The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
15-20, 6-5
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Kansas
14-19, 3-7
Offense carries Baseball to 8-6 win over Kansas in game two
04.16.2016 | Baseball
The Longhorns put up seven runs in the first four frames en route to tying up the series at 1-1.
AUSTIN, Texas—Texas Baseball's offense erupted for eight runs off Kansas pitching in game two of Friday night's doubleheader as the Longhorns (15-20, 6-5 Big 12) defeated the Jayhawks (14-19, 3-7 Big 12) by an 8-6 final.
The Longhorns offense came to life from the get-go. Travis Jones opened the home half of the first with a long double over the Kansas center fielder to give Texas a runner in scoring position. Tres Barrera followed with a double of his own to put the Longhorns out in front 1-0.
After Kacy Clemens walked to put two on, Zane Gurwitz took an 0-2 pitch over the left field wall for his second homer of the season and second in his last four games. The three-run jack gave the Longhorns a 4-0 lead after one.
In the following frame, after Joe Baker reached on a dropped fly ball, Kacy Clemens singled through the left side to make it 5-0 in favor of the Longhorns.
The run-scoring continued for Texas in the third thanks to three straight singles off the bats of Patrick Mathis, Tyler Rand and Jones.
The exclamation point came in the fifth, however, when Tres Barrera demolished a 3-1 offering over the left field fence for his fourth long ball of the year.
On the mound, Kyle Johnston (2-1) held the Jayhawks hitless through the first three innings before allowing a double in the fourth. The sophomore kept KU to one hit through five, but three straight hits in the sixth chased the right-hander who left leading 7-2.
Travis Duke entered in relief of Johnston with two outs and got a strikeout to end the inning. The appearance was the 106th of Duke's career, passing Huston Street and tying J. Brent Cox and Randy Boone for second all-time at Texas. The senior trails only Austin Wood (118) on the all-time list.
The Longhorns added to their lead in the eighth inning. Jones opened the frame with a walk and, after Baker sacrificed him to second, scored on a single by Barrera. Both Jones and Barrera finished game two with 3-for-4 efforts.
In the ninth, with the Longhorns ahead 8-2, Kansas rallied. The Jayhawks picked up four runs off a combination of Nick Kennedy and Chase Shugart before Shugart induced a 5-4-3 double play to end it and give the Longhorns the victory.
The Longhorns and Jayhawks return to action tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. for the series rubber match.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Johnston, Kyle (2-1)
L: Weiman, B. (1-4)
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Batting:
2B: Moroney, J. 1 ; Pidhaichuk 1 ; Tinsley, M. 1 ; Foyle, D. 1
RBI: Pidhaichuk 2 ; McLaughlin 1 ; Tinsley, M. 1 ; Foyle, D. 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Moroney, J. 1 ; Pidhaichuk 1 ; Tinsley, M. 1 ; Wright, C. 1 ; Mirabelli 1 ; Kyriacou, D. 1
CS: Wright, C. 1
HBP: Wright, C. 1
Batting:
2B: Jones, Travis 1 ; Barrera, Tres 1 ; Clemens, Kody 1
HR: Barrera, Tres 1 ; Gurwitz, Zane 1
RBI: Jones, Travis 1 ; Barrera, Tres 3 ; Clemens, Kacy 1 ; Gurwitz, Zane 3
SH: Baker, Joe 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jones, Travis 2 ; Baker, Joe 1 ; Barrera, Tres 2 ; Clemens, Kacy 1 ; Gurwitz, Zane 1 ; Mathis, Patrick 1
