Late Double In Austin Stuns Ducks, Sends Longhorns Back To Omaha

Adrian Rodriguez ripped a two-out, two-run double down the left-field line in the eighth inning to lift Texas to a 6-5 victory over Oregon on Sunday night at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. The Longhorns completed a two-game sweep of the Austin Super Regional and punched their ticket to the Men's College World Series, the program's 39th trip to Omaha. Sam Cozart slammed the door in the final innings to preserve the lead as the Disch shook with celebration.

Rodriguez' late blow sealed it

Rodriguez's go-ahead double came with the bases loaded and two outs, giving Texas just enough breathing room to close out the series, according to Texas Athletics. Earlier, Aiden Robbins and Carson Tinney set the tone with back-to-back leadoff homers, and Texas leaned on a sharp bullpen effort the rest of the way. Coach Jim Schlossnagle also joined a short list of four coaches who have led three different programs to the College World Series, per the team release.

How the comeback played out

Texas jumped out to a 4-0 cushion before Oregon clawed back to take a 5-4 lead through seven innings. Rodriguez's eighth-inning double flipped the script and sent the Longhorns spilling out of the dugout for a raucous on-field celebration. The Ducks' surge and Texas' response were captured in a series of images published by the Austin American-Statesman. Oregon's official recap notes that the Ducks battled back with several late hits but ultimately came up just short of completing the comeback.

Series stars and the pen

Across the two-game super regional, Rodriguez finished with seven RBIs and a .500 batting average for the weekend, making him the Longhorns' offensive catalyst, per NCAA.com. Cozart retired the final six batters of the game, and Thomas Burns picked up the win after a key scoreless frame in relief. The bullpen's ability to steady things late figures to be a major storyline as Texas heads to Omaha.

What comes next

With the sweep, Texas returns to the Men's College World Series for the first time since 2022 and is scheduled to open Omaha play against No. 3 Georgia, according to Texas Athletics. The Longhorns will travel to Charles Schwab Field with momentum from a potent offense and a bullpen that found its stride in Austin. Regional reaction, photos and more details from the night are available from outlets such as the Houston Chronicle.