Dylan Volantis named SEC freshman of the year for 2nd time in 3 weeks

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas freshman Dylan Volantis has emerged as one of the key pieces in the Longhorns' bullpen this season, and the Southeastern Conference knows it.

For the second time in the last three weeks, Volantis picked up SEC freshman of the week honors after he helped shut down one of the most prolific offenses in college baseball, the Georgia Bulldogs. Volantis was honored as freshman of the week March 24 as well.

Volantis picked up his seventh save in the Longhorns' 5-1 win Friday, needing just eight pitches to record four outs and seal the victory.

The series finale on Sunday is where he really shined. He tossed four innings of shut-out ball with a career high eight strikeouts to keep the Longhorns in the game. Eventually, catcher Rylan Galvan paid it off and made Volantis a winner with a walk-off solo home run in the 10th inning for a 4-3 victory.

Volantis hasn't allowed a run in 13.1 innings during SEC play and has an ERA of 0.95, allowing three earned runs in 28.1 innings overall. He has 36 strikeouts to five walks.

His seven saves are tied for No. 10 in Division I and No. 3 in the SEC.

Texas (26-4, 11-1 SEC) hosts Houston Christian at 6:30 p.m. Thursday before traveling to Lexington, Kentucky, to face the Kentucky Wildcats in a 3-game series beginning Friday.