No. 14 Baseball completes doubleheader sweep with 3-1 win over K-State

Saturday, March 21

Austin, Texas

7:50 p.m.

University of Texas

15-8, 4-1

K-State

11-11, 0-2

Kansas State

Texas

No. 14 Baseball completes doubleheader sweep with 3-1 win over K-State

03.21.2015 | Baseball

Box Score

Chad Hollingsworth and Kirby Bellow combine to allow just one run in the win

AUSTIN, Texas — Chad Hollingsworth surrendered just one run in 7 1/3 innings and Kirby Bellow retired all five batters he faced to lift No. 14 Texas to a 3-1 win over Kansas State and complete a doubleheader sweep Saturday night at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.

The Longhorns improved to 15-8 overall and 4-1 in the Big 12 with the win and will go for a series sweep Sunday at 1 p.m.

Hollingsworth (3-1, 2.97 ERA) was solid all evening, allowing six hits and a walk while striking out four in his 7 1/3 frames. The junior right-hander worked his way out of multiple jams by inducing double plays to end the third, fourth and seventh inning, and he also escaped a second and third one-out jam in the sixth by ushering a pop out and a fly out.

After recording an out to start the eighth, Hollingsworth gave way to Bellow, who retired all five batters he faced to earn the save. Bellow (2-1, 2.00 ERA, 2 SV), who received the win in game one by tossing two scoreless frames of relief, faced 11 batters on the day and did not allow a hit or a walk (one batter reached on an error).

Hollingsworth and Bellow benefitted from flawless defense behind them as shortstop C.J Hinojosa and second baseman Brooks Marlow led the way with six assists apiece. The Longhorns got 16 of 27 outs by way of groundball.

Ben Johnson (.400 avg.) ripped a double and a triple in the game, scoring once and driving in a run. Brooks Marlow recorded two hits for the second consecutive outing, Zane Gurwitz had an RBI single and a run scored and Hinojosa drove in a run on an RBI double.

After a quick 1-2-3 first top of the first from Hollingsworth, Johnson promptly led the Texas first off with a double to left-center, and was brought home when Hinojosa doubled to the same gap. Tres Barrera then smashed a line drive, but it was right at the third baseman and resulted in an inning-ending double play.

In the third, a one out error allowed Gurwitz to reach base and bring Johnson to the plate, who then smashed a one-hopper to the deepest part of the park in left-center for an RBI triple to make it 2-0.

Kansas State mounted a rally in the top of the fourth, and after an RBI double from Shane Conlon and a single up the middle by Steve Serratore put runners on the corners, the Wildcats were in great position to take tie the game up. Hollingsworth recovered nicely however, forcing a double play to stop the threat and keep the score 2-1.

Texas extended the lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the fifth when Gurwitz drove in Bret Boswell from second with an 0-2 count. Boswell was hit by a pitch to start the frame and was advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt.

After a single, walk and a sacrifice bunt to begin the sixth, Kansas State had runners on second and third with just one away. Yet Hollingsworth danced out of trouble again, as he got a pop up to third for the second out, and escaped damage when Johnson made a nice running catch deep in left field.

In the top of the seventh, Hollingsworth forced his third inning-ending double play before coming out for the first batter of the eighth. Bellow then seamlessly retired five consecutive Wildcats to lock up the game for the Horns.

QUOTES

Head Coach Augie Garrido

On battling through the game: Yes I thought we hit the ball really hard though I don't think the runs indicated how well we performed offensively. The thing that was much better than ever was when they did hit the ball hard they didn't put their heads down, and that was not something we talked about necessarily, that was just something they did. They just accepted it as part of the game and part of their responsibilities. They didn't feel sorry for themselves if they didn't get a hit, they just kept playing and I thought that was really outstanding. The pitching was good, they challenged the hitters. And I think we stayed focused. I thought we hit the ball hard when the momentum was on the line and that's always a good sign.

On the past two weekends' pitching and on how essential it is to find a third starting pitcher: It's really important mathematically when you win the third game instead of two. The math is really where you gain if you win all three so it is important to have the third start. It's also critical for your regional championship play. You almost have to have a fourth and sometimes a fifth starter if you lose early in the double elimination play off. Connor Mayes looks like a guy like that, [Josh] Sawyer that we took out of the lineup has that in him to be a very fine pitcher, it's just a matter of experience for him and we can get that to him on Tuesday and have him start in that situation. I think we've got the arms. It looks like as we move through this that we are going to be a much more experienced team the last third of the season than we were in the first two-thirds of the season because we're continuing to grow. You can see it, you can see the difference between the way they are handling their errors and they're at bats.

Junior RHP Chad Hollingsworth

On Ty Culbreth and Kirby Bellow tonight: Even when they struggle a little bit they are going to come back. Ty and Kirby are going to be themselves. You know if they get knocked down they are always going to come back in and there's nobody I'd rather hand the ball to then Ty and Kirby when they are coming out there. I'm always so glad when they are coming out of the bullpen.

Junior SS C.J Hinojosa

On the offense and defense tonight: We talk about hitting all of the time and all you can control is hitting the ball. Whatever happens after that you can't really control. But with defense you have control of that and we realized that the turf was a little wet and the ball was a little slick so we had to buckle down and made sure we had the ball in our glove before we threw it and when we did have the ball in our glove made sure to have a good grip on it and make a good throw.

Sophomore RHP/1B Kacy Clemens

On playing different positions being the best of both worlds: Yes, it's kind of like being a kid getting to play all of the positions but this is what I came here for. I talked to Skip about this in high school and not many people have been able to do it but luckily the timing was right here. It will be fun to see how switching back in forth with the intensity levels between being a hitter and the failures that come along with that to pitching as well. It will be fun, I'm excited.

NOTES

- Kirby Bellow (2-1, 2.00 ERA, 2 SV) earned a win in game one of today's doubleheader and a save in game two. Bellow faced 11 batters on the day (3 2/3 IP), retiring all but one who reached on an error and was later caught stealing.

- Chad Hollingsworth (7 1/3, 1 ER today) is 2-0 in his last two starts, working 14 1/3 innings and allowing just two runs on 11 hits and two walks while striking out five.

- Brooks Marlow recorded four hits in today's doubleheader, raising his season average to .292. He leads the team with a .381 mark in Big 12 games only.

- Texas turned four inning-ending double plays in today's games, including three in game two with Hollingsworth pitching. For the year, both Hollingsworth and game one starter Parker French have induced seven double plays each, meaning 14 of the team's 27 double plays (.519) have been turned with either of the two on the hill.

- Kacy Clemens started his first game of 2015 at first base in game one of the doubleheader today, and recorded a base hit that led to the game-winning run coming across to score. Clemens started the second game at first as well, and is scheduled to start tomorrow on the mound.