No. 10/16 Baseball tops UT-Pan American, 5-4

Tuesday, April 22

Austin, Texas

6 p.m.

University of Texas

31-11

UT-Pan American

17-25

UTPA

Texas Longhorns

Chad Hollingsworth pitched two innings of scoreless relief

04.22.2014 | Baseball

Box Score

Payton’s go-ahead RBI single in the eighth lifts Texas to win

AUSTIN, Texas -- Mark Payton hit a go-ahead RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the No. 10/16 Texas baseball team to a 5-4 win over UTPA Tuesday night at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.

Payton's single to left-center field on a 1-2 count scored Brooks Marlow, who had led off the inning with a single to right field – also on a 1-2 count – and broke a 4-4 tie to give Texas (31-11) its 40th straight win over UTPA (17-25).

Texas fell behind early and trailed until going ahead in the eighth on Payton's single, but received solid work from the bullpen on a night six Longhorn pitchers saw action. The Longhorns improved to 9-2 in one-run games this season.

Reliever Chad Hollingsworth helped turn the tide, entering with Texas down 4-3 in the top of the sixth, and wiping out an inherited base runner with a double play ball. Ben Johnson hit a solo home run in the bottom half of the inning to tie it up, 4-4, and the game stayed that way until the eighth.

Hollingsworth tossed two innings of scoreless relief, allowing just one hit while striking out two. Ty Culbreth added 2/3 of an inning of scoreless relief, while Morgan Cooper and John Curtiss each logged an inning. Cooper (4-1) was credited with the win, while Curtiss picked up the save, his sixth.

Marlow, Johnson and Zane Gurwitz each finished with two hits to lead Texas offensively. Johnson also drew a bases-loaded walk to plate Texas' first run in the second inning, while Gurwitz had a RBI single in the fifth.

UTPA reliever Andrew Padron (1-3) was saddled with the loss after allowing one run on three hits in 1 2/3 innings. Broncs third baseman Alberto Morales led the team offensively with a 3-for-5 day.

UTPA got on the board in the first inning against Texas starter Lukas Schiraldi, though Schiraldi limited the damage after loading the bases on a single and two walks. The Broncs got just one run on a RBI fielder's choice, as Schiraldi used a popped up bunt and strikeout to escape.

After the Broncs made it 2-0 on a sacrifice fly RBI from Shane Ammon in the second, Texas got on the board in the bottom of the inning. The Longhorns loaded the bases on two walks and a bunt single from Gurwitz, then cut the lead to 2-1 on a RBI walk to Johnson.

UTPA added single runs in the fourth and fifth before Texas put up a two-spot in the fifth, with Gurwitz's RBI single bringing in the first run and C.J Hinojosa scoring on a wild pitch for the second.

Texas returns to conference play this weekend when it plays host to No. 21/14 Oklahoma State. The Longhorns open the series with the Cowboys Friday at 7 p.m.