Baseball falls to UC Irvine, 3-1, in CWS opener

Saturday, June 14

Omaha, Neb.

2 p.m.

University of Texas

43-20

UC Irvine

41-23

UC Irvine

Texas Longhorns

Nathan Thornhill pitched seven scoreless before allowing two runs in the 8th

06.14.2014 | Baseball

Box Score

Longhorns take 1-0 lead to the 8th inning but UCI rallies for 3-1 win

OMAHA, Neb. -- Nathan Thornhill pitched 7 1/3 solid innings and Texas held a 1-0 lead for much of the game, but UC Irvine rallied for three runs in the eighth inning to defeat the Longhorns 3-1 in the opening game of the College World Series Saturday at TD Ameritrade Park.

Texas (43-20) will face the loser of the Louisville-Vanderbilt game Monday at 2 p.m. in an elimination contest.

The Longhorns got seven shutout innings from Thornhill and clung to a 1-0 lead after scoring their only run in the second inning, but the Anteaters (41-23) used five hits in the eighth inning to get a comeback victory. Texas had been 35-3 when leading after seven innings heading into the game.

Texas had a number of chances to widen its lead early in the game, but UC Irvine pitcher Andrew Morales was at his best in tight spots, stranding 10 Longhorns in his six innings of work including seven in scoring position.

In the eighth, UCI's Taylor Sparks – who went 3-for-4 – tied the game up on a RBI triple to deep left center field. That marked the end of the day for Thornhill, who was lifted for closer John Curtiss. The Anteaters took the lead when Chris Rabago delivered a first-pitch RBI single up the middle, scoring Sparks and making it 2-1.

First baseman Connor Spencer followed with a single to left field, setting up first and second with one out. After Curtiss struck out Jerry McClanahan, designated hitter Johnathan Munoz delivered a single through the left side scoring Rabago before Spencer was thrown out trying to take third on the play, making it 3-1 UCI.

Texas was unable to put together a rally after that, going down in order in the eighth and ninth innings.

The loss spoiled a great outing by Thornhill, who worked out of jams early before picking up steam and faced the minimum in the sixth and seventh. Thornhill (8-3) suffered his first loss since April 27 vs. Oklahoma State.

Texas got its only run in the second, when Collin Shaw led off with a double to right field and was advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by designated hitter Madison Carter. First baseman Kacy Clemens then reached base on a fielder's choice, giving the Horns first and third with one out for third baseman Zane Gurwitz. Gurwitz executed a safety squeeze play to perfection, scoring Shaw from third, advancing Clemens to second and allowing himself to reach for an infield hit.

Brooks Marlow followed with a single to center, loading the bases with just one out. However, Morales was able to weather the storm from there, getting a strikeout and groundout to escape further damage.

Both pitchers traded zeros for the next four and a half innings. Thornhill allowed only three base runners on two hits and a walk over those five frames. Morales settled in as well, allowing just three hits and a walk over the next four innings, stranding all of them on base. He was lifted before the seventh inning for left-hander Evan Manarino after throwing 108 pitches.

In the bottom of the seventh, Manarino hit catcher Tres Barrera with a pitch and surrendered a hard single to C.J Hinojosa, bringing up Shaw who already had two hits and a walk on the day. However, Manarino got Shaw to strike out looking and UCI went to the pen for right-hander Evan Brock who induced a 2-3 ground out to end the threat.

For the game, Texas was 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position, leaving 12 runners on base in total and eight in scoring position.

Brock (9-6), who retired all seven batters faced in 2 1/3 scoreless, was credited with the win.