CHRIS CODUTO/Arizona Daily Wildcat Arizona sophomore John Hardy fields a grounder last weekend at home against Texas A&M. The Wildcats hit the road today for a three game series with defending national champion Texas, in Austin. Texas is currently ranked No. 11 while UA rings in at No. 23.

This weekend's road series against Texas, the defending NCAA national champions, won't be anything special for the No. 23 Arizona baseball team ÷ at least as far as their preparation is concerned.

"It's the biggest series of the year because it's our only one of the week. We just have to approach it like any other series," second baseman Moises Duran said.

The Wildcats (11-5) take on the No. 11 Longhorns in Austin tonight to open up a three-game set. It will be the last tough opponent for UA before conference play begins in two weeks.

Last weekend, the Wildcats could have swept Texas A&M, but the bullpen blew a five-run lead in the lone loss. Despite the horrendous game, UA cracked the polls for the first time this season anyway.

"It's always good to get recognized when were playing well," Duran said. "This year will be a little bit different than last year because we're a little more experienced."

Last season the Wildcats fell out of the polls for good when they dropped three straight against the Aggies 16 games into the schedule. At that point in the season, Arizona was batting .259 and has a .437 slugging percentage as a team with only four hitters over the .300 mark.

At the same point in this season, 16 games after the A&M series, the Wildcats are batting .349 with a .576 slugging percentage with five players hitting .400 or better.

"We've been fortunate because we can score some runs, which is nice and pretty consistent," head coach Andy Lopez said.

However, the pitching staff won't be completely intact for this weekend. Usual Sunday starter Richie Gardner will be out of action until the beginning of Pacific 10 Conference play on March 21.

The junior suffered a stress fracture in his right foot in early February, but pitched through two starts despite the injury, going 2-0 with a combined 1.46 ERA. Gardner missed his start in the series finale against A&M because the pain was worsening.

"Obviously I did good with a hurt foot, but that means I'm going to pitch much better once I've healed," Gardner said.

Freshman Kevin Guyette will start in place of the injured Gardner on Sunday, stemming from Guyette's one-run, eight-hit performance over six and two-thirds innings pitched on March 2, Lopez said.

Texas (13-5) went 57-15 in their march to the national championship last year, but return with six starters and 10 pitchers this season. Southern California transfer J.P. Howell leads all Longhorn starting pitchers with a 2-0 record and a 1.48 ERA in over 24 innings of work.

Junior Sean Rierson (3-0, 4.66) will take the mound against Danny Muegge (3-1, 5.49) at 7 p.m. Junior Joe Little (3 -2, 4.40) will face Sam LeCure (2-0, 2.40) tomorrow and Guyette (1-0, 0.77) will pitch on Sunday, with both of those games starting at 1 p.m. UT has not named a starter for Sunday's game yet.

All games are at Disch-Faulk Field in Austin, Texas.