game against the Texas Longhorns Sunday night in the Austin Regional:
What time does the Texas vs UTSA baseball game start?
Date: Sunday, June 1
Time: 8:06 p.m. ET
First pitch for the game between Texas and UTSA is scheduled for Sunday at 8:06 p.m. ET (7:06 p.m. CT) from UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Texas.
Texas baseball’s game against UTSA in the Austin Regional of the 2025 NCAA baseball tournament is not airing on traditional linear television. Instead, it will be airing exclusively on ESPN+, ESPN’s subscription streaming platform.
Texas baseball schedule 2025
Here are Texas’ past five results. To see the Longhorns’ full 2025 schedule, click here.
Here are UTSA’s past five results. To see the Roadrunners’ full 2025 schedule, click here.
Thursday, May 22: Tulane 10, UTSA 6
Friday, May 23: UTSA 6, Florida Atlantic 3
Saturday, May 24: Tulane 6, UTSA 3
Friday, May 30: UTSA 10, Kansas State 2
Saturday, May 31: UTSA 9, Texas 7
NCAA baseball tournament schedule
Regionals: May 30-June 2
Super regionals: June 6-9
College World Series: June 13-22/23
CWS finals: June 21-22/23
The 2025 NCAA baseball tournament began on May 30 with the regional round, which will conclude no later than June 2. Following the regional round are the super regionals, which will take place June 6-9. After that, the College World Series will begin on June 13 and end on either June 22 or 23, depending on whether the three-game championship series needs two or three games.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — James Taussig went 4 for 4 with a double and two RBIs to help UTSA send No. 2 overall seed Texas to the losers’ bracket with a 9-7 come-from-behind victory at the Austin Regional on Saturday night.
Host Texas (43-13) will play No. 3 seed Kansas State in an elimination game Sunday. The winner would have to beat the Roadrunners (46-13) Sunday night and again on Monday to advance to the super regionals.
The Longhorns scored five runs in the third inning off UTSA starter Conor Myles and reliever Connor Kelley to take a 6-1 lead.
Nathan Hodge had a two-run single and Taussig doubled in the final of four runs in the fifth as the Roadrunners pulled within 6-5.
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Hodge and Mason Lytle had RBI singles before Garrett Gruell doubled in a run as UTSA scored three more times in the sixth to grab an 8-6 lead.
Rylan Galvan hit a solo homer in the seventh to get the Longhorns within a run, but Taussig delivered a ninth-inning insurance run with a two-out single after Lytle’s one-out double.
Kendall Dove (3-0) got the win with a scoreless fifth inning. Braylon Owens pitched the final four innings and allowed a run on a hit and four walks for his third save.
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Max Grubbs (6-2) was saddled with the loss after allowing two runs in 1 1/3 innings in relief of starter Luke Harrison, who yielded five runs — two earned — in 4 1/3.
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Texas baseball took an expected-but-necessary first step toward a College World Series appearance and a potential national championship Friday, knocking off Houston Christian 7-1 in the first game of the Austin Regional in the 2025 NCAA tournament.
Now, a new challenge awaits for coach Jim Schlossnagle’s team.
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The Longhorns, the No. 2 national seed, will take on in-state foe UTSA in the second game of the regional they’re hosting at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Texas.
REQUIRED READING: Texas baseball vs Houston Christian highlights: Longhorns dominate Austin Regional opener
A win against the Roadrunners, who beat Kansas State 10-2 Friday, would be far from a guarantee. Texas and UTSA faced off on March 18 in Austin, with the Longhorns getting handed an 8-7 loss in 12 innings in Austin, one of only four losses they suffered outside of SEC play this season.
With another victory, Texas will further enhance its position to make the super regional round of the NCAA tournament for the fourth time in the past four years, as it would be the only team left in the double-elimination Austin Regional without a loss.
Watch Texas baseball in the Austin Regional live with ESPN+
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What channel is Texas baseball vs UTSA on?
Texas’ game against UTSA is not airing on traditional linear television. Instead, it’s being shown exclusively on ESPN+, ESPN’s subscription streaming platform.
Texas baseball vs UTSA start time
Date: Saturday, May 31
Time: 9 p.m. ET
Location: UFCU Disch-Falk Field (Austin, Texas)
The first pitch between Texas baseball and UTSA is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 31, though the start time could be pushed back if preceding NCAA tournament games go longer than scheduled.
NCAA baseball tournament schedule
Regionals: May 30-June 2
Super Regionals: June 6-9
College World Series: June 13-22/23
REQUIRED READING: Texas baseball regional schedule: Game times, tickets for Austin bracket
Texas baseball schedule 2025
Here’s a look at Texas’ past five results. To see the Longhorns’ full 2025 schedule, click here.
