The Longhorns take a break from Big 12 play to face a former conference foe in Nebraska, at Haymarket Park in Lincoln. The three game series has Texas coming in with a 17-8 season record and currently in first place in the Big 12 race. Nebraska is 18-7 and tied for first place in the Big 10 at 3-0 with Maryland, after one conference series played. Parker French, the senior right hander and established ace of the staff, will get his usual Friday start. The weather is cold and a little damp as this will tell you. There is snow falling during this picture, so let's play ball. I think the games is being shown on Direct TV, and we have a thread about the other options. The audio is texas.leanplayer.com. Going for the lineups before the scheduled 6:35 start.
Chance Sinclair, a right hander gets the start for the Huskers. Johnson will lead off against him for the Horns from the right side. A chop to third goes 5-3 for one away. Hinojosa, now it seems in the two hole for awhile, bats also from the right side with one down. The count runs full and he chops a pitch just off the ground also to third for another 5-3 out. It was ball four easily. Shaw bats lefty with two down. He takes a fast ball on the inside corner for a called third strike and the elusive backwards K. That retires the side in order. Nothing for the Horns and the Huskers come to bat.
Parker French, the right handed ace, starts for the Horns on the mound. Ryan Boldt will lead off for Nebraska, from the left side and he plays left field. He lines a single to center to reach. Another lefty hitter is Jake Schleppenbach, the second baseman. He squares and the 1-3 sac bunt is good as the runner goes to second and one away. Yet another lefty hitter is Blake Headley, the Husker third sacker, with one on and one gone. He fouls off several pitches and a fly ball to left is two away as the runner holds at second. The fourth straight lefty hitter is the DH, Miller with still one on and now two gone. Like Shaw last inning, he takes a pitch on the inside corner for a called strike three to retired the side. Good tight slider by French there. After one nobody on the board.
Sinclair comes out as the second starts to pitch again. Leading off for the Horns is the Texas catcher Barrera, batting righty. The count goes full and he becomes the first Horn base runner on a low pitch for ball four. Marlow bats lefty with one on. He shows no sign of bunting and K's swinging on three pitches, as a fast ball is blown right by him for one down. Boswell up lefty with one on and one gone. He sends a fly ball to the track in left that is run down for two outs. Cantu bats from the right side, as the Texas DH, with one on and two away. Like last inning, the side is retired on a called strike three, as a fast ball catches the inside corner to end the frame. Bottom of two and nothing across either way.
French takes the hill again in the Husker second. The Nebraska catcher, Luback leads off from the right side. He grounds the first pitch to third and a 5-3 is one gone. The left fielder, from the left side is Austin Darby. He takes the big curve on the outside corner for a called third strike and two gone That brings up Christenson, the first baseman and he grounds out to short to retire the side in order. Two played and still nobody on the plate yet.
Sinclair out again for Nebraska in the third. Clemens leads off from the left side for Texas. He K's swinging on a big change for one gone. Gurwitz, bats righty at the bottom of the order with one down. He fishes for a ball in the dirt and K's swinging as the throw goes 2-3 to complete the play. Johnson up once more, at the top of the order right handed. He lines to short to retire the side in order. Bottom of the third and it's all 0's so far.
French on the rubber again in the Husker third. Leading off from the left side is Dilday, the left fielder. His ground ball goes to first for a 3-1 first out as French covers the bag. The shortstop, Placzek bats in the nine hole, from the right side with one gone. He takes another tight slider that K's him looking, as French is dealing right now. Top of the order is Boldt, from the right side. He singled his first time for the Huskers only safety of the game. He flies to left to Johnson and that retires the side in order once more. Three in the books and still nothing.
Sinclair's turn to try to hold the game without a tally in the fourth. Hinojosa will lead off for Texas, batting right handed. He lines a drive right to the center fielder for one away. Shaw bats from the left side with one gone. He lines shot toward the right field line and the right fielder dives and has it for two gone. Nice play there. Barrera up again righty and he grounds the first pitch to second and the 4-3 retires the side in order once more. Pitching dual continues and to the bottom of four, we have nothing across.
Now French is on the bump trying to keep the game all knotted. Schleppenbach leads off for Nebraska from the left side. Yet another ground ball to first goes 3-1 for one down. Lefty hitting Blake Headley bats with one out. He flies one high down the line in left and Johnson is there for two down. Miller, the lefty DH, hits with two outs. He lines one by Hinojosa to left for two out single. Tanner Lubach, bats righty with one on and two gone. A fly ball to center will end the inning. Four played so far and nada to report on the board.
Sinclair starts the fifth for the Huskers on the hill. Marlow leads off for the Horns, from the left side. A roller goes to second and the 4-3 is one gone. Boswell will also bat lefty with one down. He swings through a high fast ball for another K and two away. Cantu will approach the box and step in righty with two outs. A dribbler to third and the third baseman charges and throws across his body in time and the Horns are down in order one more time. Halfway through a fast mover and nothing to report in the score columns.
French looks to keep matching serve as the Husker fifth is here. Lefty hitter, Darby leads off for Nebraska. A ground ball up the middle is backhanded by Marlow, but the throw is late and high and it's an infield single. Christenson bats lefty with one on. He lines a shot to the gap in left center and Johnson cuts it off, but it's a double and puts runners at second and third. First full blown jam for French. Dilday bats lefty and lines a single to center and a run scores and puts runners on the corners. Nebraska leads 1-0. Skip is out to the mound and the infielders gather around them. Skip heads back and play continues. Righty hitter Placzek, bats with runners on the corners. He bunts down the left side and French fields and his throw is late. The runner held and that loads the bases. Boldt bats righty at the top of the order. A slow roller to short and Hinojosa has to go to first for the out as the run scores. Nebraska leads 2-0. Schleppenbach bats lefty with one out and two still in scoring position at second and third. A ground ball gets by Clemens and backed up by Marlow, but no play is made and another infield hit. Another run scores. Nebraska leads 3-0. Skip is out and that is all for French. Pitching change.
The new pitcher for Texas is Ty Culbreth, the left hander. His first batter to face is Headley, batting lefty with one out and runners on the corners. A ground ball up the middle is fielded by Hinojosa and he steps on the bag and goes to first for the 6U-3 double play to finally end the inning. Nebraska breaks the scoring ice in a big way and knocks out French and they lead 3-0 after five.
Sinclair pitches the sixth and hasn't given up a hit yet to the Horns. Clemens leads off for Texas, from the left side. He lifts a soft fly to left for one away. Gurwitz will bat righty with one down at the bottom of the order. He grounds one up the middle for the first Texas hit of the game. Johnson bats righty with one on and one down. He line one hard to left, but right at the left fielder for two gone. Hinojosa bats righty with two down and one on. A ground ball to second goes 4-6 on the force to retire the side. Texas gets their first hit, but nothing more and to the bottom of six trails Nebraska 3-0.
Culbreth comes out in the sixth for his first full inning of work on the hill for Texas. Ben Miller, the DH is up lefty and flies to center for one down. Lubach bats righty, with one gone. This time a fly ball is lifted high to left and it's two away. Darby bats lefty with two outs. He whiffs on a fast ball for the K and it retires the side in order. Six innings down and Texas once more trails a game in the late innings. Nebraska with the 3-0 advantage.
Sinclair will stay in there as the Horn seventh starts. Shaw will lead off for Texas as a lefty. A fly ball foul to left and the left fielder surrounds it and finally dives to his left to make the catch for one down. Barrera bats lefty with one down. He smokes a drive to left and the left fielder goes back, turns around and makes the catch for two gone. Marlow up lefty with two outs. He sends a fly ball to center on the first pitch he sees and that retires the side in order as it has too many time in this game for the Horns. Stretch time in Lincoln and it's all Nebraska right now as they lead 3-0.
Travis Duke, another lefty will enter the game to pitch the seventh for Texas. Austin Christenson will leads off against him for the Huskers. The lefty hitter flies one down the left field line that Johnson catches just before crossing the foul line for one out. Louis Alvarado will pinch hit from the right side with one gone. He takes a fast ball down the heart of the plate for strike three and two away. Placzek bats right handed with two down. A shallow pop to Gurwitz in center retires the side in order. Seven innings played and Nebraska leads 3-0.
Sinclair remains in the game as the eighth commences and why not as he has totally dominated the Horns tonight so far. Boswell leads off for the Horns from the lefty side. He walks on four pitches for a much needed lead runner. Cantu bats righty with one on. The count runs full and he grounds a ball up the middle and it sneaks through under the glove of the second baseman for a single. Stell comes in to run for Cantu. Suddenly Clemens batting lefty, is the tying run with two on. He bunts and the sac goes 1-3 to move the runners up. Well it looks like we suddenly went back to small ball. Gurwitz bats righty with one down and two on. The count goes full and here comes a critical pitch for the Horns. He fouls off two pitches that were out of the zone and then flies one to right that is deep enough for a run on the SF and now two gone. Nebraska leads 3-1. Coach is out and he wants a new arm. Pitching change.
The new pitcher for the Huskers is right hander, Colton Howell. Johnson, at the top of the order bats righty with one on and two outs. A high fast ball is cut on and missed and he K's on three pitches to retire the side. Texas breaks up the shutout, but needed more. You wonder about the sac bunt there, especially since the Horns had been swinging away much more this season. Bottom of eight and Nebraska leads 3-1.
Thanks for your PxP, NB. Looks like we are too cold to play good ball, as we've seen this movie before. Getting nearly to half way in the season and we just don't seem to have an edge yet, or sense of urgency. Not looking good tonight.
Duke back to pitch the eighth for Texas. Boldt, at the top of the order again, leads off for the Huskers, from the left side. A liner to left at Johnson is caught for one down. Schleppenbach bats lefty with one gone. A soft liner off the end of the bat goes to short for two down. Headley bats lefty with two away. He sends a liner to left that one hops in front of Johnson for a two out single. Miller, the lefty DH will bat with two outs and one on. A high foul pop on the left side and Boswell ranges over for the grab and that retires the side. One last shot for Texas as the ninth is here, Nebraska leads 3-1.
Nebraska brings in their closer, Josh Roeder. The right hander looks to close things out in the ninth. Hinojosa, the Horn shortstop, will lead off against him, from the right side. He goes after a slow pitch at least a foot and a half outside for swinging K and one out. Shaw bats lefty with one gone. He lines a shot down the right field line just fair, for a double into the corner. Barrera is now the tying run batting righty with one on and one down. A ground ball goes to short for a 6-3 second out as Shaw goes to third. Marlow is the last hope for Texas as he bats lefty against the bearded Nebraska closer. He bats with two outs and Shaw at third and a ground ball hard hit, but right at the first baseman and the 3U ends the game. Nebraska wins 3-1 and takes the first game of the series. Be back in a bit to wrap it up.
