Baseball erases seven-run deficit for 9-7 win over UTRGV

Wednesday, March 22

Austin, Texas

6:30 p.m.

University of Texas

14-10

UT Rio Grande Valley

16-8

UT-Rio Grande Valley

Texas

Baseball erases seven-run deficit for 9-7 win over UTRGV

03.22.2017 | Baseball

Box Score

After allowing seven first inning runs, the Texas bullpen combined for 8.2 scoreless.

Box Score | Quotes

AUSTIN, Texas—Texas Baseball rallied from a 7-0 first inning deficit to take down visiting UTRGV by an 8-7 final on Wednesday night at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. Backed by an impressive relief performance from senior Jon Malmin, the Longhorns offense mounted a steady comeback throughout the ballgame.

In the opening frame, UTRGV got out to a huge lead off Texas right-hander Connor Mayes. The leadoff batter, Jose Garcia, took the second pitch he saw over the left field wall to put RGV on top 1-0. Mayes then proceeded to allow, in order, a walk, an RBI double, a walk and a fielder's choice sac bunt to put load the bases with no outs. After a strikeout gave the Longhorns one away in the frame, Mayes issued a pair of RBI walks and the Horns fell behind 4-0.

Jon Malmin then entered with the bases loaded and, after allowing a pair of run-scoring singles, escaped the inning with the Longhorns trailing, 7-0.

That would be all the scoring for the Vaqueros, however, as Malmin was a stalwart on the mound for Texas. The senior lefthander finished with 6.2 scoreless innings in relief to earn his first win of the season. The 6.2 innings, 98 pitches and seven strikeouts were all career-highs for Malmin.

On the offensive side of the ball, Texas began its comeback in the home half of the first. With two outs, Kacy Clemens roped a double to left-center to give the Longhorns some life. Second baseman Bret Boswell then followed with a deep home run to right to make it 7-2 on his third blast of the season.

The following inning, after a 1-2-3 top half from Malmin, the Longhorns went back to work. Austin Todd doubled to open the inning and came around to score on Ryan Reynolds' third homer of the season to make it 7-4. Two batters later, Travis Jones doubled to give the Longhorns another runner in scoring position. Left fielder Tate Shaw came through once again, singling through the right side to plate Jones and make it a two-run ballgame. Shaw then advanced on a wild pitch and, after a groundout moved him to third, scored on a Boswell single.

The two sides swapped zeroes for the next two frames before Todd lifted a sac fly to score Michael McCann and tie the ballgame. An errant play in left field the following play then gave the Longhorns their first lead of the ballgame.

In the seventh, Texas added an insurance run when a Kody Clemens single scored McCann to tie the ballgame in the fifth.

Boswell finished 2-for-4 on the day with three RBI while Jones, McCann, Kody Clemens and Todd each finished the day with two hits apiece.

Behind Malmin, sophomore right-hander Beau O'Hara entered in the eighth but walked the first batter he faced before exiting with a 2-1 count on the next UTRGV hitter. Beau Ridgeway entered mid-count and got a strikeout, a lineout, and another strikeout to maintain the Longhorns lead.

Ridgeway (3) continued on for the ninth inning and picked up the save. He allowed just one hit while striking out a career-high four hitters.

The Longhorns return to UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday for the first of three Big 12 Conference games against K-State.