The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
4-2
Minnesota
0-4
No. 8 Baseball blasts past Minnesota, 13-2
02.20.2015 | Baseball
Longhorns get three hits, five RBIs from Michael Cantu; Parker French tosses six innings
AUSTIN, Texas — Parker French surrendered just three hits and one unearned run in six innings and the offense mashed 17 hits, as the No. 8 Texas Longhorns (4-2) took down the Minnesota Golden Gophers 13-2 Friday night at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
French (1-0, 0.82) allowed just one run (unearned) on three hits and two walks, while striking out two to earn his first victory of the year. His command was on point from the start, as he tossed first pitch strikes to the first 10 batters he faced, and he remained in control of the game through the duration of his outing.
The senior right-hander received excellent run support from the offense, which had the leadoff man reach base in all eight innings, and scored 13 runs on 17 hits, eight of which went for extra bases.
Collin Shaw, Bret Boswell and Michael Cantu each had three hits in the contest, including six that went for extra bases. All three of Shaw's hits went for extra bags (two doubles and a triple), and he drove in two runs while scoring one in the game. Cantu went a perfect 3-for-3 with two doubles, five RBIs, two runs scored and two walks, while Boswell drove home two and scored twice in his three-hit performance.
All other starters had at least one hit, and Ben Johnson and Brooks Marlow had two apiece. Marlow scored twice and drove in a run in the game.
Texas jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first thanks to three two-strike hits, including a leadoff triple from Johnson and a two-out, RBI single off the bat of Tres Barrera.
Two more runs came across for the Longhorns in the second. Michael McCann led off the frame with another two-strike hit, and after a walk to Cantu, sac bunt and a wild pitch that scored McCann, Shaw smashed the first pitch he saw deep off of the left-center field wall for an RBI triple.
The Gophers fought back with a run of their own in the top of the fourth inning when Connor Schaefbauer led off with a double to deep left, and came around to make it 4-1 following a groundout and a passed ball. French then allowed a walk, but was able to shut down the rally from there by inducing a double play.
In the top of the fifth, a bases loaded ground-rule double from Boswell added two more runs to the board, and a two-strike single to right from Cantu scored two more, extending the lead to 8-1.
Five more runs crossed the plate in the bottom of the eighth inning, three of which came on a bases-clearing three RBI double from Cantu. Marlow then brought him home with a RBI single and Zane Gurwitz tacked on an RBI double to cap the scoring for the Horns at 13.
Jon Malmin relieved French after the sixth inning and earned his first career save by pitching three frames of one-hit ball. The sophomore southpaw retired the first seven batters he faced and struck out four, while only allowing one unearned run.
Minnesota starter Ben Meyer (0-2) was roughed up for five runs (four earned) on six hits in four plus innings of work as the Golden Gophers fell to 0-4 on the young season.
The two squads return to UFCU Disch-Falk Field tomorrow for doubleheader action beginning at 3 p.m.
Notes
- After scoring 14 runs vs. UTSA on Tuesday, and 13 tonight, the Longhorns' 27 runs are the most in back-to-back games since they had 35 vs. UT Arlington and Oklahoma State on April 20th and 23rd of 2010.
- French got 13 groundball outs on the evening, with seven of those going to shortstop C.J Hinojosa who matched a career-high with seven assists.
- French picked up career win number 18, most among active Big 12 pitchers.
- Collin Shaw had three extra base hits and has a team-high six this season (five doubles, one triple).
- Michael Cantu had five RBIs, marking the first time a freshman has done that since Cohl Walla and Jonathan Walsh both achieved it during the 2010 season.
- Jon Malmin's three innings without allowing an earned run lowered Texas' bullpen ERA to 1.33 on the season (four earned runs in 27 innings).
- Five Longhorns are batting above .300 currently: Michael Cantu (.538), Ben Johnson (.433), Collin Shaw (.385), Tres Barrera (.375) and Bret Boswell (.360).
Quotes
Head Coach Augie Garrido
On being one dimensional when the team is hitting as good as they did tonight: Yeah, why change. They put in a lot of work in their hitting game and I want them to get as much confidence out of it as they possibly can. We can play that way, we'll play that way. Where you're going to have to be multidimensional is against great pitching. I took a team to the College World Series one year and what we could do was hit home runs. We had a high team batting average, and stole bases. We were the best in the country at that. However we faced two Major League pitchers in the first two games. So you can't just get one dimensional. If you do, and you face great pitching, it's going to hurt you. But when they are swinging the bat like that, let's go for it.
On what does he attribute this great hitting to: A lot of hard work, and just putting in the time. Tommy [Nicholson] and Ryan Russ have done a great job of spending time with them...and we devoted the time to it, also. I mean, we didn't spend nearly as much time as we usually do with defense. It was a commitment we made to that part of the development. When you have three weeks to get ready for a season to open, you only pick one part you want to try to develop. We think we have good pitching, and we think we have a good defense.
On the effect of Pitcher Parker French on the team: He has a very settling effect on the rest. When they see him attacking the zone relentlessly...and not striking everybody out. When you go out there and strike out 13 or 14 out of 15 or 16, everybody is going to go "well, I can do that". Everybody can go out there and throw the ball to the catcher. That's what Parker does, he throws the ball to the catcher and trusts the team behind him.
On if he considers Parker French a closer: Not at this point. I think that right now we're looking at Kyle Johnston to being that role. It was just one inning and one situation but it was lights out. He's got electric stuff in that closer's role. That's what you hope for.
On if he thinks that the offense is ahead of the pitching: Not necessarily. We gave up three or four hits tonight. We gave up a lot of hits against Rice, but all of you know that when really outstanding pitching is in progress or in the game, it isn't that they don't give up hits, it's that they don't give up home runs. The don't give up extra base hits. That's what they take away from the opponent. They don't just throw no-hitters, they'll be hits, but not the big hits.
Senior RHP Parker French
On if he thought he could've finished the game out: The game was kind of getting out of hand, so there was no point. Might as well keep the pitch count down, stick with the plan. It's a marathon, not a sprint. You don't win national championships on February.
On if he's getting used to all the hits and runs the offense is providing: It's fun to watch that. I would've told you this was going to happen, facing that line up earlier this spring. It doesn't surprise us that they are doing this, they're just hitting their potential right now.
On the offense playing at such a high level: It might be surprising for you all, I bet. But I mean, they're really good, really good hitters. We've got some power his year, something different that past years. It's a lot of fun when you have a line up putting up two runs in the first and second inning, helping you settling into the baseball game.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: French, Parker (1-0)
L: Meyer, Ben (0-2)
S: Malmin, Jon (1)
Batting:
2B: Schaefbauer, Connor 1 ; Skjefte, Tony 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Schaefbauer, Connor 1 ; Fiedler, Matt 1
Batting:
2B: Shaw, Collin 2 ; Boswell, Bret 1 ; Cantu, Michael 2 ; Gurwitz, Zane 1
3B: Johnson, Ben 1 ; Shaw, Collin 1
RBI: Shaw, Collin 2 ; Marlow, Brooks 1 ; Barrera, Tres 1 ; Boswell, Bret 2 ; Cantu, Michael 5 ; Gurwitz, Zane 1
SH: Gurwitz, Zane 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Johnson, Ben 1 ; Shaw, Collin 1 ; Hinojosa, C.J 2 ; Marlow, Brooks 2 ; Barrera, Tres 1 ; Boswell, Bret 2 ; McCann, Michael 1 ; Baker, Joe 1 ; Cantu, Michael 2
SB: Hinojosa, C.J 1
HBP: Baker, Joe 1
