AUSTIN, Texas – HCU baseball is set for a midweek test against one of the nation's top teams, traveling to face No. 2 Texas on Tuesday, April 8. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin.
The Huskies (20-10) are coming off a conference series win over Nicholls, dropping the opener, 5-4, before taking both games of Saturday's doubleheader, 6-4 and 4-2, in Thibodaux, La.
HCU's offense continues to be led by Jack Walker, who paces the team with a .364 batting average and a .452 on-base percentage across all 30 games. Parker Edwards has provided consistent power, hitting .320 with a team-high six home runs and 26 RBIs. Kenneth Dutka and Katcher Halligan have also made strong contributions at the plate, each recording over 30 hits while maintaining averages near .300. Rhett Hendricks adds a punch with a .352 average and a .563. As a team, the Huskies are batting .286 with a .370 team OBP and a .370 OBP.
The Huskies presently rank eighth in the nation in sacrifice bunts, having laid down 30 bunts to advance baserunners into scoring position. On the mound, the HCU pitching staff is ninth nationally in walks per nine innings, issuing just 3.12 walks per nine innings.
Texas (26-4) enters the contest riding momentum after a weekend sweep of No. 3 Georgia in SEC play, capped off by a 4-3 win in 10 innings on Sunday. The Longhorns are led by Max Belyeu (.358 AVG, 1.107 OPS, 22 RBIs) and Ethan Mendoza, who has totaled 40 hits and 34 runs with a .471 on-base percentage. Rylan Galvan has powered the lineup with a .775 slugging percentage, 10 home runs, and 26 RBIs. Texas owns a .291 team batting average with 52 home runs and 207 RBIs, while holding opponents to a .209 batting average.
Following Tuesday's game, HCU returns to conference play at Husky Field with a three-game series against Northwestern State, beginning Friday, April 11 at 6:30 p.m.
