The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
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Texas Tech
No. 6 Baseball rallies in the eighth to beat Texas Tech, 3-1
04.17.2011 | Baseball
April 17, 2011
AUSTIN, Texas—The No. 6 Texas Longhorns used a dramatic eighth inning rally to beat the Red Raiders and take the final game of the three-game series, 3-1, on Sunday afternoon at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
After trailing 1-0 for four innings, Texas (27-9, 11-4 Big 12) finally responded. Paul Montalbano led off the eighth inning with a single through the left side of the infield. After a sacrifice bunt by Jordan Etier and a walk to pinch-hitter Lucas Kephart, Brandon Loy deposited a single to rightfield. Montalbano rounded third and Associate Head Coach Tommy Harmon gave him the green light to head home as the throw went into second base, knotting the score at 1-1.
After Mark Payton pushed pinch-runner Tim Maitland and Loy into scoring position with a grounder to short, first baseman Tant Shepherd stepped to the plate and hit a two-run triple down the leftfield line to give Texas a 3-1 lead.
Texas Tech (23-15, 6-9 Big 12) got things going in the fourth inning. After the first two hitters were retired, Nick Popescu walked, and outfielders David Paiz and Nick Hanslik followed with back-to-back singles to drive in the first run of the ball game.
Texas reliever Hoby Milner is credited with the win. He pitched perfect seventh and eighth innings retiring all six batters he faced. Texas Tech reliever Ben Flora was credited with the loss.
Although he did not receive the win, junior pitcher Sam Stafford pitched 5.0 innings allowing one run on five hits and two walks while striking out four Red Raiders in his first career Big 12 start.
The Longhorn relief pitchers Nathan Thornhill, Hoby Milner and Corey Knebel backed Stafford's performance combining for four shutout innings and relinquishing only one hit. Milner (4-2) earned the win, pitching perfect seventh and eighth innings. Knebel fanned two of the four batters he faced in the ninth to earn his 11th save of the season.
The loss was hung on Ben Flora (0-3) who allowed a run, walking the only batter he faced.
Texas continues its season on Tuesday, April 19, when it hosts Texas-Pan American at UFCU Disch-Falk Field at 6 p.m.
