The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Missouri
Three-run ninth propels Baseball to rubber game win over Missouri
03.15.2009 | Baseball
March 15, 2009
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AUSTIN, Texas -- The No. 1 Texas Longhorns used a three-run ninth inning to post a 4-3 win over the Missouri Tigers in the rubber game of a Big 12 Conference series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Sunday afternoon.
Texas (14-2, 2-1 Big 12) was trailing 3-1 before mounting their three-run rally in the bottom of the ninth. The game-winning run scored when Michael Torres roped a line drive to shortstop, but Missouri's Michael Liberto tried to double off Tucker at first, but his throw went errant allowing pinch-runner Morgan Mickan to slide across for the end game.
The rally started Tant Shepherd was hit by a pitch by Missouri starter Nick Tepesch to lead off the ninth. Connor Rowe pinch ran for Shepherd and moved to second on a passed ball to pinch-hitter Tim Maitland. Southpaw Scooter Hicks (0-1) relieved Tepesch on the mound, causing Texas head coach Augie Garrido to put Kevin Keyes at the plate in place of Maitland. Keyes blasted a double to the wall in left centerfield to drive in Rowe and trim the lead to 3-2. Jordan Etier pinch-ran for Keyes and Preston Clark drew a pinch-hit walk to put the game-tying and game-winning runs on base. After Mickan replaced Clark on the base paths, Brandon Loy sacrificed the runners into scoring position with a bunt.
Missouri (8-10, 1-2 Big 12) brought Brad Buehler in from the bullpen to pitch and he had a 1-2 offering dropped into rightfield by Travis Tucker to plate Etier with the game-tying run and put runners at the corners with one out to set up the game-winning at-bat.
Texas drew first blood in the bottom of the second inning. Cameron Rupp singled up the middle, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Tant Shepherd, advanced to third on a single by Kevin Lusson and scored on a bunt single by David Hernandez to stake the Horns to a 1-0 lead.
Missouri responded with an equalizer in the bottom of the third. With one out, Connor Mach singled to leftfield and scored on a two-out double off the centerfield wall by Aaron Senne.
The Tigers grabbed their first lead in the fifth inning. Mach started another one-out rally when he was hit by a pitch. Senne doubled to right centerfield to plate Mach and Trevor Coleman drove in Senne with a single to centerfield, giving Missouri a 3-1 lead.
Taylor Jungmann (3-0) picked up the win in relief for the Longhorns. He entered the game in the top of the sixth and coagulated the bleeding with four hitless innings. Jungmann issued two walks and fanned four. Texas starter Cole Green allowed three runs on six hits and two walks while striking out three over 5.0 innings.
Tepesch got a no-decision despite a strong performance for Missouri. He allowed two runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out four over 8.0-plus innings.
Tant Shepherd led the Texas offense, going 2-for-2 with a hit-by-pitch and sacrifice bunt.
Senne went 2-for-2 with one run, two doubles and two RBI for Missouri.
Texas returns to action on Tuesday when the Longhorns travel to Reckling Park in Houston, Texas for a 7 p.m. contest against the Rice Owls.
TEXAS QUOTES
Head coach Augie Garrido
On winning in the ninth inning: I've like the attitude and the character of this team all along and I've said that a lot. I think that they have a spirit that's about winning, picking each other up and teamwork, so I'm not making it up. I think what happened here showed that today. I think we used almost every player on the roster, or very close to that. They all came in and did a good job with their role and what they had to offer to help us win the game. It was a very dramatic, dynamic and exciting finish.
On the importance of coming back to win the conference-opening series: From the mathematical point of view, it does a lot just because of the percentages. One or two games in such a short conference season makes a heck of a difference. More importantly probably is the confidence it gives the players in one another, the respect that they take from this for one another, the way it affects the team mentally. They also experienced taking at bats at the level you have to in order to win championships. We may able to apply that to different environments instead of when the game is on the line. That's the fourth time they've done that. Not necessarily coming from behind, but we've won 1-0 games a couple of times and we've come from behind two or three times. But this is the most dramatic and the most important of all those.
On the team's struggling offense: My own opinion about the bats is that we've faced really good pitching and I think that to be consistent, you're going to have to do it with total offense. I took a team to the College World Series that probably the highest number of home runs and stolen bases of any team I've ever coached. We faced two pitchers that were extremely good and we walked away after 18 consecutive innings without scoring a run. So if you get the right level of pitching, power is going to be reduced. To really be a championship team, you have to use all four phases very effectively - base running, bunting, bat control and the hitting game. If you're one dimensional, championship teams can take that dimension away from you.
On how the team executed the four phases of offense today: I think we played a good offensive game, we took advantage of our opportunities and we made productive outs. The best thing of course was we rose to the occasion. [Kevin] Keyes' hit, [Travis] Tucker's hit - those are all done with willpower, presence in the batter's box, competitiveness. It's all about spirit, and spirit goes beyond everything else. That's the power we all know can be the most important.
Second baseman Travis Tucker
On winning the series against Missouri: Missouri has some really good pitchers. It was a tough series. We lost 2-0, [Kyle] Gibson threw his heart out. We won pretty close [in game two] and we came back to win this game. It says a lot about the Big 12. These guys are overall probably one of the top teams in the Big 12 and for us to take two out of three is pretty good.
On the importance of winning in dramatic fashion to take the series: We break the season into individual sections, but we really try to play inning by inning. We've scored eight runs in an inning. We all said we were going to pull out, go out there and battle. We had confidence that we were going to go up to the plate and get on base, like Tant [Shepherd] did when he got hit by a pitch.
Designated hitter Michael Torres
On winning the conference-opening series: We were coming out here to win. They had a good pitcher on the mound and Cole [Green] threw great. We struggled a little bit offensively but we pulled it out in the end.
On what the win revealed about the team: I think it revealed our character. We've worked real hard, we competed against each other all fall and I think it showed. All the hard work and the competition that we had against each other, it really showed today. We didn't panic. Tant got on base and we just had great at bat after great at bat.
On the team's offensive approach: I think it's definitely the small ball and the bunting [that's working]. The hitting will come around. We have great hitters on our team. Kyle Gibson is as good as it gets. He's one of the best pitchers in the country. That's not an excuse, we should beat guys like that. We didn't manufacture runs, we didn't get the clutch hits, and that's basically what it came down to. We don't have Kyle Russell hitting 20 home runs for us. We're the kind of team that showed in the ninth inning.
Pinch-hitter Kevin Keyes
On what the win revealed about the team: I think it showed we're very strong and we're doing very well on the road and at home. It shows that we never quit. We have a lot of fun playing the game. We're always finding ways to win and that's what it's all about.
On his RBI double in the ninth inning: It felt real good. We started the ninth inning by getting the leadoff guy on. We just played Longhorn baseball from that point on. Connor [Rowe] moved up on a passed ball, that was a great play by Connor. Coach Garrido made good moves and it all worked out from there.
Pinch-runner Morgan Mickan
On the team's offensive approach: Coach really harps on small ball. The power is going to come. It just shows how multiple this team is. We'll find a way to win.
On scoring the winning run: I was just looking for a base hit. I got home in an awkward way but it's great.
