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Texas Longhorns pitcher Ruger Riojas (13) throws in the second inning of the second game in a three-game series against the Alabama Crimson Tide, April 18, 2026.<\/p>\n
Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n
On paper, the story of Ruger Riojas has the clich\u00e9 markings of one about\u00a0Texas baseball<\/a> being led by a lifelong Longhorn.<\/p>\n Riojas was born at nearby St. David\u2019s. He was raised in Austin\u2019s backyard. And his parents were both Austinites who grew up rooting for Longhorns sports teams.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Texas Longhorns pitcher Ruger Riojas (13) celebrates a third out during the game against Michigan State at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, Feb. 20, 2026 in Austin.<\/p>\n Aaron E. Martinez\/Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n Yet, this isn’t one of those stories.<\/p>\n The Texas Longhorns weren’t a part of Riojas’ formative years. He says that he didn\u2019t actually cheer for any college baseball teams during his childhood. His father loved the Cincinnati Reds, and that fandom was passed down to him. Joey Votto and Bronson Arroyo were his guys.<\/p>\n TEXAS VS. OREGON<\/p>\n When\/where:\u00a07 p.m. Saturday at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.<\/p>\n TV\/radio:\u00a0ESPN; 1300 AM.<\/p>\n MORE: Subscribe to the Statesman’s Texas sports newsletter<\/a><\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Riojas, though, didn’t completely ignore the Longhorns. In fact, he has long known what it\u2019s like to witness one of those moments at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. He was seated there among an announced crowd of 6,779 on a picturesque Friday night in May 2018 when Kody Clemens’\u00a0walk-off homer beat TCU<\/a>, keeping Texas in the hunt for a Big 12 title and jump-starting the Longhorns\u2019 march to the College World Series.<\/p>\n “That home run still swims around in college baseball today,” Riojas recently told the American-Statesman. “Being able to see it in person, it’s definitely a core memory for me. It was really cool to see.”<\/p>\n Eight years after Clemens went deep, Riojas may have an opportunity to have one of those moments of his own at Disch-Falk. The Longhorns’ senior right-hander is lined up to start a game of this weekend’s best-of-three NCAA super regional series against Oregon<\/a>, either Sunday’s Game 2 or Monday’s third game, if necessary. The Longhorns also could use him out of the bullpen this weekend.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Ruger Riojas returns to form as Texas advances in NCAA Tournament<\/p>\n It’s entirely possible that Riojas (5-2, 3.86 ERA)\u00a0has already had\u00a0one of those moments at Disch-Falk. Last year, he\u00a0threw 5 \u2154 innings of shutout baseball against Texas A&M<\/a> at UT’s home park, and he was the pitcher of record there for a win over an LSU team that eventually won the national championship, and he threw 119 pitches against Kansas State to keep Texas alive in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. He began this season as UT’s Friday starter and had an 11-strikeout performance against Alabama at home two months ago.<\/p>\n Texas Longhorns pitcher Ruger Riojas (13) throws in the first inning of the second game in a three-game series against the Alabama Crimson Tide, April 18, 2026.<\/p>\n Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n He also started in last week’s Austin Regional final against UC Santa Barbara. He allowed three hits and one run over five innings while striking out six Gauchos. He received a no-decision for the effort, but Texas eventually\u00a0advanced in the NCAA Tournament with a 6-4 win<\/a>.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n MORE: Longhorns confident about outfield defense ahead of NCAA super regionals<\/a><\/p>\n For Riojas, that start against UC Santa Barbara was a personal highlight for a senior season that has included a lengthy battle with shoulder tendonitis. He still hasn’t thrown more than 80 pitches in a game since April 18. In the 20 days between a pushed-back start at Tennessee and the UCSB game, Riojas threw just five pitches during a brief appearance on UT’s Senior Day. He wasn’t a part of Texas’ pitching plans at the SEC Tournament.<\/p>\n “As much as I wanted to throw in the SEC Tournament and (on Senior Day), I think the rest worked out,” Riojas said. “I haven’t felt this good in a long time, and I’m extremely grateful for that.”<\/p>\n Texas Longhorns head coach Jim Schlossnagle takes pitcher Ruger Riojas (13) out of the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin.<\/p>\n Aaron E. Martinez\/Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n Recruited out of the transfer portal by Texas’ new coaching staff during the summer of 2024, Riojas has appeared in 33 games over the past two seasons. He’s 14-5 with a 4.73 ERA.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Riojas considered going pro last summer, but he wasn’t satisfied with how the Longhorns’ season ended and felt like he could still improve with another year of college. Besides, he explained that “last year’s the most fun I’ve ever had in my entire life playing baseball and just being with the right group of people, I wasn’t ready to leave that yet.”<\/p>\n This season, Riojas is responsible for 106 of UT’s school-record 630\u00a0strikeouts. He and Dylan Volantis have also become the first Texas teammates to record 100 strikeouts during the same season since 2011.<\/p>\n “He’s been amazing. He was kind of an all-time pitcher last year where he could pitch in any role, throws a ton of strikes, really good athlete, brings a lot of leadership in his own way to the pitching staff and to the team,” Texas coach Jim\u00a0Schlossnagle said. “In the transfer portal era, to have someone with that much love for the school and for the program, and for that person to be here for a couple years, that adds a lot.”<\/p>\n Texas Longhorns pitcher Ruger Riojas (13) throws a pitch during the NCAA Baseball Regional game against UC Santa Barbara at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Sunday, May 301 2026 in Austin.<\/p>\n Aaron E. Martinez\/Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n Ruger Riojas, Longhorns closing in on CWS berth<\/p>\n Armed with a unique personality that matches his name \u2014 yes, Ruger is named after the gun manufacturer \u2014 Riojas grew up in Wimberley,\u00a0a one-high school Central Texas town that loves its football<\/a>. Wimberley football teams won state championships in 2005 and 2011, but Riojas\u2019 mother wouldn\u2019t let him play football. Baseball instead became his sport at a young age. And even though he was originally an outfielder, Riojas eventually began to believe that he could “probably make a career out of throwing the ball.”<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n While in high school, he received scholarship offers only from nearby UTSA and Incarnate Word. He picked the Roadrunners and found some success in San Antonio over his first two years of college.<\/p>\n MORE: Three things to know about Oregon before super regional vs Longhorns<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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