Over the past few weeks, a strange story has been repeated throughout baseball games at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.

The long version of this story is about a woman named Ramona who resembles Tempest Storm, likes malt liquor and has a keen sense of humor. The only problem? She works down at the snake farm. A snake farm? That just sounds nasty.

Texas fans know how the rest of this story — or at least the chorus of Ray Wylie Hubbard's 2006 song — goes. For the past six weeks, Longhorns freshman Jared Thomas has been using that portion of the bizarre ballad as his walk-up song at home games.

Thomas recently explained that "Snake Farm" is part of a playlist that UT special assistant Philip Miller plays at most practices. The song got stuck in his head and he found himself singing it around the ballpark one day. As he walked by the office of Carli Todd, Texas' director of player development stopped him and told him that was his new walk-up song. Eminem's "Cinderella Man" was out. "Snake Farm" was in.

"It fits him," teammate Jack O'Dowd said. "He's JT. He's a little dirty, he's a little grimy, just like a snake is. I'm glad he changed his walk-up song because it fits him very well."

Admittedly, Texas coach David Pierce doesn't know most of the music that accompanies his players to the plate. He does know "Snake Farm," but retorted that "if it works, I don't care."

In his first at-bat with that song, Thomas singled. And in the 22 games since he switched things up on April 11, he's hitting .470 with 32 runs and 17 RBIs. He has reached base in all 22 games.

Coincidence? Probably. But the Longhorns will take it.

Finally, the sweet spot in the lineup is found

The play of Thomas helped spark Texas' rally over the final week of the regular season to tie West Virginia and Oklahoma State atop the Big 12 standings. When the conference tournament gets underway in Arlington on Wednesday, Texas will be the top seed.

"My first one here, so we've got to keep going," Thomas said of the conference crown.

When Texas opened its season against Arkansas on Feb. 17, Thomas was starting at first base and batting seventh in the order. Over the next two months, Texas moved Thomas around the bottom of its lineup.

At the beginning of a series at TCU on April 29, Texas tried Thomas at leadoff. Pierce later explained that Thomas is a "bat-control guy that if he swings at the right pitches, he's pretty good up there." That move also allowed Texas to drop Dylan Campbell, who currently has a school-record 33-game hitting streak, and Eric Kennedy, the team's leader in home runs, into the heart of the lineup.

Thomas has gone 25-for-53 since Texas moved him to the top of the order. He has gotten a leadoff single in each of the last six conference games.

"Jared's been red-hot. He's been hitting the ball really well," said Peyton Powell, who bats second.

During fall practices, Texas had tinkered with the idea of Thomas being the team's leadoff hitter. Thomas also said that he batted leadoff during his senior year at Waxahachie and with his summer team.

"I had a little bit of speed, I like to credit myself on putting together pretty good at-bats and I was always pretty good at the short game, handling the bat with bunts and hit-and-runs and stuff like that," Thomas said. "So being in the leadoff spot, it's kind of comfortable."

First base has been a revolving door — until now

Since he is a freshman, the emergence of Thomas could finally provide Texas some long-term stability at first base. During Pierce's seven seasons, only Zach Zubia has started at first for two years in a row.

The revolving door of first basemen has included power hitters like Zubia, Ivan Melendez and Kacy Clemens. Jake McKenzie didn't add much pop with his bat, but the utility player's defense was invaluable during UT's run to the 2018 College World Series. Texas moved Tate Shaw from a crowded outfield to first base in 2019.

When asked about his ideal first baseman, Pierce joked that "I would prefer to have a big, strong left-hander that hits about 30 home runs." Thomas isn't quite there with the power numbers — he's hit four homers and driven in 26 runs this season — but he does give Texas that left-handed look on defense. While both Shaw and Clemens swung from the left side of the plate, they were right-handed in the field. Texas last regularly started a left-handed first baseman in 2009.

"I really like having him at first because of the left-handed abilities," Pierce said. "It's so much easier to turn the double play, (or) on a pick to get inside the throws."

A few months ago, many questions were being asked about the production that Texas would get at first base. Melendez won the Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy last year. His 32 homers bettered Kyle Russell's previous school standard by four.

"Ivan having the year that he had put a little bit of pressure on me to try and produce the way he did, but at the end of the day, I think me and him are completely different players," Thomas said. "You know, I'm not a guy who's going to go out there and hit 32 home runs. I'm not going to have 150 RBIs.

"I think I'm just going to be one of those guys that's going to make an impact on the game with my glove on defense. Then if it's hitting a base hit to get a rally going or take a walk or get a sac bunt down, I think that's the part of my game that's always been there, and I think that's what gave me a little success this year."

So, Thomas isn't trying to replicate Melendez's bat. He might have matched his predecessor in one way, though.

Last season, the sounds of Vicente Fernández's "El Rey" became a calling card for Texas fans to pay attention since Melendez was about to bat. One year later, Thomas has ballpark patrons singing along to another memorable tune.

Wednesday's game

Texas vs. Kansas, 12:30 p.m., Globe Life Stadium, Arlington, ESPN+, 104.9

Big 12 Tournament

Wednesday-Sunday, Globe Life Stadium, Arlington

Wednesday — (Game 1) 4-TCU vs. 5-Kansas State, 9 a.m., ESPNU; (2) 1-Texas vs. 8-Kansas, 12:30 p.m., ESPN+, 104.9; (3) 2-Oklahoma State vs. 7-Oklahoma, 4 p.m., ESPN+; (4) 3-West Virginia vs. 6-Texas Tech, 7:30 p.m., ESPN+

Thursday — (5) Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 9 a.m., ESPN+; (6) Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 loser, 12:30 p.m., ESPN+; (7) Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 4 p.m., ESPNU; (8) Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 7:30 p.m., ESPNU

Friday — (9) Game 7 loser vs. Game 5 winner, 3 p.m., ESPN+; (10) Game 8 loser vs. Game 6 winner, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+

Saturday — (11) Game 7 winner vs. Game 9 winner, 9 a.m., ESPN+; (12) Game 8 winner vs. Game 10 winner, 12:30 p.m., ESPN+; (13) Game 11 loser vs. Game 11 winner, if needed, ESPN+; (14) Game 12 loser vs. Game 12 winner, if needed, 4 or 7:30 p.m., ESPN+

Sunday — championship game, 5 p.m., ESPNU

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Jared Thomas having strong debut season for Texas baseball team