The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Homers lift Orange past White, 4-3, in game one
10.29.2017 | Baseball
Junior Masen Hibbeler and freshman Sam Bertelson went deep to give Orange a win in game one.
AUSTIN, Texas—A pair of two-run homers off the bats of newcomers Masen Hibbeler and Sam Bertelson lifted Orange to a 4-3 win over White in game one of the Orange & White Fall World Series on Sunday at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
After White starter Chase Shugart plunked redshirt-junior Tate Shaw to open the ballgame, junior college transfer Masen Hibbeler lifted one over the left-center field wall to put Orange, coached by assistant Sean Allen, on top 2-0.
Shortstop David Hamilton led off the bottom of the frame with a sun-aided double off starter Nolan Kingham before a Kody Clemens fly advanced him to third. Sophomore Austin Todd then hit a shallow fly to the shortstop and Hamilton raced home to cut the deficit to 2-1.
Kingham (1-0) was solid for the Orange squad. He retired seven in a row from the second inning through the fourth, but in the fifth, the White team, coached by assistant Philip Miller, got things going. Newcomer Duke Ellis drew a walk to open the frame and moved from first to third on an errant pickoff. Zach Zubia then added a sacrifice fly to right to score Ellis, who maneuvered around the tag, to tie the ballgame at 2-2.
Freshman Turner Gauntt then followed with a single up the middle before Trace Bucey doubled to put runners in scoring position. Hamilton walked to load the bases and Kody Clemens added his second sac fly of the ballgame to put White on top, 3-2.
The lead was short-lived however. With Shugart exiting after five complete, Parker Joe Robinson (0-1) hit Michael McCann with his first offering before Bertelson went deep to make it 4-3 in favor of Orange.
The White squad had its scoring opportunities, but the Orange bullpen wriggled out of them.
With one out in the bottom of the ninth, transfer Bryce Verplank walked a pair to put the go-ahead run on first.
Freshman Kamron Fields (1) was called upon from his center field duties to get the final two outs for Orange and, with a strikeout and a groundball, he picked up the save.
The Orange and White teams will face off again tomorrow night at 6 p.m. at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. Redshirt-junior Josh Sawyer is scheduled to pitch for the Orange side while sophomore Blair Henley is scheduled to go for White. The series concludes on Wednesday at 6 p.m. Admission and parking are free and the remaining two games will broadcast on LHN.
