Texas Baseball: Longhorns fall to Mizzou in controversial fashion

The Texas Longhorns finished up the final game of the Shriner’s Hospital for Children College Classic in controversial fashion, losing 9-8.

In the final game of the College Baseball Classic at Minute Maid Park, the Texas Longhorns and former conference foe the Missouri Tigers met for some Sunday afternoon baseball. Coy Cobb was on the mound for the Longhorns looking for the team’s 11th win through 12 games.

Early on the Longhorns found themselves playing from behind before they even got their opportunity to bat. Cobb gave up a run on a wild pitch and throwing error before retiring the side. The Longhorns bats wouldn’t come to life until the bottom of the fourth inning with the Tigers leading 2-0. With Cam Williams standing at third base, Eric Kennedy drove him in for the Longhorns first run of the game. In the top of the next inning, the Tigers extended the lead back to two with a Pete Zimmerman solo shot. His second RBI of the game, he ended with three.

In the bottom of the inning Texas would respond. With the bases full of Longhorns, first baseman Zach Zubia would be hit by a pitch to drive in Lance Ford. Williams would walk on four straight pitches to tie the game up at three. Eric Kennedy hit into a fielder’s choice that drove in Duke Ellis. Texas led 4-3 after five. Cobb’s day would be done on the mound, giving way to Kolby Kubichek.

Kubichek threw just 12 pitches to record one out and gave up three earned runs. Zimmerman singled in a run to make the score 8-4 Tigers after five and half innings. Tristan Stevens would relieve Kubichek with less success. Couldn’t record a single out on 11 pitches and gave up the run on the Zimmerman hit.

The Longhorns fought and clawed their way back into the game, closing the gap to 8-7 in the bottom of the eighth. Zubia drove in a run on an RBI single. The seventh run came on a wild pitch that allowed Ellis to score. In the top of the ninth the Longhorns gave up another unearned run on their fifth error of the game. It would be the eventual winning run. The controversy came in the bottom of the ninth with winning run on first base.

In the final pitch of the game with runners on the corners and two outs, Duke Ellis was at the plate with an opportunity to be the hero in Houston. Austin Todd was on first following a RBI single to bring the Longhorns within one, with a 1-2 count, Ellis took the pitch for the called third strike. The Missouri catch did his job with framing the pitch to get the ball.

This loss was a punch to the gut after a weekend of questionable calls. Texas will now face Arizona on Tuesday before a weekend series with Cal State Fullerton.

Late Inning Heroics: Cam Williams crushes Boise State’s dream of a win

A late-game rally sent the Longhorns-Broncos series finale to extra innings, Cam Williams hammers a pitch to give Texas the sweep.

The Texas Longhorns returned to the Disch to take on the Boise State Broncos in their series finale. Late in the game it was all about the heroics of third baseman Cam Williams as he lived up to his nickname of the hammer.

Coy Cobb took the mound in the final matchup of the weekend against the Broncos, pitching into the sixth inning. Cobb pitched well enough to get the win but unfortunately for him, the Broncos put up a fight. Zach Zubia got the Longhorns started  on the scoring with a sacrifice fly that brought Duke Ellis in for the first run of the game.

During the second inning, starter Dawson Day found himself in some trouble. With Williams and Douglas Hodo III on the bases, leadoff hitter Austin Todd drove them in with a double. Texas took a 5-1 lead into the sixth inning before the wheels came off. Cobb would leave in the sixth without recording an out.

Tristan Stevens would sit down all three batters faced but would allow a run to Cobb’s record. Boise State added another run in the seventh. In the top of the ninth inning BSU’s Geon Hyoung Kim blasts a two-out two-run home run off Donny Diaz to tie the game at five. After Mason Bryant got the final out in the ninth, Dawson Merryman retired the Broncos in order to get to the bottom of the 10th.

You know the rules, you hit the walk off home run and teammate Ellis takes care of the rest.

 

How sweep it is, Texas finishes off Rice in series finale

The Texas Longhorns completed their opening series sweep of the Rice Owls, thanks to Donny Diaz who closed the door on the comeback.

The Texas Longhorns and Rice Owls met in the final game of their opening series. The Owls were looking to avoid the sweep on opening weekend. Texas hasn’t lost to the Rice Owls since they opened the 2017 season when the two teams split a four-game series.

Coy Cobb was on the mound for the Longhorns and went 4.1 innings, striking out four and allowed six hits. He was pulled in favor of Tristan Stephens who walked one batter but finished the inning unscathed. Texas had to go to the bullpen early, using six pitchers on the day.

Texas built up a 5-1 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth. The Longhorns had a doubles party with Austin Todd, Zach Zubia, D.J. Petrinsky and Trey Faltine all getting into the act. Zubia drove in two for Texas. Petrinksy, Faltine and Brendan Dixon each driving in a run apiece. It would fall on the bullpen to bring it home for the Longhorns.

Kamron Fields came into the game for Stevens and immediately gave up a home run to Rice’s Austin Bulman to close the gap to three runs but he settled down to get out of the inning with no further damage. Fields got into trouble in the seventh allowing two runners. Andre Duplantier came on in relief. He was able to get out of a bases loaded jam when Bulman hit into a fielder’s choice.

In the eight inning it was up to Dawson Merryman to get this game to the ninth inning. Merry walked the first hitter. After a strikeout, the Owls hit into an inning-ending double play. Merryman returned to the mound in the ninth and gave up a two-run homer without recording an out. Donny Diaz came in to record his second save of the season. The Owls left the tying run at first following a strikeout and two pop ups to end the game.

Texas Baseball Returns To The Mound

The Texas Longhorns baseball team returns to the mound for the first time in 2020 as they take on the Rice Owls in Houston, Texas.

Baseball is finally back.

The Texas Longhorns baseball team will take the mound against the Rice Owls starting on Friday evening. This marks the third time over the last six seasons that the Texas Longhorns and Rice Owls will meet on opening weekend of the NCAA Baseball season. Texas has owned the series going 6-4 over those three seasons.

Last season the Longhorns finished 7-16 conference record and 27-27 overall. Texas is looking for a stronger showing in their fourth season under David Pierce. Pierce was an assistant coach for Rice from 2003-2011. He helped lead Texas to a Big 12 Championship in his second-year but fell to the bottom in 2019. His overall record at Texas is 108-74 and an even 35-35 in conference play.

TV: Conference USA TV

Radio: 104.9 The Horn/1260 AM

Probable Starters:

  • Friday at 7 p.m.- Junior RHP Bryce Elder (2-4, 2.93 ERA)
  • Saturday at 5 p.m.- Sophomore RHP Ty Madden (4-1, 3.40 ERA)
  • Sunday at 1 p.m.- Sophomore RHP Coy Cobb (1-3, 3.45 ER)

Texas leads the all-time series versus Rice 229-58-2