Texas

Pitching a persistent problem for Texas baseball team in ’embarrassing’ loss to UTRGV

Published

2 years ago

April 17, 2024

Pitching a persistent problem for Texas baseball team in ’embarrassing’ loss to UTRGV

To open his postgame press conference on Tuesday night, Texas coach David Pierce got right to the point.

“At the end of the day, we’re not a very good baseball team at times. Then there’s times where we look like we’re really good. We’re from one spectrum to the other and tonight was just embarrassing,” Pierce said.

Texas issued 20 free passes to UTRGV in a 17-9 loss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. Texas walked 11 batters and the Vaqueros were hit by nine Texas pitches. The UTRGV offense also produced 11 hits, two of which were solo homers by Martin Vazquez.

The 17 runs were the most allowed by Texas since a 31-12 loss at Missouri in 2008. Before Tuesday, UT’s season-high totals for walks was eight. The Longhorns hadn’t hit more than four opponents in a single game in 2024.

In a game that lasted four hours and five minutes, Texas could not solve its pitching problems. One of the 10 pitchers who threw on Tuesday was sophomore Jared Thomas, who is normally UT’s starting first baseman. Texas failed to retire UTRGV in order in any of Tuesday’s nine innings.

“I think we have a huge gap in our mentality,” Pierce said. “We have some guys in our clubhouse that are tough as nails and then we have some guys that are just trying to fit in and trying to figure out in the middle of competition if they’re good enough and they’re just not very confident.

“We’re not even talking about Power Five (competition), we’re talking about college baseball, of not being able to throw strikes. At the end of the day, it’s on me. We’ve got to figure this out because it’s going to be a long rest of the season if we don’t.”

Now 22-16 this season, Texas’ RPI of 67 won’t be helped by Tuesday’s result. Entering Tuesday, UTRGV (18-15) had the No. 250 RPI and that baseball program hadn’t won in Austin since 1968.

The Longhorns will host TCU this weekend in a series featuring the Big 12’s fourth- and 11th-place teams. TCU and Texas were ranked first and second in the conference’s preseason poll.

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Texas

Texas Rangers roster cuts: Cam Cauley among players heading to minor league camp

Published

1 hour ago

March 15, 2026

Press Room

Texas Rangers roster cuts: Cam Cauley among players heading to minor league camp

SURPRISE, Ariz. — Consider the spring missions of Cam Cauley completed.

Eyes have been opened.

On Sunday, the Rangers made five cuts from the major league roster, sending Cauley, right-hander Gavin Collyer and infielder Jonah Bride to the minor league camp where they will likely be assigned to Triple-A Round Rock. Right-hander Jose Corniell, who made his first appearance of spring on Saturday, was optioned to Double-A Frisco, while catcher Willie MacIver was optioned to Round Rock.

If there were questions about Cauley, who was left unprotected off the 40-man roster in December’s Rule 5 draft, he seems to have given the Rangers more affirmation about his abilities as a hitter. He batted .289 with an .841 OPS in 41 spring plate appearances. Now, he will be tasked with working on repeating the hitting ability at Triple-A for the first time.

In addition, the Rangers will continue expanding his defensive responsibilities up the middle with significant time in center field, along with shortstop and second base.

“He’s a winning baseball player,” manager Skip Schumaker said. “I think he’s taken his offensive game and profile to the next level. He’s cut his strikeout rate, his walk rate increased. He continues to hit the ball hard, disrupts. He’s a disruptor on the bases. So he showed the ability to be not only a really good utility player, but potentially, one day an every day, big leaguer, the way he’s going about it.

“Now, he’s going to have to play really solid defense to continue his progression at shortstop in center field. I think he’s a middle-of-the-field player. He’s still young and he’s not a finished product. He knows that. Continuing to work on defense is the easiest tool to get better at, because it’s based on work ethic and character. I think he can become at least a major league average hitter. And if he gets really good at defense in multiple positions, now you’re looking at a really valuable piece to have on your team, on a winning team, and not just another guy that comes up.”

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Texas

TSA staffing shortages fuel long lines at Texas airports amid spring break rush

Published

13 hours ago

March 15, 2026

Press Room

TSA staffing shortages fuel long lines at Texas airports amid spring break rush

The spring break travel rush is underway, and while DFW Airport is seeing typical congestion, operations remain normal compared with the massive hours‑long lines reported this week in Houston and Austin. TSA staffing shortages tied to a partial federal government shutdown have left agents working without pay for the third time in six months, with more than 300 resignations and a spike in unscheduled absences. Local union leaders say workers are reaching a breaking point.

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Red flag at IndyCar practice as workers walk on Texas track

Published

1 day ago

March 14, 2026

Press Room

Red flag at IndyCar practice as workers walk on Texas track

Mar 14, 2026, 02:35 PM ET

ARLINGTON, Texas — IndyCar officials had to throw a red flag to slow the cars as they were pulling out of the pit area during Saturday’s practice when three workers were spotted on the hot track.

No one was injured.

Practice for the inaugural Grand Prix of Arlington resumed after a delay of several minutes as IndyCar officials checked the temporary 2.73-mile, 14-turn circuit on the streets around the stadiums of the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers.

The television broadcast showed the trio of workers who appeared to be part of a catering crew. One of them was pushing a catering cart in a spot between AT&T Stadium, the Cowboys’ home, and a nearby hospitality area.

Cars practicing for Sunday’s race hadn’t yet gotten up to speed when the track breach was spotted.

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