The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Texas A&M
Baseball battles to 4-3 win over No. 17 Texas A&M
03.14.2017 | Baseball
Kacy Clemens and Nick Kennedy led the way for the Longhorns on Tuesday night.
AUSTIN, Texas—In one of college baseball's most storied rivalries, Texas Baseball (13-6) took down visiting No. 17 Texas A&M (14-4) by a 4-3 final on Tuesday night in front of a crowd of nearly 7,000 at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
The sides swapped zeroes over three innings before the Aggies broke through on the scoreboard in the fourth. With two on and two out, starter Nick Kennedy (3-0) was called for a balk, putting Texas A&M up 1-0.
In the home half of the inning, the Longhorns responded with authority.
David Hamilton opened the inning with a walk. After a balk advanced Hamilton to second, Kacy Clemens continued on his offensive tear, driving home the freshman with a single to center field to tie the ballgame, 1-1.
Freshman Austin Todd followed with a perfectly placed drag bunt single that the third baseman threw away, allowing Clemens to score and advancing Todd to second. After a Bret Boswell sacrifice advanced Todd to third, Michael McCann singled through the left side to plate Todd and give the Longhorns a 3-1 lead.
The Longhorns then tacked on an important fourth run in the fifth inning thanks to Travis Jones and Texas A&M defensive snafus. After Jones singled and stole second, he advanced to third on a throwing error by the pitcher on a failed pickoff attempt. After Clemens walked to put runners on the corners, another failed pickoff attempt—this time of Clemens—allowed Jones to score and put Texas up 4-1.
The Aggies rallied, however, putting up a pair of runs in the eighth. The first four batters Kyle Johnston faced in the inning all reached, three via the walk to make it 4-2. Beau Ridgeway then entered and escaped the bases-loaded, no-out jam thanks to a pair of grounders and a popup and the Longhorns led 4-3 after eight.
In the ninth, Ridgeway walked the leadoff batter and got one out on a sacrifice bunt before head coach David Pierce went to the bullpen. Sophomore Chase Shugart (2) entered and got the final two outs to seal the win for the Longhorns.
Texas returns to UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday night for the Big 12 Conference opener vs. No. 6 Texas Tech in the first of three weekend contests.
