It's a pivotal Saturday in Knoxville as the SEC's defending champion, Texas baseball, faces off against Tennessee in a must-win matchup. With just five games remaining in the regular season, the Longhorns are fighting to keep their championship hopes alive, trailing first-place Georgia by 3.5 games in the SEC standings.

After a tough series-opening loss on Friday—where Texas struck out 19 times—the Longhorns are looking to bounce back at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. Georgia is set to play LSU later tonight, so a win here could tighten the race at the top.

Texas enters the game with a 36-11 overall record and 15-9 in conference play. Tennessee, meanwhile, sits at 33-17 and 12-13 in the SEC. While the Volunteers have been eliminated from championship contention, they're still playing for valuable positioning in both the SEC Tournament and NCAA Tournament. A win today would give them their fourth SEC series victory of the season.

In a notable lineup shift, Texas is shaking up its pitching plan. Ruger Riojas—who leads the team with 96 strikeouts and holds a 5-2 record with a 3.71 ERA—will not start today, per a team spokesperson. The decision is described as a coach's call. Instead, Luke Harrison (5-2, 4.35 ERA) gets the nod, moving up from his originally scheduled Sunday start.

There's also a change in the infield. After exiting Friday's first inning with an injury, Ethan Mendoza is out of the starting lineup. Jayden Duplantier will make his first start at second base this season, marking the first time someone other than Mendoza has manned that position for the Longhorns in 2025.

Stay tuned for more updates as this critical SEC showdown unfolds.