I am late getting back from visiting my dad. At least it's tied so I can pick it up from here tied at 1-1 going to the bottom of the third.
Dillon Peters starts his third inning of work against Dylan Neal the catcher for OU today. The count runs full and he walks him as the nine hole hitter reaches to lead off. Aiken, the top of the order bunts it by Perers and Marlow can't make the play and it's an infield hit. Two on and no outs for Ake the second baseman who will try to move them over. He gets it down and the runners stand at second and third with one away. Neuse, the third baseman steps in as Skip comes out for a visit. He returns to the Horn dugout and Neuse gets back in from the right side. The infield is back for OU conceding a run on a ground ball. He fists a bloop back behind second and Marlow runs it down in shallow right center for two away. The runners had to hold and Mac James, the catcher yesterday is in left field today as OU gets as many righty hitters in the line-up as possible. The runners lead from second and third as Peters tries to get out of the jam. A hard line shot is snagged by reflex by Peters as that ball was ticketed for center and would have scored two. Instead it retires the side and after three innings the score is tied 1-1.
The very large Adam Choplick who stands 6' 8" faces Payton leading off the Texas fourth. He grounds out to first as the first baseman takes it to the bag for one away. Barrera bats with one down as the wind gales out to left ahead of the anticipated storms for tomorrow. The count runs full and a pitch in the dirt is ball four as Barrera reaches. Shaw, batting left handed against the big lefty Choplick, for OU. He stands in as Barrera leads from first and he sends a soft drive to left and it falls for a single. That puts two on at first and second for HInojosa with one down. His first homer of the year last night was a big blow for Texas and that same wind blows even harder out to left today. He lines a hit to right field that loads the bases as Barrera had not chance to score on the hard liner. Carter bats with the bases loaded and the opportunity to give Texas back the lead in the game. A ground ball goes through on the left side and it scores Barrera and the bases remain loaded. Texas takes a 2-1 lead playing some station to station baseball right now. Clemens wants to play add on and he grounds one through the right side of the infield and this time is scores two as Hinojosa comes around from second as the throw was cut off. That makes it 4-1 Horns. Out comes the pitching coach for OU. The Sooner bullpen springs into action. Gurwitz bats with runners at the corners and one down. No need to stop here as like yesterday runs can come fast and furious on a day like today. He grounds one into the hole on the left side that the shortstop gets to, but can't make the play. The infield hit makes it 5-1 Texas. Marlow bats with runners at second and first with one down. A walk and five straight singles have led to this big inning and it can get bigger. A chopper to second is a 4-6 force for two away. Runners on the corners fore Johnson and that's all for Choplick as the Sooners make the change.
The new pitcher for OU is Robert Taslin a right hander to face Johnson. He steps in right handed with runners on the corners. The shortstop and second baseman keep switching positions for some reason. Taslin comes sidearm with his deliveries making him tough on the right handed hitters. Johnson flies to medium left to retire the side. The Horns bat around and knock out the OU starter. It results in a 5-1 Texas lead to the bottom of four.
Peters comes out to start the fourth inning trying to consolidate the newly inherited 5-1 lead. He faces Austin O'Brian the OU DH as the Sooner half of the fourth starts. He lines one down the line in right fair and he stumbles as he rounds first and then continues toward second. Shaw fields and comes up throwing and it is a 9-6 put out at second as Hinojosa applies the tag for one away. Hunter Haley bats with one away and the bases clear thanks to the outfield assist from Shaw. He rolls one to short and the 6-4 out is made for two away. Kolbey Carpenter, the first baseman grounds one toward the hole on the right side. Marlow ranges far to his left and knocks the ball down and then throws him out on a big stretch by Clemens at first. The sparkling play on both ends retires the side in order. Four played in Norman and it's 5-1 Texas.
Payton leads off the Texas fifth as he did in the fourth. After his groundout there came four Texas tallies. Taslin delivers the first pitch that hits Payton on the arm for a HBP for him to reach. Barrera bats and he ignited the big inning for the Horns in the fourth with the first of five straight singles. He singles again this time through the right side to put two on and no outs. The bunt is almost a sure thing for Shaw now as he stands in the left handed batter's box. He gets it down and is just nipped at first by the third baseman as the runners advance. HInojosa bats with runners at second and third and one down. He lines a sharp single to left as the third baseman seemed to just miss the liner. It's scored a hit and it plates two more and it's now 7-1 and it's a familiar six run lead for Texas. We know that can be a fleeting thing in this park, but still nice to have. Carter up, gournds into a 4-6 force for two away. Clemens steps from the left side against Taslin with Carter at first. He pops out foul to the third baseman to end the inning. Halway through today's game and the series it's Texas in the lead now 7-1.
Peters comes to the mound in the fifth looking become eligible for the win if Texas can hold the lead. Lorenzana leads off against him to start the OU fifth. He grounds right back to Perters who flips underhanded to first for one away. Neal bats now with one down. He flies one to Payton in center and it's squeezed by Mark for two away. Aiken brings the top of the OU order back to the plate with two down as Peter looks for the perfect frame. The lefty batting Sooner outfielder works a full count and then walks to put a runner at first. That brings Ake to the plate who hits a soft liner to Shaw at first to retire the side. Five inning have gone by and Texas leads 7-1.
Gurwitz starts the sixth offensively for the Horns against Taslin. He drives one deep to center, but it's caught on the warning track for one down. Marlow turns over the Texas line-up again and is the only Longhorn without a hit in the game. He steps in left handed and works a full count. He gets his first hit of the day on a chopper that has eyes and goes into center for a single. Johnson bats as Marlow leads from first with one away. He fouls out as the wind brings it back into play for the second baseman for two down. Payton bats and drives one to left center, but the park holds it and it's caught at the track to end the inning. To the bottom of the sixth with Texas leading 7-1.
Peters is still hurling for Texas as Neuse bats to lead off the OU sixth. A ground ball to Hinojosa at short is gunned to first on time for one down. James bats with one down and for the second time in a row he lines one right back to Peters. It results in out two this time. O'Brian, the OU DH bats with the bases clean and two down. He squibbs one to the right side of the mound and Peters makes the play to retire the Sooners in order. Six innings in the books now and Texas still leads 7-1.
Just getting home and now following along, thanks for the updates NB, lets not blow another six run lead today shall we.
Barrera leads off the Texas half of the seventh against Tasin the right hander for OU. He K's swinging for one away Shaw bats and on Tasin's first pitch he grounds to second for a 4-3 out two. Hinojosa bats with two away and nobody aboard. He walks to reach first. Carter at DH bats as C.J. leads from first. He chops one back to the mound and Tasin's throw to first is wide and he reaches on the error. Two on for Clemens and he grounds out to second and Texas is down. OU comes up as it's stretch time in Norman and the unhappy Sooner crowd sees Texas leading 7-1.
Peters toils on in the seventh as he eats up innings that saves the Texas staff for the possible third game tomorrow if weather permits. He faces Haley leading off for OU. He K's swinging for one away as Barrera holds on to a foul tip. Kolbey Carpenter bats and lines one to left that Johnson has to dive and keeps it from going by him for a single. Lorenzana then singles by Hinojosa for another single to put two on at first and second and one away. It was his first hit of the series. Neal bats as Peters delivers his 100th pitch of the contest. He K's swinging on the high heat for two down. Aiken once again turns over the OU order as the lead off hitter bats left handed with two on and two down. He lines one to left that Johnson snags to retire the Sooners. They threaten, but don't score and it remains a Texas 7-1 lead after seven innings.
Gurwitz leads off the Texas eighth against Tasin still out there on the hill for OU. He K's looking on big breaker that found the zone for one down. Marlow is the top of the Horn order again as the lefty stands in. He drives one to left, but it's caught at the track for two away. Johnson bats with two down and the bases clear. His grounder goes to second and the side is retired in order. It brings the game to the bottom of the eighth with Texas in the front end of a 7-1 score.
Peters once again comes out to pitch having thrown 107 pitches so far. He faces Ake who lines a double to left center to lead off the OU half of the frame. That brings out Skip and the day is finally done for Peters who did an outstanding job in some trying conditions for pitchers.
Dylan Peters comes out of game after giving up lead off double in bottom of eighth. He threw 117 pitches, scattered seven hits, walked three struck out three. Nice outing. Now John Curtis comes in, and this is the first time he has pitched two consecutive days. He gives up an RBI double off the wall which travelled 410 feet, making the score 7-2. Curtis seemed to settle down thereafter, retiring the next three, ninth inning coming up. Maybe that was 107 pitches for Peters.
Right hander John Curtis is the new Longhorn pitcher. I believe the thinking is here that there may not be a game tomorrow and that if there is Cooper can then come back as a closer if needed. Neuse is the first batter he faces batting right handed. He sends one of the wall in center for anothr double and a run scores to make it 7-2. James steps in from the right side with a runner at second and no outs. He sends a hump back liner that Marlow runs down in shallow right for one away. O'Brian bats also from the right side as Neuse leads from second with one away. A ground ball backhanded by Hinojosa goes 6-3 for two away. Haley bats left handed with now two down and a man at second. A fly ball goes to center and this time Payton is there to retire the side. OU gets one back, but Texas is still in a good position with a 7-2 lead after eight.
The ninth starts as I don't know what happened to my post to end the eighth, but Peters did indeed get out of the inning after allowing one run. Payton leads off the ninth for Texas against Tasin, who has done a good job in his relief role today. Payton K's looking to start the inning for one away. Barrera bats and after a full count draws a walk to reach. Shaw bats with one down and one on. He grounds one to second and it's a 4-6 force for two down. HInojosa bats as Shaw leads from first and he is the leading base stealer for Texas. He pops one high into the Oklahoma sky that is caught by the shortstop to retire the side. Curtis looks to close out the game and win the series for Texas as we go to the bottom of the ninth with Texas ahead 7-2.
Curtis quickly gets two outs in bottom of ninth. Pitch hitter comes in, and it's quickly 1-2 on him. Tomorrow's game under threat of bad weather, but since it is nationally televised by ESPNU, it was not moved to today. We'll see how that decision works out. The pinch hitter walked, pitch runner trots down to second due to defensive indifference. It's nice to afford defensive indifference. It would be nicer to get the third out, and just like that, a grounder to second is fielded cleanly for the final out of the contest. Texas wins its third straight series! We go for the sweep tomorrow, although the weather could easily prevent play. We'll see.
Am I right in remembering that Texas now has as many or more conference wins already this year through 4 series than all of last year.
Curtis comes out in the ninth and now I see my post finally went through for the bottom of the eighth. He faces Carpenter leading off the ninth for OU. He flies out to left for one away. Lorenzana bats and he K's swinging for two down. Buentello pinch hits and the lefty is the only thing standing between Curtis and Texas winning the game and the series. The count runs full he walks on a low delivery that keeps the game alive. That gives Aiken another at bat at the top of the order. Coolbaugh comes in to run for Buentello and he takes second on fielder's indifference. Aiken runs the count to 2-0 and Barrera goes to the mound to settle down Curtis. A ground ball to second goes 4-3 to end the inning and the game. Texas wins the game 7-2 and the series by taking the first two games now. Texas firms it's grip on first place and runs the conference record to 8-3 with hopefully another game to play tomorrow. Weather is of course the big subject in that regard as storms are in the forecast Sunday. Peters struggled a bit early and then settled down and gave the Horns a quality start in tough pitching conditions. Curtis gave up the double and then did the job also. The bats singled OU to death and it was plenty with good pitching that we have come to expect, but can never take for granted, especially on the road with these kind of conditions Let's dodge some weather and sweep OU on national television tomorrow on ESPNU. One more thing, let's keep an eye on Jordon Spieth also as he attempts to become the youngest player to ever win the Masters. That's something that would live on for a long time for a former Longhorn and that's always a good thing.
One of the things I like about NB's posts is when there's a little inning for chokelahoma followed by a LONG post for our boys, I know that there has to be something positive. And then the thread continues to have short posts for zero u. A very peaceful read compared to what was probably a bit less fun reading yesterday. Haven't dug into that thread yet. Thanks as always, NB.
