The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Southern Mississippi
Baseball advances to winner's bracket of NCAA College World Series
06.14.2009 | Baseball
June 14, 2009
Box Score | Quotes | Notes | 
| Box Score 
OMAHA, Neb. -- Three walks and a hit batsman in the bottom of the ninth inning allowed Texas to score the winning run and survive a wild game against Southern Mississippi on Sunday night at Rosenblatt Stadium. The 7-6 victory improved the Longhorns to 47-14-1, and advanced them to Tuesday night's Bracket 2 winner's game against Arizona State. Southern Miss, which fell to 40-25, will face North Carolina at 1 p.m. Central Tuesday.
Travis Tucker was hit by USM reliever Josh Fields with one out in the ninth, and after Fields walked Brandon Belt, Jonathan Johnston was summoned from the Eagles' bullpen. Johnston retired Tant Shepherd on strikes for the second out, but then walked Kyle Lusson and Brandon Loy to force in Tucker with the winning run.
The Eagles, who rallied throughout the game, got a leadoff single in the top of the ninth from pinch-hitter Tyler Koelling, who moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt by Taylor Walker. Taylor Jungmann relieved for the Longhorns and on his first pitch, got leadoff hitter Bo Davis to ground out to third. But James Ewing hit a soft liner over second base to bring in Koelling with the tying run.
Texas answered Southern Mississippi's three-run rally in the top of the eighth with a two-run rally of its own in the bottom half of the inning. Travis Tucker started the rally with an infield single. One out later, Russell Moldenhauer doubled to move Tucker to third. After an intentional walk to Kevin Keyes loaded the bases, Brandon Loy drew a walk to bring in Tucker with the tying run. After Southern Miss reliever Collin Cargill fell behind 2-0 on Cameron Rupp, Josh Fields was summoned from the bullpen. Fields battled back to retire Rupp on strikes for the second out, but then walked pinch-hitter Kevin Lusson to force in pinch-runner Tant Shepherd to put the Longhorns in front 6-5.
With the Longhorns ahead 4-2 in the top of the eighth, Texas reliever Austin Wood entered the game after pinch-hitter Adam Doleac started the inning with a double down the right field line. Taylor Walker followed with an infield single to put runners on the corners, and a wild pitch allowed pinch-runner Nick Smith to score and make it a 4-3 game. Wood retired Bo Davis on strikes but issued a walk to Ewing, and then pinch-hitter Brian Dozier reached on the first catcher's interference at the College World Series since 1981 to load the bases for Southern Miss cleanup hitter Corey Stevens.
Stevens fouled off a couple of tough pitches before working the count full and ultimately drawing a walk that forced in Walker with the tying run. Archer followed with a chopper to third baseman Michael Torres. Torres tried to force Ewing at the plate, but his throw short-hopped UT catcher Cameron Rupp for an error and a 5-4 Eagles lead. Wood escaped further damage by striking out the next two hitters.
Russell Moldenhauer's first home run of the season broke a 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning to put UT ahead 3-2.
The Longhorns got to Eagles starter Todd McInnis early, scoring two first-inning runs to take an early lead. Torres led off the game with a single and advanced to second when Moldenhauer drew a two-out walk. Both runners came in to score when Keyes laced a double to right-center for a 2-0 lead. McInnis would last 6.2 innings, allowing six hits and four earned runs, while striking out four.
Texas starter Cole Green made the lead stand up until the top of the fifth, when he issued a leadoff walk to Joey Archer. Michael Ewing drove the next pitch just over the wall in right-center to tie the game at 2. Green was solid throughout, going seven-plus innings and allowing six hits, one walk and fanning eight.
