Carson Tinney’s mammoth grand slam launches No. 4 Texas to 11-8 win over UTSA

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Carson Tinney’s mammoth grand slam launches No. 4 Texas to 11-8 win over UTSA

Carson Tinney’s mammoth grand slam launches No. 4 Texas to 11-8 win over UTSA

The Longhorns also got a big performance out of the bullpen from Brody Walls.

Carson Tinney’s mammoth grand slam launches No. 4 Texas to 11-8 win over UTSA

The Longhorns also got a big performance out of the bullpen from Brody Walls.

In a game that had everything—drama, power, and a little bit of cosmic justice—the No. 4 Texas Longhorns roared back to defeat UTSA 11-8 on Tuesday night at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. It was the Horns' first win over the Roadrunners in over six years, and they did it in unforgettable fashion.

The hero of the night was junior Carson Tinney, the Notre Dame transfer who launched a go-ahead grand slam in the eighth inning that left jaws on the floor. Facing a 97 mph fastball from UTSA reliever Connor Kelley, Tinney turned on it with authority, sending the ball 483 feet at 115 mph off the bat. It was his 17th homer of the season, but none have been bigger—or more majestic.

Trailing 8-7 heading into the eighth, Texas capitalized on a critical UTSA miscue. Reliever Sam Simmons misplayed a leadoff pop-up off the bat of first baseman Casey Borba, giving the Longhorns a free baserunner. Freshman center fielder Maddox Monsour then worked a full-count walk, and catcher Presley Courville laid down a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt to put two runners in scoring position. After junior right fielder Aiden Robbins drew a five-pitch walk from Kelley, the stage was set for Tinney's prodigious blast.

There was even a moment of poetic justice: Kelley took his time walking to the mound before a meeting left just a minute on the warmup clock. That extra pause may have been all the opening Tinney needed.

The Longhorns jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning, chasing the UTSA starter after just five batters. The rally included a bases-loaded walk to junior second baseman Ethan Mendoza, a sacrifice fly from junior left fielder Ashton Larson, and a two-run single from Borba. Texas tacked on three more in the third, with Larson driving in a run on a groundout and Monsour crushing his first collegiate home run—a towering shot that had the home crowd buzzing.

But UTSA refused to go quietly, using eight different pitchers to keep the Horns off the board through the middle innings after a wild 7-7 tie through three. The Roadrunners' bullpen battled, but Texas's resilience—and Tinney's monster swing—proved too much.

For the Longhorns, it was a statement win that showed off their depth, power, and fight. And for fans of the game, it was a reminder that in baseball, the biggest moments often come from the most unexpected heroes.

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