Stanford, Calif. — Over the course of this season, the ninth inning has not been a place where the Texans offensively excelled.
Heading into Saturday’s NCAA Super Regional, the Longhorns were 0-16 at the start of the ninth inning. In fact, Texas only scored 11 runs in the ninth inning all season.
The kids who returned weren’t the Longhorns.
However, they say that there is a first time for everything. And on Saturday, the Longhorns picked the perfect time to test that theory.
Texas scored five runs in the top of ninth place, upsetting Stanford in the region’s best-of-three opener game at the Sunken Diamond. With a 7-5 win, Texas was one win closer to their 39th College World Series appearance. Stanford now needs to win two games in a row to get to Omaha.
“I thought it was a great game,” said Utah coach David Pierce. “Stanford are a very good team and I’m proud of our boys. We kept fighting and gave ourselves a chance.”
Texans (42-20) and Stanford (42-18) battled to a 2-2 draw after five innings before the Cardinals used a two-run home run to pull away from the Longhorns. And after being stranded with two runners on base in the seventh and eighth innings, UT went into the final frame in search of a miracle.
But Stanford conference reliever Ryan Bruno allowed the first three batsmen of the inning to reach base. After a pitch change, Mitchell Daly hit a flyball that was dropped by Saborn Campbell in right field. The mistake allowed two runs to be scored, then Jared Thomas equalized the game with a groundout.
Texas again loaded the bases with two more walks and set Porter-Brown up for some late-game heroics. TCU’s move put the Longhorns in the first lead of the day with a one-for-one win from Stanford’s Matt Scott.
The Browns’ game-winning shot came in just one run to make it 3-1 after Bruno hit him late in the eighth inning. That hit stranded two runners and left UT three runs behind.
“The coach always says it only takes one,” Brown said. “I had a hit early in the game… and then I had a couple of hits that didn’t go my way. In the last game I thought all the pressure was on the pitcher. I’ve taken a lot of good things.” Pitches, I got a good count and then I got on my fastball and put in a good swing.
Brown’s single was actually the only hit in the ninth inning for Texas, sending 10 batters to the plate. To open the inning, Eric Kennedy drew a walk. Then Bruno Jalen Flores was hit by a pitcher and loaded the bases running Jack O’Dowd. Kennedy, Flores and O’Dowd all came to the base for full shows.
“We knew Bruno was like a pitcher, but we knew he was a savage at times,” Kennedy said. We knew we had to discipline him and get him in the area. Luckily we were able to manage some difficult pitches there and he gave us some free passes.
We also talked about putting pressure on their defense. We sometimes felt we could shame them. Discipline and pressure on them really helped us in ninth place.”
Stanford coach David Esker said afterwards that if Utah’s plan was to go up against Bruno, “they got him on the right day.” Bruno saved nine games but also had a 4.68 ERA and 31 walks over 32 innings.
“Ryan’s done a great job for us all year so we’re ready to take a step back with our buddies,” said Esker, whose team went into the ninth inning 35-1. “They played a good game, stayed through to the end and scored the big goal on the count.”
After a rush in Texas, Zane Morehouse came in and hit his seventh touchdown. The team struck in the ninth round, with each Stanford batsman putting down a bat.
The final goal came from retired rookie Malcolm Moore, who had been plaguing the Texans with throwing the ball all game. Moore hit an RBI double and a two-run homer and pulled a bases-loaded walk during an unusually brutal first inning for Texas’ Lucas Gordon.
Gordon hit just 11 of his 26 shots and had three walks in the first game. He started the weekend after running just 29 batters in 95 minutes.
Gordon eventually calmed down and held out for five runs. Ace Whitehead was credited with the win after beating Stanford scoreless in the eighth set.
main piece: After Texas lost 2-0, Kennedy hit a home run in the fifth round. The 17th home run of the year not only tied the game 5-5, but also ranked eighth on the UT single season chart.
Kennedy went 2-on-4 with a walk. The veteran outfielder also started for Texas in the 2021 and 2021 Super Regional Series against South Florida and East Carolina.
Texas wins but Campbell’s streak ends
Notable number: 38. Texas quarterback Dylan Campbell scored 0-3. That ended his 38-game hitting streak, which set a school record and a 12-game record.
Campbell was intentionally in his last batting attempt in the ninth round. He also received first base in the eighth when Moore was called out for catcher’s interference on a two-hit dirty ball. Campbell also flew into left field and hit two runs in his other three games.
Pierce said he congratulated Campbell on his winning streak after the game. “I said 38, that’s so cool, isn’t it,” recalls the coach. He said, ‘That’s right, I didn’t take a hit today.’ I said, ‘But you’ve had a great victory.’ I think he was happy with that compromise.”
On deck: Opportunity to book flights to Omaha
Next for Texas: The Longhorns can book their trip to Omaha with a win in Game 2 on Sunday (8 p.m. ESPN2). The announced starting players for the game are Utah’s LeBaron Johnson Jr. (8-3, 2.62 ERA) and Stanford southpaw Quinn Matthews (9-4, 3.65).
2023-06-11 05:09:10
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