Texas baseball has hit the second-most home runs ever entering month of May

So far this season, the Texas Longhorns have hit 95 home runs.

That leads the Big 12 and is seventh-most nationally behind Austin Peay's 128, Tennessee's 122, Georgia's 113, Texas A&M's 102, Campbell's 98 and Morehead State's 98. Twice in its last five games, Texas has hit six homers to tie a school single-game record that was first set in 1953 and last matched in 1998. Four Longhorns have hit at least 10, and even the lighter-hitting players have had their moments, as one of freshman Dee Kennedy's four homers was a ninth-inning shot that beat Houston on April 13.

"It's really fun just seeing all the balls fly out of the yard," outfielder Max Belyeu said. "It's just really cool watching your teammates have success."

Going deep to challenge Texas' all-time record

The 2022 Longhorns set the school standard for slugging. That was the spring of Ivan Melendez's 32 home runs. As a team, Texas went deep 128 times and broke the school record by 47 homers.

Melendez's record is probably safe. Flores and Belyeu are tied for the team lead with 16 homers. But if Texas (28-18, 13-8 Big 12) can play enough games, it's on pace to challenge that 128 home run marker.

In its record-setting season, UT averaged 1.86 home runs per game and entered May with 82 homers over 46 games. This year's team is averaging 2.07 homers. Like the 2022 team, it enters May having played 46 games, but these Longhorns have hit 13 more homers than the team two years ago had at this point.

"It's just fun to pass the bat and just know what everyone's capable of doing," Flores said. "Of course, we're trying to break that record of six home runs in one game, but we're all just having fun just trying to win at the end of the day."

The coaches behind Texas' big bats

For those looking for correlating factors between the 2022 and 2024 seasons, a straight line can be drawn to Troy Tulowitzki. The former MLB All-Star was working at Texas as a volunteer coach in 2022. After stepping away from the program in 2023, he returned this year as its director of player development.

Tulowitzki hit 225 homers over 13 MLB seasons, so it isn't hard to figure out why it helps Texas to have him around. But the Longhorns insist that assistant coach Caleb Longley deserves credit, too. Longley, 29, has been at Texas since 2022. He joined the program as the coordinator of hitting and pitching development before being promoted in 2023 to a full-time coaching role. Head coach David Pierce described him as "one of the best coaches at making guys believe in themselves and enjoying the work."

Pierce said the retention of the offensive-minded Longley was one of the reasons he felt comfortable with his decision to take over as pitching coach.

"I think he's the best in the country from the mental side to the mechanics and all that," UT catcher Kimble Schuessler said. "There's a lot that goes into hitting, and he's good from every aspect. He's done a great job with us."

Jalin Flores and Max Belyeu: 'We're co-kings right now'

The NCAA outlawed props after the 2022 season, so the football helmet the Longhorns were wearing in the dugout after hitting homers had to go. These days, players simply celebrate with trots around the bases, a receiving line in the dugout and the customary curtain calls from fans.

Inside the locker room, no stakes have been set for whoever wins the team's home run crown. At least not yet, Belyeu said.

"Of course, we're smack-talking each other. We're co-kings right now," Flores said. "It's just a fun environment being with that guy. I know what he's going through in there and out here. It's just fun to see him succeed."

Texas, Oklahoma State are chasing Oklahoma

This weekend, Texas will host an Oklahoma State team that ranks second in the conference with its 4.34 ERA. The 14th-ranked Cowboys also can hit. Their 86 home runs trail only UT in the Big 12, and outfielder Nolan Schubart hit a school-record four homers in Tuesday night's 21-6 throttling of Wichita State.

"They've got a good offense; we've got good pitching," Belyeu said. "They've got good pitchers, too, but we've got a good offense. I think it's going to be a dogfight of a series, but we're ready for it."

Texas is in fourth place in the Big 12 standings. Oklahoma State (31-14, 14-7) is tied with West Virginia (27-16, 14-7) for second. All three are chasing Oklahoma (26-17, 15-6).

Texas has won six of its seven Big 12 series but has had to fight for those best-of-three triumphs as it has dropped the opener in seven straight series — a run that includes a three-game nonconference set against Washington.

"We've dealt with a lot of adversity, and I feel like we're playing really good baseball right now," Pierce said. "(We need to have) that focus and understanding why do we have such good focus when we're in a must-win situation and let's see if we can match that on a Friday night."

This weekend's series

No. 14 Oklahoma State (31-14, 14-7) at Texas (28-18, 13-8), Friday-Sunday, UFCU Disch-Falk Field, LHN, 1300

Friday (6:30 p.m.) — UT RHP Max Grubbs (4-4, 3.44) vs. OSU LHP Sam Garcia (4-3, 3.70); Saturday (2:30 p.m.) — UT LHP Ace Whitehead (4-0, 3.88) vs. OSU RHP Brian Holiday (4-3, 3.79); Sunday (1 p.m.) — UT RHP Lebarron Johnson Jr. (2-3, 5.61) vs. OSU TBA

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas Longhorns hitting plenty of homers during 2024 baseball season