The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Kansas State
No. 2 Baseball captures Big 12 regular-season title
05.08.2010 | Baseball
May 8, 2010
MANHATTAN, Kan. -- The No. 2 Texas Longhorns secured their second-consecutive Big 12 regular-season title and their sixth crown in the 14-year history of the league with a 17-2 win over the Kansas State Wildcats at Tointon Family Stadium on Saturday. It also marks the fourth title in the last five years for the Longhorns who captured the league pennant in 2002, 2004, 2006-07 and 2009 prior to this season.
The 17 runs and 19 hits Texas amassed were season-highs in league play for the Longhorns. Texas pounded out 10 extra-base hits, including six doubles and four home runs.
Jonathan Walsh led the hit parade, going 4-for-5 with three runs, two doubles, one home run and five RBI. Russell Moldenhauer and Tant Shepherd each added three hits, with one double apiece. Brandon Loy went 2-for-6 with two runs and two RBI, including his first career home run. Cameron Rupp went 2-for-2 with two walks, one sacrifice bunt, one home run, three runs and three RBI. Jordan Etier and Kevin Lusson added one double apiece and Cohl Walla hit his sixth home run of the season and knocked in three runs.
Cole Green (10-0) pitched his fourth complete game of the season and his third in the last four weeks. He allowed two unearned runs on six hits while striking out four over 9.0 innings.
Kayvon Bahramzadeh (1-3) was saddled with the loss, allowing two runs on three hits and one walk while striking out two over 2.0 innings.
Kansas State (32-14, 11-8 Big 12) benefited from a passed ball to score the game's first run. With one out in the bottom of the first, Carter Jurica doubled down the leftfield line. He moved to third on a groundout by Nick Martini and scored on a passed ball to break the scoring seal.
Texas (40-8, 20-3 Big 12) responded immediately with two runs in the top of the second. Moldenhauer hit a double down the leftfield line to start the inning. Kevin Keyes singled to rightfield, plating Moldenhauer with the equalizer. Keyes was pushed to second on a sacrifice bunt by Rupp and scored two batters later when Walsh doubled to the gap in right centerfield.
The Longhorns created separation with a five-run fourth inning. Keyes singled up the middle and Rupp drew a walk to start the inning. Lusson pushed both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Walsh hit his second double of the game down the leftfield line to drive in Keyes. Texas inflated the cushion to 5-1 when Etier laced a 2-2 offering inside the leftfield line to drive in Rupp and Walsh. Loy capped off the rally by hitting his first career home run, a two-run variety, over the leftfield fence to stake the Horns to a 7-1 lead.
The cavalcade of runs continued with four runs in the fifth. With one out, Rupp walked and Lusson doubled down the leftfield line to put two in scoring position. Walsh singled to centerfield, sending Rupp home and two batters latter Walla deposited a three-run home run over the leftfield fence to widen the chasm to 11-1.
Texas' offense continued to churn out runs at an alarming rate with a six-run eighth. The inning featured an RBI single by Moldenhauer, a three-run home run by Rupp and a two-run home run by Walsh.
Kansas State scored the game's final run in the ninth. Jurica reached on a throwing error to start the inning and back-to-back singles by Ryan Moore and Daniel Dellasega loaded the bases. Kent Urban hit a sacrifice fly to plate Jurica before Green was able to get Chase Graskewicz to hit into a game-ending double play.
Texas and Kansas State return to action in a rubber match at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
