It took awhile to get here, but Hutto's Gage Boehm is starring on the Texas baseball team

In reality, only 25 miles separate Hutto High School's baseball stadium and the University of Texas' UFCU Disch-Falk Field.

Gage Boehm took the scenic route.

At this point, though, it doesn't really matter how Boehm got to the Texas campus. The Longhorns are just glad that he made it out to the bullpen in right field. Boehm has had a standout season as a reliever for the Texas pitching staff this spring. And with the 6-foot-5 right-hander closing out games, UT has steadied itself after a midseason swoon .

"Without Gage, we would no way be in this spot. He's been the rock in our bullpen," Texas coach David Pierce said. "When you have guys and you know that that's where they want to be, that's the place, you know they fight through things. He's done that."

It took Boehm awhile to get here, but he's here

This is Boehm's first year at Texas, but he has been connected with the program for much longer. He's been tied to the Longhorns for nearly as long as Pierce has been the head coach. Pierce, by the way, is nearing the end of his eighth season in Austin.

Back in September 2017, Boehm committed to Texas during what was Pierce's first full offseason with the program. At the time, Boehm was just beginning his sophomore year at Hutto .

When Boehm tweeted that he was "beyond blessed to announce that I have committed to the University of Texas," that journey to the Longhorns began. But then he suffered an elbow injury, he decommitted and ended up at Texas A&M. When he arrived in College Station in the fall of 2020, current UT catcher Kimble Schuessler was on the Aggies' roster, then a two-way talent trying to make it as a hitter. After one semester, Boehm left College Station, hoping that the right fit existed somewhere else.

Following a brief stop at Hill College, he pitched at Blinn College in 2022 before transferring to San Jacinto College for the 2023 season. Last April, things came full circle for him. "I am excited to announce my commitment to The University of Texas," Boehm tweeted.

"It's definitely really cool," Boehm recently said. "I've learned a lot everywhere I've been. I've kind of been able to use all of that to get here. It's been fun."

Over 21 appearances this season, Boehm has gone 4-2 with a 2.36 ERA . His seven saves are tied for the second-most in the Big 12 and rank 36th nationally. But while he has accumulated the statistics of a traditional closer, he's actually played the role of a long reliever. Of his seven saves, six were recorded over outings that lasted at least two innings. He worked two or more innings in two of his wins and even one of his losses came in a four-inning effort.

"We have full trust in Boehm. When he gets the rock, we know what we're going to get," UT pitcher Lebarron Johnson Jr. said after Boehm closed out a 2-1 win over TCU on April 21, a game that Johnson started. "Nobody else better to give it to than Boehm."

Helping turn Texas around during Big 12 play

Over the last five weekends in Big 12 play, Boehm has recorded either a win or save in six conference games. That included an outing against Oklahoma State on May 3 when he twice struck out Nolan Schubart, who ranks among the Big 12 leaders in homers with runners aboard.

Those six games have been important. Texas is tied for third place in the Big 12 standings with a 17-10 mark in league play. Listed less than a month ago by D1Baseball as one of the last four teams to make the NCAA Tournament field, UT is now ranked 25th in the D1Baseball poll and projected to be a No. 2 seed.

"He's proven time and time again that he's a competitor and he's going to go out and give us everything he's got. That's all we can ask," infielder Peyton Powell said.

"He's been a great staple we have down there," Schuessler said. "It's cool to see the development from him from the first time he was in college at A&M to what he's at now."

Boehm has been nicknamed "Big Show" by assistant coach Steve Rodriguez. Boehm admittedly didn't know much about the famed wrestler before he got to Austin, but the nickname stuck. Boehm has changed his profile picture on Instagram to an in-character photo of Paul Wight and he's even adopted the Big Show's entrance music as his own.

The next time that Texas fans hear that song will be sometime this weekend as Texas closes out the regular season with a three-game series against sixth-place Kansas (29-18, 15-12) . Equipped with a fastball, curveball and a slider that he feels is his best pitch, Boehm will attempt to fulfill his duties in the back end of the bullpen.

"The way I look at it is I'm just going to do whatever it takes to help this team win," Boehm said. "That's really the only way I look at it."

This week's series

Kansas (29-18, 15-12) at No. 25 Texas (32-20, 17-10), Thursday-Saturday, UFCU Disch-Falk Field, LHN, 1300

Thursday (6:30 p.m.) — Texas RHP Charlie Hurley (5-0, 6.14) vs. Kansas RHP Reese Dutton (7-4, 3.50); Friday (6:30 p.m.) — Texas RHP Max Grubbs (4-4, 3.70) vs. Kansas RHP Dominic Voegele (7-2, 3.55); Saturday (2:30 p.m.) — Texas RHP Lebarron Johnson Jr. (2-4, 5.82) vs. Kansas TBA

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: It took awhile to get here, but Hutto's Gage Boehm is starring on the Texas baseball team