The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Kansas State
Baseball ties No. 23 Kansas State, 6-6
04.26.2009 | Baseball
April 26, 2009
AUSTIN, Texas -- The No. 5 Texas Longhorns and No. 23 Kansas State Wildcats played to a 6-6 tie in 10 innings of Big 12 Conference baseball action at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Sunday afternoon.
Texas (29-11-1, 12-8-1 Big 12) was able to stave off defeat and force extra innings with a ninth inning rally. With one out and Kansas State nursing a 6-5 lead, Brandon Belt doubled to the wall in centerfield. Belt moved to third on a groundout by Kevin Keyes and scored the game-tying run when Cameron Rupp doubled to the gap in left centerfield.
The Longhorns had an opportunity for the walk-off win in the ninth. Rupp was replaced at second by pinch-runner Jordan Etier and David Hernandez drew a walk as the pinch-hitter to put runners at first and second. Brandon Loy hit a single to centerfield but a hard charging Dan Yelovich was able to throw out Etier in a bang-bang play at the plate.
Kansas State (31-11-1, 10-7-1 Big 12) claimed the late lead with two runs in the eighth inning. With the Horns winning 5-4, Adam Muenster drew a lead-off walk from UT reliever Austin Dicharry. Austin Wood replaced Dicharry on the mound and yielded a single to Carter Jurica. Nick Martini put down a sacrifice bunt to push the runners to second and third and Justin Bloxom was issued a walk to load the bases. Drew Biery gave the Wildcats the 6-5 lead with a single to rightfield.
The Wildcats drew first blood in the top of the second when Biery hit a home run to leftfield off Texas starter Brandon Workman.
The Longhorns responded with a run in the home half of the second. With one out, Loy singled up the middle, moved to second on a single through the left side by Connor Rowe and scored on a single to rightfield by Michael Torres.
Kansas State reclaimed the lead in the third inning. Jurica drew a walk, stole second base and scored on a single to the gap in left center by Martini.
The Wildcats tacked on another run in the fourth. Bloxom drew a one-out walk and scored on a triple to by Muenster to the wall in right centerfield to give Kansas State a 3-1 advantage.
The KSU lead ballooned to 4-1 with a run in the top of the sixth. Jordan Cruz started the inning with a walk and moved to second on a one-out single to leftfield by Yelovich. Muenster loaded the bases on an infield single and the Wildcats scored the run when Texas was unable to turn the double play on Jurica's grounder.
Texas took its only lead of the game with a four-run sixth inning. Belt started the rally with a double to the left centerfield gap. He moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on single by Keyes. With one out, Kevin Lusson drew a walk and Loy reached on a bunt single to saturate the bases with Horns. Preston Clark appeared to hit into an inning ending double play, but Biery, the KSU shortstop dropped the toss from Jurica at second allowing Lusson and Keyes to score and tie the game. Texas took the 5-4 lead when Torres hit a sacrifice fly to plate Loy.
It marked first tie in over 10 years. The Longhorns last kissed their sisters in a 7-7 affair with Stanford on Feb. 15, 1988.
Loy paced Texas at the plate, going 4-for-5 with two bunt singles and two runs. Belt went 2-for5 with two doubles and two runs. Torres went 2-for-5 with two RBI. Travis Tucker also added two hits.
Biery spearheaded Kansas State's arsenal, going 2-for-5 with one home run and three RBI. Muenster and Jurica each added two hits.
The Longhorns return to action at UFCU Disch-Falk Field with a 6 p.m. game against the Texas State Bobcats on Tuesday.
