With the season on the line Sunday, Lucas Gordon is right where he wants to be

OMAHA, Neb. — Texas lefthander Lucas Gordon traveled from Los Angeles to Austin with intentions on being a starting pitcher for the Longhorns. He battled for a spot in the rotation ahead of this year after making 19 appearances during his freshman campaign in 2021, but Pete Hansen, Tristan Stevens, and Tanner Witt proved too difficult to unseat.

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The situation changed on March 6. Witt was scratched from his start in Houston against UCLA, and Gordon was called into action.

“It was one of those things where you’ve got to always be prepared, no matter what your role is,” Gordon said Thursday. “I just prepared. I got to lock in. I had a lot of help with Tanner, Tristan, and Pete to fill out that role.”

Witt needed Tommy John surgery, so the third starter role became Gordon’s. Three months later, Gordon has become the No. 2 guy for Longhorn head coach David Pierce, who has a tremendous amount of trust Gordon. So much trust, he’ll send the California lefty to the mound in a College World Series elimination game on Sunday versus Texas A&M.

“We’ve got a guy toeing the rubber on Sunday that has been in a must-win situation for us all year,” Pierce said Saturday. “Lucas Gordon has been that guy all year, whether it was a game three of a series we needed to grab, or if it was a big win in the regional, he’s been that guy to go to and he’s handled it really well.”

Gordon, a product of LA’s Notre Dame High School, sports a 7-1 record in 15 starts with a 2.68 ERA in 84 innings pitched. His ability to step into the third starter role and eventually become the Saturday hurler for Texas drew praise from the Texas head coach ahead of the College World Series.

“I really think Lucas could be our MVP for our pitching staff because without him, we’re not here,” Pierce said.

Gordon didn’t find immediate success as a member of the starting rotation. His first started versus lasted 4.0 innings. He allowed one earned run on four hits over 63 pitches.

His next start in Columbia, S.C. wasn’t much better. He allowed three earned runs, surrendered five hits, and walked four versus the Gamecocks in 3.1 innings of work.

Gordon righted the ship some in a 7.0-inning scoreless outing versus Incarnate Word, but his greatest test so far would come on the road versus Texas Tech. The Longhorns dropped two heart-breakers in games one and two in Lubbock, and needed Gordon to help salvage the series.

All he did was record the best outing of his career up to that point. It gave him a confidence boost that carried over into the rest of his season. Gordon delivered a 6.0 inning outing. He allowed one earned run and only one extra base hit against a Red Raider lineup that knocked the ball all over the park in the first two games.

“I remember after the first inning there was something that clicked,” Gordon said. “I struck out one guy to end the inning, and I was like ‘they have no shot.’ That was something I never do, so that’s how I knew I was back and that’s how I knew I was back in my original form.”

His strong season lasted through Big 12 play, so much so that Pierce decided to move Gordon into the No. 2 role behind Hansen. Some of that had to do with Stevens’ own struggles, but Gordon put himself in the position to be the one Pierce placed in his new role.

“He’s really put the team on his back,” Texas catcher Silas Ardoin said. “Whenever we needed him the most, he was there. He’s going to continue to do well, and I’m excited to see what he does in the World Series for us.”

Gordon’s CWS debut will be an important one. The Longhorns’ season is on the line versus the Aggies in a 1 p.m. loser leaves town game. Last year, Gordon warmed up in the bullpen a few times at Charles Schwab Field Omaha but never made an entrance into a College World Series game.

That changes on Sunday, when he’ll be asked to pitch against a potent Aggie lineup.

He wouldn’t want it any other way.

“It’s awesome,” Gordon said. “It’s a lot more fun knowing that you can contribute this time. It’s great. It’s what every college player dreams of.”