The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Brown
No. 5 Baseball falls to Brown in second game of doubleheader
03.12.2011 | Baseball
March 12, 2011
Box Score | Quotes
AUSTIN, Texas - The No.5 Texas Longhorns started on pace but slowly fell behind in a 7-3 loss to the Brown Bears on Saturday afternoon at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
Texas (10-5) was first on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning. Tant Shepherd started off the inning with a walk and stole second. A sacrifice bunt from Paul Montalbano advanced Shepherd to third. Jacob Felts was retired on a groundout, but it was enough to allow Shepherd to cross home plate.
The Bears battled back in the top of the third, racking up three runs to push them past the Longhorns. After Matt Colantonio reached on a throwing error with one out, Ryan Zrenda sent a ball straight into the left foul pole. After back-to-back singles and another Texas throwing error, Graham Tyler walked with the bases loaded to send Wes Van Boom home for the final run of the inning.
The Longhorns cut the deficit in half with another run in the bottom of the third. After Brandon Loy walked, Mark Payton was hit by a pitch after Anthony Galan was brought in to relieve Brown starter Mark Gormley. Cohl Walla was retired on a sacrifice bunt that advanced the runners. Erich Weiss then grounded out to second to score Loy.
Texas tacked on another run in the bottom of the fifth. Loy doubled to left center and found himself in a pickle between second and third. He successfully stole third and ran home on a Walla groundout.
The Bears roared back with another three runs in the top of the seventh. Mike DiBiase singled up the middle and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Van Boom. Cody Slaughter walked and Van Boom reached third on a passed ball. After a Texas pitching change, Matt DeRenzi grounded out on a sacrifice bunt to score DiBiase and advance Slaughter. Graham Tyler walked and pinch hitter Pete Greskoff doubled to right field to bring both runners home.
Brown (1-5) added one more run in the eighth to set up the final outcome. Colantonio started the inning with a double to left field and advanced to third on a Zrenda bunt single. DiBiase reached on a fielder's choice, which allowed Colantonio to cross the plate for the final run of the game.
Texas sent six different pitchers to the mound in the game. Keifer Nuncio (0-2) was saddled with the loss for the Longhorns, allowing two runs on one hit and a walk in 0.1 innings. Sam Stafford started the game for Texas, pitching six complete innings. He allowed three runs on five hits and five walks with seven strikeouts.
Galan (1-0) earned the win for Brown. He gave up only one run on six hits with two strikeouts over six innings.
Loy and Montalbano had two hits apiece for Texas in the second game.
Texas and Brown will finish off the four-game series on Sunday with the opening pitch scheduled for 12 p.m. Central.
Head Coach Augie Garrido
On lessons learned from today's games: The lessons from today's games are about the power of momentum. Environment plays a big part in performances but so does the momentum of the game and every game has that. The momentum of the game is controlled, lost or regained through the fundamentals. It's in things as basic as being able to play catch, being about to separate a ball from a strike, being able to compete even though the adversity has been embarrassing. Everything that happens reveals the human character in these games and that really is what happened today. It was all day, not just the second game. You realized that we never really consistently put together at-bat by at-bat by at-bat like we did the night before. That's typical too; you come out and have a great game and it lowers your competitive spirits. You get the grand slam homerun and then you think, "Oh, we can do it any time we want to." There are all kinds of demons in this game that test you and your ability to be consistent in your competitive spirit. That's what I hope they learned today: don't give away the momentum and continue to fight for it.
Junior pitcher Sam Stafford
On splitting the doubleheader today: We pulled out the win in the first game with Weiss' big home run and unfortunately we kind of struggled all around in the second game. The bats were inconsistent and I was inconsistent in the strike zone. Unfortunately we lost, but we're going to come out tomorrow ready to play and battle as hard as we can and hopefully get the win tomorrow.
Junior shortstop Brandon Loy
On Texas' play in the doubleheader today: It wasn't a very good day. We probably had our best game of the year last night and to come out here [the way we did] today was a big disappointment to this team. It's not something we were expecting and it needs to be cut out. These three and four error games are killing us as well as the bats at the plate. It's all the things we have to do for this team to go somewhere.
Sophomore pitcher Hoby Milner
On his pitching performance in the first game: I kind of worked with what I had today. I couldn't get ahead with my off-speed so I had to work my fastball. I did all right when I got ahead, but I fell behind a lot.
Freshman third baseman Erich Weiss
On his grand slam to win the first game for Texas: I saw it right out of his hand and off the bat and I kind of knew it was going to go out. The wind was blowing out pretty fast. It was a fastball right down the middle, so it felt awesome. It was my first grand slam ever.
