Borba hits grand slam, 3-run HR as Texas beats Kansas State 15-8 to avoid elimination

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Casey Borba hit a grand slam in the first inning, added a three-run homer in the third and finished with eight RBIs to help Texas beat Kansas State 15-8 on Sunday in an elimination game at the Austin Regional.

The Longhorns, the No. 2 national seed, play UTSA in the championship round Sunday night. Texas has to beat the Roadrunners — who sent UT to the loser’s bracket with a 9-7 win Saturday — twice to win the double-elimination regional. UTSA, which advanced to a regional championship for the first time in program history, also beat the Longhorns 8-7 in 12 innings on March 18 in the only matchup between the teams in the regular season.

Ruger Riojas (9-3) gave up seven runs, including three homers, and hit three batters while throwing a career-high 119 pitches across 7 1/3 innings.

Ethan Mendoza led off the game with a double and scored two batters later when Max Belyeu hit the first pitch he saw from Tanner Duke over the left-field wall. Kimble Schuessler and Adrian Rodriguez followed with back-to-back singles and Jalin Flores was hit by a pitch before James Guyette replaced Duke (2-3). Jonah Williams struck out looking before Borba cleared the bases to make it 6-0.

Seth Dardar hit a three-run home run in the first before AJ Evasco hit a solo shot as part of a two-run seventh and a two-run homer in the eighth for the Wildcats. Keegan O’Connor’s RBI groundout in the ninth capped the scoring.

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