The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Texas State
Baseball beats Texas State, 12-2
04.28.2009 | Baseball
April 28, 2009
AUSTIN, Texas -- The No. 8 Texas Longhorns demonstrated their offensive firepower with a season-high runs total to defeat the Texas State Bobcats, 12-2, in non-conference baseball action Tuesday night at UFCU Disch-Falk field.
The Longhorns were led offensively by freshman Kevin Lusson who went 4-for-4 and with a walk on the night and scored five runs. Lusson had two doubles and two RBI. All of these numbers were career-highs for the Austin native.
Connor Rowe had 3 RBI in a 3-for-5 effort that included his third double of the season. Travis Tucker and Brandon Loy also registered two hits apiece, and Brandon Belt hit his fifth home run of the season.
Texas scored multiple runs in five out of eight innings it batted and the Longhorns' 15 hits in the game tied a season-high.
Texas starter Brandon Workman pitched 2.0 innings, allowing two runs on two hits and two walks. Reliever Stayton Thomas (2-0) was credited with the win. The sophomore right-hander went 5.0 innings, allowing no runs on three hits while striking out two. Freshman Andrew McKirahan threw 2.0 innings to close out the game for the Longhorns. The left-hander did not surrender a run on one hit, two walks and two strikeouts.
The Bobcats pounced early with one run in the top of the first. Leadoff batter, Tyler Sibley was given a free base when Workman hit him with a pitch. Sibley advanced to second on Bret Atwood's groundout and came around to score on Keith Prestridge's single up the middle to give Texas State a quick 1-0 lead. It marked the first time this season that a Texas visitor scored in the opening inning at home.
Texas replied with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame off Belt's fifth dinger of the season. Tucker hit a one-out single up the middle before Belt hammered a 1-1 pitch into the visitor's bullpen down the leftfield line.
Texas State tacked another run in the top of the second to temporarily tie the game at 2-2. Catcher Ben Theriot drew a leadoff walk, advanced to second on Kyle Livingstone's ground out, moved to third on Kyle Kubitza's fly out, and trotted home on Sibley's two-out single up the middle.
The Longhorns immediately drilled Bobcats starter Garret Carruth for two more runs in the bottom of the same inning to widen the margin, 4-2. Lusson started things with a leadoff single through the right side and Brandon Loy followed with a single through the port side. Both runners moved over a base on Preston Clark's sacrifice bunt. Lusson then scored on a wild pitch by Carruth and Loy was driven in by Rowe's single down the rightfield line.
Texas fashioned another run in bottom of the fourth when Lusson doubled to right center and scored on Rowe's two-out double down the leftfield line.
The cushion was further inflated to 7-2 in the sixth stanza which featured four walks by the Bobcats' pitchers. Things started with Lusson drawing a one-out walk and moving to second on Loy's groundout. After Clark walked, Rowe singled to right field to plate Lusson. Michael Torres then had a four-ball plate appearance to saturate the bases with Horns. Texas added one more run when reliever Lance Loftin walked Tucker which allowed Clark to score.
The Longhorns added two more runs in the bottom of the seventh. Kevin Keyes led off with a single up the middle and pinch-runner Tim Maitland moved to second on a wild pitch. Maitland scored on Lusson's second double of the night, this time down the leftfield line. Lusson scored his fourth run of the night when Clark's single to centerfield allowed him to score from second.
Texas scored for the third consecutive inning with three runs in the bottom of the eighth, all of them coming with two outs in the inning. Pinch-hitter Jordan Etier led off with a single to second base and moved to second when Belt was walked. Kyle Lusson then grounded into a double play that allowed Etier to advance to third. After Maitland was hit by a pitch, Kevin Lusson registered his fourth hit of the night, a single, to plate Etier. The next batter, Loy, doubled down to left center to drive in Kevin Lusson and Maitland and give Texas their final score, 12-2.
Bobcats starter Garret Carruth suffered the loss (3-2), pitching 3.2 innings and allowing five runs on eight hits while striking out two.
The Longhorns return to action against Baylor at home, this Friday night in a conference weekend series. First pitch is slated for 8 p.m. and the game is set to be televised on ESPNU.
