Baseball powers past Texas State 7-3

Tuesday, April 21

Austin, Texas

6 p.m.

University of Texas

22-19

Texas State

18-21-1

Texas State

Texas

04.21.2015 | Baseball

Box Score

Zane Gurwitz and Bret Boswell each homered and five pitchers combined to allow just two hits after the first inning

AUSTIN, Texas -- The Baseball team overcame a 2-0, first inning deficit thanks to a powerful offensive showing and excellent pitching over the final eight frames to capture a 7-3 victory over the Texas State Bobcats Tuesday night at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.

Tres Barrera delivered a two-out, game-tying triple in the bottom of the first, while Zane Gurwitz and Bret Boswell each crushed two-run homers to propel the offense and lead the Longhorns (22-19) past the Bobcats (18-21-1).

After a shaky start where he allowed two runs on three hits and a walk in the first inning, starting pitcher Josh Sawyer (3-2) rebounded to allow just a walk over his final four frames, turning in one of his strongest outings of the season to earn the victory.

Sawyer's final line for the night read five innings, three hits (all in the first), two runs (both earned), two walks and four strikeouts, while retiring 13 of the last 14 batters he faced, including 11 Bobcats in a row at one point.

Texas used four relievers to finish off Texas State, including Jon Malmin (1 IP) Connor Mayes (1 2/3 IP) and Kirby Bellow (1 IP), who combined on the final 3 2/3 while facing the minimum to close out the Longhorn victory.

At the plate, Gurwitz led the way, going 2-for-3 with the two-run homer, a walk and an additional run scored on the night. Barrera also contributed two hits to raise his batting average to .303.

Boswell drew a bases loaded walk in the first inning in addition to hitting his first collegiate home run in the eighth, giving him a career-high three RBIs on the night.

Montana Parsons (0-4) took the loss for Texas State, as he was unable to pitch out of the first inning. Tanner Hill blasted his fifth home run of the season for the Bobcats.

Texas State jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first, courtesy of a one out RBI double to left field from Granger Studdard, and a two-out single up the middle by Ben McElroy to score Studdard.

In the bottom half, Texas bounced back with three runs to take a 3-2 lead. After loading the bases without a hit (hit-by-pitch, error, missed fielder's choice), Parsons induced a double-play groundout that allowed a run to score, but gave him the opportunity to escape the jam with the lead in tact.

However, Barrera drove a ball deep to center, just out of the outfielder's reach for an RBI triple, and three consecutive walks gave the Horns the 3-2 advantage after one inning.

In the bottom of the third, Texas pounced for two more runs courtesy of a two-run home run off the foul pole down the left field line from Gurwitz to make the score 5-2.

Hill brought Texas State within 5-3 when he blasted a solo shot in the sixth, and a double by David Paiz gave the Bobcats a threat at pulling even closer. But Malmin, after walking the first batter he faced, induced a 6-4-3 double play that took a nifty back-handed flip from C.J Hinojosa to escape the jam.

The Horns grabbed their final two runs of the evening via Boswell's first career home run in the bottom of the eighth inning, a two-run shot that landed in the bullpen in right field to put the Horns up 7-3.

In the ninth, Bellow took over for Mayes and worked a 1-2-3 inning to seal the win.

Texas next faces off with TCU in Fort Worth this coming weekend (April 24-26) in a three-game Big 12 series, beginning Friday night at 6:30 p.m.

QUOTES

Head coach Augie Garrido

Opening Statement: One of the things as a coaching staff that we saw in the game offensively, we took a high level of quality at bats through the first five innings. In all five innings, we did a good job of managing the strike zone and not swinging at pitches outside of the strike zone and becoming impatient. Being aggressive like that comes from confidence. When you're not confident, you just don't think spontaneously. All of us as coaches saw a good carry over from the Sunday game into this game. The pitching, [Josh] Sawyer gave us five innings and settled down after the first. We played another game without errors and there were some challenges. We continue to play good defense on the field.

On the win being a carryover from Sunday's win: Absolutely and it was from the bitter disappointment from the Saturday loss where they hit the walk-off home run. It's happened to us a significant number of times and it finally hit rock bottom with all of them. The players have taken over the team in terms of inspiration and motivation and responsibility, and accountability and providing the leadership that it takes to play at the next level.

On Josh Sawyer: The runs helped big time. That's why we bunt early. The whole idea of us trying to score runs in the first inning and bunting are about the pitcher and trying to get him four runs as fast as we can so that they can relax. The curveball gets better, their location gets better in the strike zone and have a little more movement on the fastball. It's all about relaxation and finding their rhythm and timing and not being afraid to give up a run or hit.

On his emotions when seeing Texas State Head Coach Ty Harrington: Emotional. I know what he's going through. I was with my mother when she went through it. She didn't make it, but he did. We thank God for that. It's very emotional. It's because I love him. I love what he's had to go through and how he's conquered it. I admire him. I respect him. I love him for winning the battle.

Sophomore LHP Josh Sawyer

On pitching strong after giving up two in the first inning: I came into the dugout and [Associate Head Coach] Skip [Johnson] and I talked about a little mechanical change. Once I changed that, everything went well and smooth from there.

On gaining confidence when offense scores runs: No doubt. When you see those guys go out there in the first inning and throw up a three-spot, you can go out there and pitch with a lead. When you go out there and they are playing defense behind me left and right and hitting the ball all over the place, it's a really good team win.

On getting a win after a tough stretch: It felt good to go out there and finally get in a rhythm for once in a while. It felt good to show my stuff.

On if this is a turning point for the Longhorns: It's definitely a turning point. We got the win against Kansas [Sunday] and came out here and scored a lot of runs. If the offense keeps rolling, we are going to go win a couple more.

Sophomore CF Zane Gurwitz

On breaking out of a slump: Mainly what happened with me in the beginning of the season, I tried to be something I wasn't. I tried just do as much as I could at one time when I was up to bat. The game was speeding up on me. I just took a step back, slowed down, and got back to what got me here. It's working. Just keeping the game simple. If you make the game too hard on yourself, it's going to eat you up.

On what he changed in his approach: I tried everything. I tried an open stance, new walk up, and then nothing was working so I figured why not take it back to what got me here.

On answering in the first being down 2-0: Big thing is when we were going through our rut, we weren't hitting the ball. We weren't squaring it up and getting the hits because we were being complacent and being passive at the plate. Instead we started back in Kansas - we were thinking that we were taught to go up there and attack the pitcher; 0-0, 1-0, get into hitter's counts and attack. Don't let those good pitches go by.

On hitting rock bottom after the loss Saturday against Kansas: I think no doubt it was a turning point. We have gone through a lot this season. As baseball players and competitors, when you get the win Friday in extra innings and then to get a walk-off against you, it changed all of us. We were doing everything right that game and one hit just got us the loss. Being competitors, you can only take so much until you have to fight back and get back to just being aggressive and playing baseball.

NOTES

- After nine more errorless innings this evening, the Texas defense is up to 44 consecutive innings without making an error.

- Gurwitz was 2-for-3 with a home run tonight, giving him back-to-back multi-hit games.

- After 16 runs scored on Sunday and seven tonight, Texas has combined for 23 runs in its last two games, the second most in a two-game stretch this season (27 combined on Feb. 17 & 20).

- Sawyer allowed two runs on three hits and a walk in the first inning tonight, but was outstanding after, surrendering just one walk over his final four frames. The sophomore lefty retired 11 Bobcats in a row at one point and 13 of the last 14 he faced.

- Texas now has two hitters hitting over .300 on the season (Tres Barrera .303 and Ben Johnson .341) after Barrera went 2-for-4 in tonight's game.

- With two home runs tonight (Gurwitz and Bret Boswell) UT now has seven multi-home run games this season after having just two in 2014.