The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
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Kansas
No. 2 Baseball salvages series finale at Kansas with 16-5 victory
05.08.2005 | Baseball
LAWRENCE, Kan. -- After being denied of a ninth-inning comeback in the resumed game from Saturday, May 7 by a diving outfield catch to begin the day, No. 2 Texas (39-11, 14-9 Big 12) plated a season-best 16 runs on their way to a 16-5 win over Kansas (33-22, 8-12 Big 12) in front of 1,167 fans during the series finale at Hoglund Ballpark on Sunday, May 8. Notably, the finale was concluded after eight innings due to the conference's 10-run rule.
After two scoreless innings opened the ballgame on Saturday, the Longhorns grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the third when Robby Hudson (Redlands, Calif.) reached on an error, moved into scoring position on a sac bunt and scored on a RBI-base hit from Drew Stubbs (Atlanta, Texas). One inning later in the bottom of the fourth, Kansas tied the game at 1-1 on first baseman Jared Schweitzer's second home run in as many days. The game then continued as a pitcher's duel with score remaining deadlocked through the top of the sixth after starter Randy Boone (Yoakum, Texas) for UT worked out of a two-on, two-out jam in the fifth and KU starter Mike Zagurski stranded a Longhorns runner at third with one down in the top of the sixth. In the bottom of the frame, the Jayhawks again placed runners on first and second with two down before third baseman Erik Morrison lined a single to left that plated catcher Sean Richardson from second to give Kansas a 2-1 lead.
Following a scoreless seventh for both sides, the game moved to the eighth where the Longhorns put one runner on with one out, but right-hander Don Czyz came on in relief Zagurski and got his first batter to ground into an inning-ending double play. In the bottom half of the frame, Boone retired his first batter and had two strikes on his second before the game was halted due to lightning and severe weather in the area. The game was then suspended and resumed on Sunday morning prior to the finale. After Clayton Stewart (Angleton, Texas) relieved Boone and set down his first two batters once the game re-started, the Longhorns put two runners on with one out in the top of the ninth via a walk and an infield hit. Third baseman David Maroul (Benbrook, Texas) then drove a ball to the left-center field gap that center fielder Matt Baty made a diving catch on to record the second out and keep KU in front. From there, Czyz got a groundout to end the game and earn his 10th save of the season. Picking up the win was Zagurski, who allowed one unearned run on five hits and struck out six over 7.1 innings, while Boone shouldered the tough loss despite surrendering only two runs on eight hits over his own 7.1-inning effort. Offensively, Chance Wheeless (Round Rock, Texas) led the Horns with a 2-for-4 performance, while KU was paced by the tandem of Andy Scholl and Morrison, who each registered a pair of singles.
In the finale, Texas grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Seth Johnston (Boerne, Texas) connected on a solo home run with two outs. One inning later, Maroul sent the first pitch he saw over the left field wall for his fourth round-tripper of the year and a 2-0 UT advantage. A two-run single from Morrison with runners on second and third courtesy of a hit, a walk and a sacrifice bunt with two down in the bottom of the second then tied the contest at 2-2 for Kansas. In the very next inning, the Jayhawks loaded the bases with two outs on a fielder's choice bunt, a hit batter and a walk, but Texas starter Adrian Alaniz (Sinton, Texas) induced a flyout to work out of the jam unscathed.
The Horns regained the lead in the top of the fifth when Calvin Beamon (Aurora, Colo.) led off with a double, moved to third on a sac bunt and scored on a RBI-fielder's choice off the bat of Hudson to pull UT in front 3-2. Still alive in the frame now with two down and no runners on after a caught stealing, Stubbs doubled and moved to third on a wild pitch prior to a Johnston walk to place runners on the corners. Stubbs and Johnston then pulled a delayed double-steal, which allowed Stubbs to swipe home and establish a 4-2 UT advantage. Kansas answered right back with a two-out rally of its own in the bottom half of the inning as a walk to Richardson and a single by Schweitzer were followed by a bases-clearing double from designated hitter Andy Scholl to deadlock the game at 4-4.
Quickly countering, the Longhorns sent 10 men to the plate in the top of the sixth to grabby a 10-4 lead. After Will Crouch (Austin, Texas) drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on a sacrifice, Taylor Teagarden (Carrollton, Texas) delivered a double in front of a walk, an RBI-single from Nick Peoples (Round Rock, Texas) and two-out RBI-hits from Stubbs, Johnston and Crouch to account for four runs. While the Horns and Jayhawks exchanged single runs in the seventh, Texas sent 10 men to the plate for the second time in the ballgame to open the eighth and added five more runs to push in front by a score of 16-5. With the Big 12 Conference's 10-run rule in effect, J. Brent Cox (Bay City, Texas), who entered the game in the sixth, then tossed a scoreless eighth to seal the victory and earn his 12th save of the season by working three frames to close out the ballgame. While Stewart picked up the win to improve to 9-0, KU reliever Tyson Corley incurred the loss.
Paving the way for Texas' 14-hit attack, which plated a season-best 16 runs, was the tandem of Johnston and Stubbs, who each collected three hits while accounting for five runs scored, four RBI and a pair of steals, the duo of Maroul and Teagarden, who each posted a pair of hits, and Beamon, who went 1-for-2 with three runs scored and one RBI. Kansas, meanwhile, had its offense led by Baty, Richardson and Schweitzer, who each tallied a pair of hits on the afternoon while combining to score five runs. Of additional note for Texas, while both Stubbs and Johnston extended their current hit streaks to 17 and 14 games, respectively, Stubbs also recorded the Horns first steal of home since Beamon turned the trick against UNLV earlier this season on Feb. 13.
Up next, the Horns return home to Disch-Falk Field for a doubleheader with Dallas Baptist on Saturday, May 14 beginning at 1 p.m. Central.
