The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
10.20.2014 | Baseball
Barrera goes 4-for-6 with a home run and two doubles; White cranks out 16 hits
AUSTIN, Texas — The White squad was able to avoid being swept in the Fall World Series with an impressive offensive performance, smashing 16 base hits in a 12-6 victory Monday evening at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
Offense was in abundance after pitching dominated the first two games of the series. The two teams combined for 24 hits, eight of them which went for extra bases.
Sophomore catcher Tres Barrera led the way for the White squad, going 4-for-6 with a home run, two doubles, three RBIs and two runs scored. Junior outfielder Ben Johnson had a big night at the plate as well, recording three hits, including a triple and a bases-clearing double in the ninth inning. Johnson scored three runs and stole a base in the game as well.
Sophomore infielder Connor Macalla also had a three-hit day and scored two runs, and freshman infielder/pitcher Jake McKenzie had two hits, two RBI and picked up the save on the mound.
The Orange squad scored five of their six runs in the top of the sixth inning, and were led at the plate by sophomore outfielder Zane Gurwitz, senior designated hitter Brooks Marlow and freshman catcher Michael Cantu who had two hits apiece.
The White squad jumped out to an early 3-0 lead with one run in each the second, third and fourth innings. The frames were highlighted by Macalla, who had two hits in the three innings and scored the first run of the game, Barrera, who doubled and scored in the third, and Johnson who had a base hit, stolen base and the third run scored.
The Orange squad rallied in the top of the sixth in the form of a five-run inning. Three straight one out singles by freshman catcher/infielder Noah Lee, Gurwitz and Marlow cut the score to 3-1 and set up runners on first and second. From there, the Orange team used a combination of two walks, a hit batsman and three wild pitches to score four more runs and take a 5-3 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth inning however, the White team came right back to once again pull ahead. Johnson led off with a triple to right field and senior outfielder Collin Shaw followed quickly with a double to right to cut the lead to 5-4. Barrera then mashed a home run well beyond the fence in left-center to give White a one-run lead. After an infield single by Macalla and a groundout, McKenzie doubled to left field to extend the lead to 7-5.
The Orange team was able to add one run in the top of the seventh inning, narrowing the deficit to 7-6, but they did not score in the eighth and McKenzie worked a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save and give the White squad the victory. Freshman right-hander Tyler Schimpf earned the win on the mound, and freshman right-hander Kyle Johnston took the loss.
Even with the outcome decided, the White team batted in the bottom of the ninth inning, and tacked on five more runs to make the final score 12-6. Johnson hit a three-run double in the frame, and Barrera tacked on an RBI single for his fourth hit of the night. Pinch-hitter James Barton also had an RBI single in the ninth.
In between all of the offense, freshman right-hander Connor Mayes pitched three shutout innings with three strikeouts. Mayes also pitched three shutout frames last Monday, to finish the Fall World Series with six scoreless innings and six strikeouts, while only allowing three hits. Sophomore right-hander Kacy Clemens also had another strong outing, tossing two scoreless frames. Clemens finished the series with five strikeouts in five shutout innings, and only allowed three hits.
With the win, the White team avoided being swept in the Fall World Series, but the Orange team still took a 2-1 series victory. Tonight's game concluded fall practice for the baseball team, with the Longhorns now moving into small group and individual work. The spring season kicks off with the alumni game on January 31, 2015.
