Ole Miss Baseball: No. 3 Texas Heads to BRUCE BOLT College Classic with Coastal Carolina, Baylor and Ohio State
No. 3 Texas will play three Power Four opponents in the 26th BRUCE BOLT College Classic at Daikin Park from Feb. 27–March 1, a weekend that matters as the Longhorns seek to justify a top-three national ranking. Ole Miss baseball followers and neutral fans will have an early measuring stick: Texas opens Friday at 7 p. m. against Coastal Carolina, then meets Baylor Saturday at 7 p. m. and closes Sunday at 2 p. m. against Ohio State.
Probable pitching matchups set for Texas’ weekend
The Longhorns arrive with a clear rotation plan drawn for the three-game slate. Friday’s probable matchup pairs Coastal Carolina RHP Luke Jones (0-0, 2. 35 ERA) against Texas RHP Ruger Riojas (1-0, 1. 64 ERA). Saturday projects Baylor LHP Ethan Calder (0-0, 0. 00 ERA) versus Texas LHP Luke Harrison (1-0, 3. 86 ERA). Sunday’s penciled matchup lists Texas LHP Dylan Volantis (2-0, 0. 00 ERA) against Ohio State RHP Pierce Herrenbruck (1-0, 2. 70 ERA).
Those assignments matter because Texas’ staff has been the engine of its early run: the pitching corps has allowed only 10 earned runs in 67 innings, producing a 1. 36 ERA and ranking as the nation’s best in that metric. The club also sits fifth nationally with a 0. 91 WHIP, underscoring why managers have confidence handing the ball to starters like Volantis, who has tossed 14 scoreless innings this season.
Ole Miss Baseball: Rankings movement and what it reflects
Texas’ hot start — an 8-0 opening mark that includes sweeps of UC Davis and Michigan State and two run-rule wins — has translated into upward movement in several national polls. The Longhorns have climbed after beginning 2026 in the top 10 across preseason ballots and are listed as high as No. 3 by D1Baseball, the NCBWA and; Baseball America and Perfect Game place them at sixth.
What makes this notable is that the ranking gains align with measurable on-field performance: Texas has outscored opponents 70-13 through eight games and paired an offensive. 340 team batting average and a 1. 025 OPS with that elite run prevention. The cause (dominant pitching and efficient offense) has produced the effect (movement into the top tier of national polls and heightened expectations heading into a marquee event).
Dylan Volantis, bullpen depth and Texas’ event history
Left-hander Dylan Volantis remains a focal point after earning national freshman honors last year and delivering strong early-season outings this year. As a freshman he led Division I rookies in WHIP (0. 88) and saves, posted a 1. 94 ERA and compiled 74 strikeouts against 12 walks over 51 innings; this season he has matched career-high seven-inning starts twice and struck out nine in one appearance.
Texas’ mix of experienced and emergent arms has helped the program post a successful record at the Bruce Bolt event in prior years. The Longhorns will be making what is billed as their 12th appearance in the tournament, entering the weekend with a 16-17 record across their 11 previous showings. The schedule and pitching allocations suggest Texas is treating the Classic as both a competitive test and an opportunity to validate the club’s early-season metrics against Power Four opposition.
The timing matters because Daikin Park’s three-game window gives Texas only a handful of innings against quality opponents before settling into conference play; performances this weekend will quickly influence perceptions and preparations for the weeks ahead. With television and streaming slated for Astros. com and Astros’ YouTube, and live radio on The Zone AM-1300/103. 1 FM, the Longhorns’ starts will be broadly accessible for a national audience.
For now, the narrative is straightforward: a dominant start backed by elite pitching has pushed Texas into national title conversation and set up a high-profile test at the BRUCE BOLT College Classic — one that will be watched closely by fans of many programs, including those who follow Ole Miss baseball.
