The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
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Stanford
No. 12 Texas loses series-opener to No. 2 Stanford, 7-2
02.24.2012 | Baseball
Feb. 24, 2012
AUSTIN, Texas - The No. 12 Texas Longhorns allowed five runs in the first two innings and were unable to bounce back in a 7-2 loss against the No. 2 Stanford Cardinal.
After Texas was unable to manufacture a run with Tim Maitland leading off the first inning reaching base on an error, Stanford struck for two runs in the home half of the inning. Jake Stewart hit a leadoff home run to leftfield. Tyler Gaffney doubled to the gap in right centerfield. With one out, Brian Ragira doubled to the other gap to push Gaffney across for the 2-0 lead.
With two outs in the bottom of the second inning, Stewart doubled down the leftfield line. A fielding error by Brooks Marlow on a blooping liner by Gaffney allowed Stewart to score. A single by Stephen Piscotty put two runners on and Ragira plated them both with a double to the gap in right centerfield for a 5-0 lead.
The Longhorns loaded the bases in the top of the fifth, but were unable to produce a run. Collin Shaw singled to rightfield, Kirby Bellow drew a walk and Christian Summers was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. The Longhorns were unable to cut into the lead as Tim Maitland bounced into an inning-ending double paly.
Stanford (5-0) inflated the cushion to 6-0 with a run in the fifth. Ragira started the inning with a single to rightfield. With one out, Christian Griffths singled through the right side of the infield and Lonnie Kauppila singled to rightfield to load the bases. A sacrifice fly by Eric Smith drove in Ragira.
Texas (2-3) threatened again in the sixth inning. Marlow drew a leadoff walk and with one out, Erich Weiss singled through the right side of the infield, but strikeout by Kevin Lusson and groundout by Jacob Felts ended the inning.
The Longhorns got on the scoreboard in the top of the eighth inning. Maitland hit a leadoff single through the right side of the infield and moved to second on a wild pitch. After Stanford starting pitcher Mark Appel was lifted for A.J. Vanegas, Brooks Marlow singled back to the pitcher to put runners at the corners. A passed ball put both runners in scoring position and Mark Payton drew a walk to load the bases. Texas first run came when Weiss grounded into a double play bringing Maitland home. Lusson followed with an RBI double to the gap in left centerfield to cut the lead to 6-2. Felts and Shaw both walked to reload the bases, but the inning ended on a grounder by Bellow.
Stanford scored the game's final run in the home half of the eighth. With two outs, Stewart drew a walk, stole second base and scored on a single up the middle by Gaffney.
Texas mounted a late rally, but it was unable to produce a run. With one out in the ninth. Maitland was hit by a pitch and Marlow walked. A strikeout by Payton and fly out by Weiss ended the game.
Stewart, Gaffney and Ragira each registered three hits for Stanford. Stewart went 3-for-4 with one double, one home run, three runs and one RBI. Gaffney went 3-for-4 with one double, two runs and one RBI. Ragira batted 3-for-5 with two doubles, one run and three RBI.
Mark Appel (2-0) earned the win for Stanford. He scattered three hits and three walks to yield just one run while striking out 10 over 7.0 innings. David Schmidt earned his first save of the season, allowing one walk while striking out one over 1.1 innings.
Nathan Thornhill (1-1) was saddled with the loss for Texas yielding six runs, three earned, on 10 hits and one walk while striking out five over 5.0 innings. Josh Urban yielded one run on one hit and two walks over 2.2 innings.
Texas and Stanford return to action with a 3 p.m. Central contest at Sunken Diamond on Saturday.
