The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Kansas State
No 4. Baseball scores eight runs in the eighth to beat Kansas State, 13-6
04.09.2021 | Baseball
AUSTIN, Texas – No. 4 Texas Baseball scored eight runs in the eighth inning for a come-from-behind victory over Kansas State, 13-6, at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday night.
Mike Antico went 4-for-5 with two doubles, a triple, five RBI and two stolen bases to lead the comeback effort. Ivan Melendez homered in his fourth-straight game, while Silas Ardoin, Murphy Stehly and Douglas Hodo III each had two-hit nights.
Trailing 6-5 entering the eighth inning, Texas (23-8, 8-2) sent 12 batters to the plate, scoring eight unanswered runs to claim the victory.
Hodo led off the inning with a double to right and was driven home two pitches later with a sharp single through the middle by Antico to tie the game. Eric Kennedy followed with a single to short, advancing Antico to third. Lance Ford walked to load the bases and Zach Zubia drew a seven-pitch walk to bring in the go-ahead run. Ardoin followed with a single to left to bring home two more runs and move Zubia to third. A Stehly sacrifice fly allowed Zubia to come home. Melendez and Hodo drew back-to-back walks to reload the bases, then Antico cleared them with a double down the line in right to seal the win.
Kansas State (17-12, 2-5) got the scoring started in the first, taking an early 1-0 lead courtesy of three-straight two-out singles to push across the first run.
Texas quickly responded in their half of the first, scoring on a pair of base hits. Mitchell Daly reached on an infield single that deflected off the pitcher and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Zubia promptly drilled a ball through the middle to bring home Daly to even the score, 1-1.
The Longhorns tacked on another run in the second to grab hold of the lead. Cam Williams opened the inning with a drive to right-center for his team-leading ninth double of the season and moved to third on a deep flyout to right by Hodo. Antico brought Williams home with an RBI triple to center field, but Antico was thrown out at home to end the second inning. After the final out of the frame, an incident occurred that resulted in the ejection of three players from each team. Longhorn infielders Mitchell Daly, Trey Faltine and Cam Williams were all ejected, while Kamron Willman, Dylan Caplinger and Kasey Ford were tossed from the K-State side.
A two-out rally brought another run across for the Longhorns in the fourth to make it 3-1. Stehly got things started with a double down the left-field line and Melendez drew a walk. Hodo followed with a single to left to score Stehly from second.
Texas picked up a fourth run in the fifth inning to extend the lead to 4-1. Dylan Campbell led off the frame with a sharp single past a diving shortstop and quickly stole second. Campbell advanced to third on a fielder's choice and scored one batter when the shortstop misplayed a Zubia ground ball.
K-State picked up a run in the sixth with a solo home run to right-center, cutting the Texas advantage to 4-2.
Melendez got the run back in the bottom of the sixth, crushing a solo shot to deep left-center for his fifth home run of the season.
The Wildcats utilized a base hit and three walks to plate a pair of runs in the seventh to slash the Longhorn lead to 5-4, then took the lead in the eighth, scoring two runs on a two-out triple to deep right field that landed just out of Hodo's reach.
Starter Ty Madden pitched a solid six innings, striking out two and allowing a pair of runs on five hits. Aaron Nixon (2-2) threw 1 1/3 shutout innings, earning the win after entering with two outs in the eighth to shut the door on K-State.
Texas and K-State will resume the series Saturday with first pitch at UFCU Disch-Falk Field slated for 2:30 p.m.
