From East Carolina to the Citadel, Texas Longhorns pick their favorite Ivan Melendez homer

Danny Davis, Austin American-Statesman
·5 min read
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During the 2022 baseball season, Texas slugger Ivan Melendez hit 32 home runs.

That is a school record for a baseball program that was founded in 1895. No Division I player has homered more in the BBCOR bat era, which started in 2011 when a new standard of bat, designed to perform more like a wooden one, was introduced.

So of those 32 home runs, which one was Melendez's favorite?

Was it the one he hit at Houston’s Minute Maid Park against UCLA or the one he hit at Arlington’s Globe Life Field against Oklahoma? Maybe one of his NCAA Tournament bombs against Air Force and East Carolina? Perhaps it was one of his many moonshots? Or maybe the homers that broke records?

“I don't think I can name one,” Melendez said after winning the 2022 Golden Spikes Award on Friday. “They all mean a lot.”

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These two baseballs are special trophies for Texas first baseman Ivan Melendez: his school record-tying 28th home run ball (vs. Kansas on May 20) and his record-setting 29th (vs. Oklahoma on May 29).
These two baseballs are special trophies for Texas first baseman Ivan Melendez: his school record-tying 28th home run ball (vs. Kansas on May 20) and his record-setting 29th (vs. Oklahoma on May 29).

Though he was hesitant to pick a favorite, his teammates weren't when asked Friday. Texas coach David Pierce also had a home run that he thought stood out among the rest.

Texas coach David Pierce: No. 31 at East Carolina on June 10

"No doubt, it's the first one he hit at East Carolina. It looked like somebody teed up a golf ball, and he hit it with a driver over the trees, however far it was. It was by far the most impressive home run that he hit this year and maybe that I've ever seen."

Texas pitcher Tristan Stevens: No. 7 at South Carolina on March 13

"There's so many highlights, he has about a Top 10 in my head. I think one that stands out was when we played South Carolina and he hit the farthest baseball I've ever seen in my life. I think it was the one that was 490-something feet, but I swear it went 500-plus because it hit the house or the building past the trees in dead center field in South Carolina against a really good pitcher. I remember everyone at that stadium couldn't even believe it, it was pretty quiet. Yeah, it definitely just kind of goes to show that what he has is something you can't teach. I think that's what makes him so special."

Texas pitcher Pete Hansen: No. 23 at West Virginia on May 7

"The one he hit at West Virginia was probably the coolest because right after he hit it, he pretty much gave up on it and thought it was a foul ball. So did everyone in our dugout. But the wind was howling that day; it was blowing out to right field, so he hit it so far to the left that it just somehow got inside that foul pole. It was against a good West Virginia pitcher, and it was the spark plug to our offense that day.

"I think that was probably my most memorable one from this year. But every time that guy steps to the plate, he's got a chance to hit the ball a long way, obviously. I kind of lost count on them because it just seemed like it happened so often."

Texas third baseman Skyler Messinger: No. 32 at East Carolina on June 12

"The super regional one was pretty sweet. Gosh, there's so many. The South Carolina one. The other one that he hit in East Carolina, I think that was the farthest ball I've ever seen him hit. Just all of them, he's been an absolute blast to watch. Your jaw just drops at some of the swings he takes."

Texas pitcher Lucas Gordon: 2021 homer against Mississippi State at the College World Series

"They were all bombs (this season). But obviously the one that everyone will remember is the one at the College World Series last year against Mississippi State."

Texas outfielder Dylan Campbell: No. 6 at South Carolina on March 12 or No. 8 at the Citadel on March 16

"That's tough. I liked that South Carolina one where he flipped the bat. He had a couple cool ones (on that road trip). The Citadel, the one that probably got 40 feet off the ground, went to right-center. Definitely the Omaha one in 2021."

Texas pitcher Jared Southard: No. 31 at East Carolina on June 10

"Probably the one at ECU. He said he looked it up on his phone after, and it was in the street about 500 feet. The stadium went silent. It was a ball I've never seen hit before, and I've seen him hit some balls far. It was really cool."

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas baseball teammates, coach pick their top Ivan Melendez home run