Texas took both ends of a Saturday doubleheader against Oklahoma State to keep pace for second place in the Big 12 standings, with series against league leading Baylor and No. 2 Texas A&M yet to be played.
In the early game, starter Parker French was the star in a 5-0 Longhorns win, as the freshman threw eight innings of shutout ball, allowing nine baserunners and striking out six. Hoby Milner induced the last three Oklahoma State outs on eight pitches. First baseman Alex Silver had two hits and scored twice, and Mark Payton and Jacob Felts both drove in two runs.
The nightcap was a tenser affair, Texas not claiming the lead until a Payton solo home run in the eighth made it 3-2. John Curtiss, Dillon Peters and Milner combined for five innings of scoreless relief, after starter Ricky Jacquez gave up two runs in the first inning. Erich Weiss drove in Taylor Stell for the Longhorns' first two runs.
Despite a 3-1 week that lifted Texas' record to 20-13 (9-3 Big 12), the 'Horns' ranking dropped to No. 23. This week, Texas plays Texas State Tuesday night and then Kansas in a three-game Big 12 series over the weekend, all at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin.