The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Houston Baptist
No. 5 Baseball blanks Houston Baptist, 12-0
03.23.2011 | Baseball
March 23, 2011
AUSTIN, Texas - The No. 5 Texas Longhorns defeated the Houston Baptist Huskies, 12-0, in seven innings on Wednesday evening at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
Pitcher Sam Stafford improved to 3-0 after throwing 4.0 scoreless innings with six strikeouts, scattering two hits and one walk. Josh Urban and Stayton Thomas came in from the bullpen to combine on the shutout. Urban worked 2.0 frames, allowing one hit while striking out two. Thomas fanned one of the three batters he faced in the seventh.
The Texas offense featured patience on the evening with seven walks to go with eight hits, two HBP, one sacrifice bunt and four stolen bases. Mark Payton and Jordan Etier both registered two hits and Brandon Loy, Tim Maitland, Etier, Shepherd and Jacob Felts logged two hits apiece.
The Longhorns registered a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. A squeeze bunt by Payton drove in Loy who started the game with a walk, stole second base and moved to third when HBU's shortstop could not corral a throw from the catcher. Lucas Kephart added the second run when he doubled to the gap in right centerfield to score Maitland who reached on a fielder's choice.
Texas (16-5) continued to score runs in the bottom of the second when Loy hit a groundout RBI to deliver Tant Shepherd who had earlier doubled into left field. Felts followed with a single into shallow centerfield and Maitland then laid down a bunt single to bring home Felts and put Texas ahead 4-0. Maitland stole second and scored on a single by Payton to inflate the cushion to 5-0.
A patient Horns' offense scored six runs in the third with just one hit. Texas drew five walks and was hit by a pair of pitches in the inning.
In the bottom of the seventh, Etier doubled into left center, advanced to third on a fly ball and scored on a wild pitch making the final score 12-0.
Houston Baptist (1-18) was led offensively by Beau Warren who logged two of the Huskies' three hits. Jamie Storey (0-4) was saddled with the loss, allowing seven runs on six hits and two walks while striking out one over 2.0 innings.
The Longhorns continue conference play on Friday when they travel to Stillwater, Okla., for a 6:30 p.m. contest against the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
