The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Kansas State
No. 5 Baseball downs Kansas State, 6-5, in 14 innings
03.20.2011 | Baseball
March 20, 2011
Box Score | Quotes | Box Score 
AUSTIN, Texas - It took four and a half hours and 14 innings, but the No. 5 Texas Longhorns pulled off their second consecutive come-from-behind performance to defeat Kansas State, 6-5, and complete the weekend sweep on Sunday afternoon at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
For the second day in a row, Texas defeated the Wildcats in extra innings, walk-off fashion. With two out, Tim Maitland singled to left center and slid home uncontested when a Brandon Loy deposited a double down the rightfield line to right field two pitches later and the outfielders throw went to second base.
In a game that saw 15 pitchers take the mound between the two teams, it was Kendal Carrillo (1-0) who earned the win for Texas and Gerardo Esquivel (0-1) who suffered the loss for Kansas State.
Texas (15-5, 3-0) capitalized on a four-run seventh inning to knot the score at five runs apiece and eventually force extra innings.
The Longhorns were first on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third inning. With one out, Jordan Etier singled to left center. After Paul Montalbano was retired, Etier stole second with Loy at the plate. Three pitches later, Loy sent the ball to centerfield for a triple to plate Etier for the first run of the game.
Kansas State (12-7, 0-3) responded with three runs in the top of the fourth. Nick Martini singled to right center with one out. After Texas starter Cole Green walked Jason King, Mike Kindel singled to center to drive in Martini. King and Kindel advanced on a throwing error by Texas centerfielder Cohl Walla. A wild pitch brought King home as Kindel moved to third. Jared King then laid down a squeeze bunt to the pitcher to allow Kindel to score the final run of the inning.
The scoring continued for K-State in its half of the fifth. Shane Conlon got things started with a single and Jake Brown was hit by a pitch. A Tanner Witt sacrifice fly allowed Conlon to advance to third with two out. Andrew McKirahan entered the game in relief of Green to face Martini, who singled to left to bring home Conlon.
The Wildcats tacked on another run in the sixth. After Jared King doubled to right with one out, Kent Urban sent an RBI single up the middle to make the score 5-1.
After retiring Kansas State in order, Texas hopped back on the scoring train to even the tally in the seventh. Tant Shepherd started the inning with a triple to right center off Wildcat reliever Tyler Sturges to set up a Jordan Etier RBI single. After Shawn Lewick replaced Sturges and retired Montalbano, Loy pushed a blooper to right to advance Etier to second. An interference call on the short stop during an attempted pick-off allowed Etier to reach third. Lewick then gave up two straight walks, the first to Mark Payton to load the bases and the second to Erich Weiss to bring in Etier. Lucas Kephart struck out to bring up Walla, who sent a two-RBI single to the left side as Loy and Payton crossed home plate.
Scoreless eighth and ninth frames for both teams sent the game into extra innings for the second straight day until Texas broke the 5-5 tie in the 14th.
Green pitched 4.2 innings, giving up four runs on four hits and a walk in the start for Texas. Carrillo threw the final two scoreless innings, allowing one hit while striking out one to get the win. Other notable performances from a bullpen that allowed just three hits by the Wildcats in the final eight innings, included Corey Knebel allowing just one run and one hit while striking out three over 3.2 scoreless innings and Kirby Bellow working 1.1 shutout frames with one hit and one strikeout.
Kansas State starter Kayvon Bahramzadeh went five complete innings and surrendered just one run on four hits and a walk with four strikeouts. Tyler Sturges and Shawn Lewick allowed two runs apiece in the seventh. Of the Wildcats eight relief pitchers, Jared Moore posted the best performance, scattering two hits and two walks while striking out two over 3.0 innings.
Esquivel gave up the final run after tossing 1.2 innings, yielding two hits and striking out a pair.
Etier and Loy had three hits each for the Longhorns, with Loy and Walla producing two RBI apiece.
Martini, Urban, Conlon and Chase Graskewicz all recorded two hits for Kansas State.
The Longhorns return to action Wednesday against the Houston Baptist Huskies at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. Game time is slated for 6 p.m. Central.
POST-GAME QUOTES
Head Coach Augie Garrido
Opening statement: The pitching did a great job. Without the pitching the whole thing would've been settled a lot earlier. We're pleased we won the game. That matters a lot. At the end of the season this will be forgotten as to how difficult this was and how many things went our way. But to be consistent we have to get control over the fundamentals of offense and be more productive. The game could've been finished in nine innings.
Junior shortstop Brandon Loy
On his game-winning hit in the 14th inning: Jordan Etier came up first that inning and hit the ball in the gap. Unfortunately the outfielder was playing right there. We thought that was going to be a triple. Then Tim (Maitland) steps up and gets a base hit. Then I get up there and hit the ball down the line and luckily it fell in. That's baseball. It was definitely unexpected. We didn't think that was going to happen but it did, and we're glad we came away with the win.
Junior outfielder Tim Maitland
On his performance: It was fun. It was good to get out there and just play the game.
On what he works on in practice: Pretty much every aspect of the game. If we're doing outfield drills I'll work my hardest in that, and if we're working on bunting I'll do my hardest in that as well. Any aspect of the game I'll try my hardest.
Junior second baseman Jordan Etier
On his performance at the plate: I just tried to stay focus and concentrate on the pitcher's release point. I just wanted to be confident up there and go to work.
Sophomore outfielder Cohl Walla
On sweeping a Big 12 opponent in Kansas State: I think we were all looking forward to playing Big 12 opponents. It'd be nice to go into Big 12 play with the record we had last year, but it's our goal to play hard and try to win every game. To start off with a sweep is always a good thing.
