The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
West Virginia
No. 2 Baseball cruises to 14-3 win over West Virginia
05.21.2021 | Baseball
AUSTIN, Texas – No. 2 Texas Baseball put together back-to-back five-run innings and cruised to a 14-3 win over West Virginia to even the series on Friday at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. The Longhorns (39-13, 16-7) will play for the series win and a share of the Big 12 Conference title on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
Tristan Stevens was great on the mound, pitching eight innings and allowing just three runs on eight hits. He struck out four batters and used a pair of groundball double plays to neutralize the West Virginia offense.
Stevens wiggled out of a jam in the top of the first inning, managing to strand the bases loaded without any runs coming across. Following that inning, Stevens cruised through the next seven.
Trey Faltine had a spectacular game both in the field and at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two home runs and four RBI. Cam Williams was great as well, going 3-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored. Ivan Melendez finished 2-for-4 with a double, a homer and three RBI.
A half inning after making a dazzling defensive play, Faltine launched the Longhorns into the lead with a two-run homer in the bottom of the second. Williams, who had doubled earlier in the inning, scored on Faltine's homer.
The Longhorns batted around in the third inning and exploded for five runs on five hits and a pair of Mountaineer errors to take a 7-0 lead. Eric Kennedy got it all started with a bunt single and advanced to third when the pitcher threw it away. The first run came across on an RBI double by Mike Antico.
Mitch Daly followed with a bunt single to put runners on the corners and Melendez smashed a two-run double to left-center. Willaims drove in Melendez with an RBI single and the final run of the inning came home on a sacrifice fly by Douglas Hodo III.
Texas tacked on another five spot in the fourth inning to extend the lead to 12-0. Antico singled and stole second before Daly drove him in with an RBI single to right field for the first run. Zach Zubia singled to put two runners on before a wild pitch allowed Daly to score. Williams drove in Zubia with an RBI single before another Hodo sac fly plated another run. Faltine capped the inning with an RBI groundout for the fifth run.
West Virginia got on the board in the seventh with a three-run homer to trim the lead to 12-3.
Melendez and Faltine each smashed solo homers in the bottom of the eighth to extend the lead to 14-3.
Jared Southard finished off the game with a perfect inning out of the bullpen, striking out two batters.
