The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Arkansas
No. 5 Baseball drops 9-2 decision to Arkansas in Austin NCAA Regional
06.04.2005 | Baseball
AUSTIN, Texas -- Razorbacks' starter Nick Schmidt allowed only two runs on 10 hits while striking out eight during a complete-game effort as No. 5 Texas (46-15) lost a 9-2 contest to Arkansas (39-20) in front of a crowd of 5,717 fans at Disch-Falk Field during the second round of the Austin NCAA Regional Tournament on Saturday, June 4. With the victory, Arkansas advances to the regional championship game at 6 p.m. Central on Sunday, June 4, while the Longhorns will now take on Miami University (Ohio) in an elimination tilt at 12 p.m. Central on Sunday.
After Schmidt worked out of a runners on the corners with two out jam in the bottom of the second, the Razorbacks loaded the bases on a hit and two walks with one out in the third before a double off the bat of left fielder Clint Arnold and a single from first baseman Danny Hamblin established a 3-0 lead. Still battling in the frame, Arkansas then received a walk to load the bases again before a single from shortstop Scott Hode and a two-out, two-run base hit off the bat of catcher Brian Walker made it 6-0 in favor of the Razorbacks. The Longhorns, meanwhile, were limited to three hits over the first five innings by Schmidt, who also stranded six UT runners on base in the process.
In the top of the sixth, Arkansas had two hit batters place runners on first and second with two outs in front of a two-run double down the left field line from designated hitter Ben Tschepikow to push the Razorbacks' lead to 8-0. One inning later in the seventh, two Arkansas singles and two Texas errors led to an unearned score and a 9-0 Razorbacks advantage. While the Longhorns managed hits in both the sixth and seventh innings as they looked to counter, Schmidt continued to hold his ground and kept the shutout bid in tact through seven. Then, in the bottom of the eighth, the Longhorns strung together four consecutive one-out hits, including RBI-singles from Taylor Teagarden (Carrollton, Texas) and Chance Wheeless (Round Rock, Texas), to plate two scores and cut the Arkansas lead to 9-2 before Schmidt retired the next two batters to end the inning. The Razorbacks looked to add another run in the top of the ninth as they put runners on first and third with one out via a walk and a single, but Jordon Street (Austin, Texas), who had come on in relief in the top of the eighth, was able to induce a double-play grounder and send the game into the bottom of the ninth. In the last half inning, Texas had Robby Hudson (Redlands, Calif.) lead off with an infield single, but Schmidt got a fielder's choice, a flyout and a groundout to end the game and pick up his eighth win of the season. Shouldering the loss for Texas, meanwhile, was starter Kyle McCulloch (Houston, Texas).
Pacing the Longhorns offense on the evening was Teagarden, who collected his second-straight multi-hit game in regional action with a career-tying best three hits that included one RBI, and seven different players that each tallied one hit, including Wheeless, who recorded one RBI, and the duo of Kainer and Crouch, who accounted for UT's two runs. On the other side of the ledger, the Razorbacks were led by Tschepikow, who went 3-for-4 while driving in a pair of runs and scoring another, the tandem of Hode and Hamblin, who each registered a pair of hits and one RBI on the night, and both Arnold and Walker, who brought in two runs apiece. Additionally, Stubbs and Nick Peoples (Round Rock, Texas) each upped their current hit streak to seven games, while Kainer and Wheeless moved their hitting streaks to six and five games, respectively, for the Horns.
Postgame Notes & Quotes
ARKANSAS
Team
- Arkansas is now 30-24 in NCAA Regional play and 40-36 overall in NCAA postseason action.
- The win marked the first for Arkansas since beating Texas 4-2 on May 4, 1991, in Fayetteville, Ark.
- Arkansas has seven doubles and two triples in the first two games of the Austin Regional.
Individual
- P Nick Schimdt's complete game marked the second of his career (May 6 vs. Florida). It is the third complete game of the season for the Hogs' pitching staff.
- Today marked Nick Schmidt's 17th start of the season, which ties him with Matt Carnes (1996) for the sixth-most starts in a season in school history.
- Schmidt's eight strikeouts Saturday moved him into 10th place on the Hogs' single-season strikeout list with 89.
- DH Ben Tschepikow tied his career high in hits (3) and RBI (2).
- 1B Danny Hamblin collected two hits on Saturday night and now has a team-high 24 multiple-hit games this season.
TEXAS
Team
- Texas is now 116-44-1 in NCAA Regional play. The Longhorns are now 60-35 under head coach Augie Garrido in NCAA Regional Tournaments.
- The last time UT lost at home in an NCAA Regional was June 1, 2003 against Lamar (6-2).
- Three double plays matches a season best. UT has now had three in each of the past two games.
- With 10 hits on the day, the Texas offense has now tallied 10 or more hits in 33 of 61 games to date and in each of its last five contests.
Individual
- With two stolen bases in the game, CF Drew Stubbs tied a career high. Stubbs has now stolen two bases in a game 13 times in his career.
- Stubbs extended his hitting streak to seven games and has now hit safely in 51 of 61 games this season.
- Stubbs' error in the seventh inning marked his first of the 2005 season.
- C Taylor Teagarden tied a career high with three hits and now has multiple-hits in each of his two regional contests.
- LF Carson Kainer extended his hitting streak to six games.
- 1B Chance Wheeless extended his hitting streak to five games.
Attendance: 5,717
TEXAS
Head Coach Augie Garrido
Opening statement: I think the game was dominated by their pitcher [LHP Nick Schmidt]. He was outstanding. He was inside the strike zone with his fastball. He was outside the strike zone when he needed to be. They played a very high quality defense behind him, and from the opposite side, they had very timely hitting and sustained their rallies well.
On having to play three more games to advance: There are going to be one or two Super Regionals that have teams that came out of the consolation bracket to win the Regional Championship, and there's no reason we can't be one of them.
We still have every chance to win this. It is going to take some heroes. Coming out of the consolation bracket takes character. This team has what it takes to do that, and we will respond come tomorrow morning.
Senior SS Seth Johnston
On Arkansas LHP Nick Schmidt's performance: Anytime you see a lefty who throws a hard fastball and can throw a curveball and change-up for strikes, it is going to be difficult to hit the ball. I felt like we hit him hard all night long, but he found a way to get it done every inning.
Sophomore RHP Kyle McCulloch
On Arkansas' hitting: They did a good job of capitalizing on my mistakes, and they kept putting people on [base] by putting the bat on the ball.
ARKANSAS
Head Coach Dave Van Horn
On freshman LHP Nick Schmidt's: I thought Nick pitched an outstanding ballgame. He showed a lot of poise and battled, even when Texas made a run. He gathered himself and did a tremendous job, and threw as many pitches as he ever has. He's done a great job this year, and I'm really proud of him.
On the team's performance and defeating an old SWC rival: I think under the circumstances - on the road, in a tough ballpark with tough fans - I think we played as good as we can play. I think it's great for our Razorback fans (to beat Texas) but I try not to get caught up in it because our job is to beat everyone we play.
Freshman LHP Nick Schmidt
On the offensive support: We got a lot of big two-out hits tonight and that really builds your confidence as a team. Ben (Tschepikow) and Clint (Arnold) stepped up and helped out the team, and that probably gives the seniors some confidence knowing that they have somebody behind them that can do the job as well.
Freshman DH Ben Tschepikow
On getting an early lead: I think we shook them up, and anytime you can do that early in the game, you want to keep taking it to them the whole game.
