Game 2 looks like another low scoring pitcher's battle. Kyle Johnston looks to have another good outing and he will probably need one, unless Texas finds some offense. Offense for the Horns is sometimes hard to find and tonight one of the best pitchers in college baseball, in Daulton Jefferies. Remember when Texas played Cal in football and they had Jared Goff at quarterback? This guy is the equivalent as a baseball pitcher, all the scouts are interested. Jefferies usually has consistently good pitching mechanics, which gives hims the command of his three main pitches. His fast ball hits the low to mid 90's, has big change up, and also throws a tight late breaking slider. It's a big challenge for the Horns. Johnston can be just as effective, when has command of his pitches, the mid 90's fast ball with movement, the big overhand curve, the slider, and he has been working on the change. If he can develop consistent command, he can be the equal of a pitcher like Jefferies. Both defenses will have to be at their best, as a miscue could be the difference. The game is on LHN at 6 pm. I thought they might move it up a bit because of the Texas basketball game tonight, but they didn't. The audio is also on texassports.come. The starters for both teams next.
Cal line-up: Aaron Knapp------CF Mitchell Krnanson-3B Devin Pearson-----DH Brenden Farney----1B Brett Cumberland--C Nick Halamandaris--LF Brian Celsi------------RF Robbie Tenerowicz---2B Preston Grand Pre----SS Daulton Jefferies------P Texas Starters:
Looks like another nice night for baseball in Austin, as it's time for game two of the series with Cal. Sophomore right hander Kyle Johnston, gets the ball for the Horns, looking for another quality start. Leading off for the Bears will again be their centerfielder Aaron Knapp, batting left handed. A high fast ball is lined to center, for a lead single and runner. These guys can hit the ball and you have to spot your pitches against him. Lefty hitting third baseman is Mitchell Kranson, with one on. A ground ball gets by a diving Baker on the right side and another single is two on. Devin Pearson bats righty, as the DH, two on. He fouls off two bunt attempts. It costs Cal as a grounder to short is a 6-4-3 double play. Two down and a man on third for lefty hitter Brenden Farney. He grounds to first and Clemens stumble, but recovers and beats him to the bag, the 3U retires the side. The pitcher's best friend gets Johnston and Texas out of the first without harm and the Horns come to bat for the first time.
Daulton Jefferies takes the hill for Cal, the right hander has all the tools, so Texas has a challenge tonight. Leading off as always is Zane Gurwitz, playing centerfield and battig right handed. A two hopper to short and the 6-3 is one down. Bret Boswell plays short and bats lefty, with one retired. A liner to center and the centerfield has that, two gone. Second baseman is Joe Baker, bats righty, with two outs. A shallow pop to lefty and the shortstop goes back has it over his head and then drops it. It's a single and it puts the first man on for Texas. Tres Barrera bats righty, with one on and two down, he is the DH. A grounder back to Jefferies and as a former shortstop, he fields well too, the 1-3 retires the side. Texas gets a runner, but no damage done. Nothing on the board, after one.
Johnston back to the bump, in the Cal second. Brett Cumberland, the catcher leads off, from the lefty side, he is a switch hitter. He lines a bit of a hanging curve ball to left, for yet another single. You hangem and this Cal bunch will bangem it seems. Left field Nick Halamandaris bats lefty, with one on. He flies to center and it carries to the edge of the track, but hauled in by Gurwitz, one away. Brian Celsi bats lefty as the Cal right fielder, one on and one out. The runner goes and a ball in the dirt means a stolen base, it was a hit and run, but the pitch was swung on and missed. He swings way ahead of the big change and it's a K, two gone. Second baseman Robbie Tenerowicz bats righty, two outs and a runner art second. A fly ball to right and that ends the frame. Cal threatens again, but again they don't score. Bottom of the second comes and 0-0.
Jefferies will return for the Bears, for the Texas half of the frame. Michael Cantu bats righty leading off, he catches tonight. He needs to get going, he has been one of the few consistent hitters, but is struggling this season. He still is, as he K's on three pitches, the last swinging on a low slider, one down. Kody Clemens bats lefty, playing third base, with one away. Grounder to first and the 3U is two outs. The Texas left fielder is Ben Kennedy, batting lefty, two gone. The count runs full and is dismissed by a hard slider breaking down. He swings through it and the side goes down in order on the K. Two played and still no runs.
Johnston comes back for the Cal third trying to hold serve as this like a tennis match between two hard servers. The Bears lead off with the bottom of the order in Preston Grand Pre, batting righty. The lead hitter gets on yet again this time on a HBP, on an inside heater. Top of the order is Knapp, batting lefty and one on. He squares and fouls off two bunt tries. He tries a third time and gets it down, the sac goes 1-3. One down and one on for Kranson, batting lefty. A sharp one hopper to second and the 4-3 is two down, runner to third. Pearson, the righty DH, bats with one on and two down. The count runs full and he walks on a low fast ball, to put two on. The lefty hitter, Farney, bat with runners on the corners, with two on. A fly ball to lefty and Kennedy doesn't see it and the single that should have been caught, puts Cal on the board Cal leads 1-0. Farney back in, with still two on. A wild pitch in the dirt by Cantu is another run. Cal leads 2-0. Farney walks on four pitches to load the bases. The misplay has definitely shake up Johnston, he thought he was out of the inning. Halamandaris bats lefty with the bases loaded. This is a must out you think. A ground ball to first retires the side 3U. We talked about how defense was a key in this game and it costs Texas, the runs are earned, but in reality it's a bad play that will give Cal the 2-0 lead, maybe all Jefferies needs. We go to the bottom of the third.
Jefferies now pitches with the lead, wish I had the magic to pull a ball out of Kennedy's glove, for the third out. Leading off for the Horns is lefty hitting Kacy Clemens, he was the offense last night, with the homer off the fair pole. He lines a high fast ball the other way in the gap and to the wall, a stand up double. The first hit by a lefty hitter this season against Jefferies. Right field Brady Harlan bat lefty, with one on. He flies the first pitch to left, one down, the runner doesn't move. Gurwitz, at the top of the order and he bats righty, with one on and one down.
Gurwitz K's swinging on the hard slider and that's two down. It takes a hit by lefty Boswell now, if Texas is to get on the board, man on second, two gone. A little foul pop on the left side, third baseman has it to end the inning. Texas gets a lead double and he never moves from second. So after three played it's Cal leading 2-0.
Johnston hangs in for the fourth on the mound. Lefty hitter is Brian Celsi leading off for Cal. Ground ball to first and yet another 3U is one away. Tenerowicz bats righty with one gone. The first time the lead batter has been retired in the game. He blows a fast ball right by him, for the swinging K, two down. Preston Grand Pre bats in the nine hole, with two outs, from the right side. Kyle needs a quick inning, his pitch count is up there. He blows a high heater by him and another swinging K will retire the side in order. Good inning for Johnston, but can Texas do anything to wipe out the 2-0 Cal lead, to the bottom of the fourth.
Jefferies out again for the fourth Texas at bat. Baker leads off batting righty. Can of corn to right field for a quick one out. Barrera bats from the right side, one down. He just can't catch up to a fast ball right down the middle, swinging K is two gone. Cantu bats righty, two outs. A full count and a shallow pop to right and the right fielder comes and calls off the second baseman, to retire the side in order again. Top of five and it's Cal ahead 2-0.
Johnston will go at the Bears again in the fifth. Jake McKenzie comes in to play left field for Kennedy. Cal leads with the top of the order in Knapp again, batting lefty. He waves weakly at a hard slider and he looked to be calling for time, but didn't get. The K is one gone. Another lefty hitter is Kranson, with one away. He lines a high outside fast ball the other way for a single to left. One on and one down for righty hitter Pearson, the DH, one on and one down. He K's swinging on a late breaking slider, two outs. Farney bats lefty with one on and now two down. His so called single and there was no other way to score the misplay, that fell in left, is the difference in the game so far. A nice change pulls the string on Farney, he K's swinging and Johnston strikes out the side. Halfway through this one and Cal leads 2-0.
Jefferies strolls out to the mound for the Texas fifth. He looks to become the pitcher of record and qualify for a possible W. Kody Clemens leads off batting lefty, for the Horns. A high pop to left center and the left field comes on and makes the catch for one out. Jake McKenzie will bat righty for the first time, having come on to play left fied. He grounds to second the 4-3 is a much to quick second out. Kacy Clemens bats lefty, with two gone. A liner to center and quickly Texas is down in order. Five gone at the Disch and Cal leads 2-0.
Johnson back out again, as the Cal bats in the sixth. He has settled down since the ill-fated third inning. Cal will lead off with Cumberland batting from the right side. A fly ball to left and the new left fielder McKenzie has it, one down. Halamandaris bats lefty, with one gone. A weakly hit ground ball gets by Johnston and there is no play for Baker, an infield hit. Celsi bats lefty with one on and one out. A hanging curve ball is hammered by Clemens, the single puts two on. A pinch runner is Mitchell for Halamandaris. Tenerowicz bats righty with two on and one down. He singles through the middle, one run scores and the runner going to third is cut down 8-5-4, for two away. Cal leads 3-0. Grand Pre bats righty, with one on and two down. A ground ball to Boswell and he throws it away at first low and wide of Clemens, another run on the E-6. Cal leads 4-0. Knapp, the leadoff hitter, bats lefty with two outs and one on. He pops up foul on the left side and that will retire the side finally. Johnston hasn't got much of a break tonight and Cal may have blown this game open, as they lead 4-0, bottom of the sixth.
Jefferies has a commanding lead for him now, as the Texas sixth begins. Harlan leads off, in the nine hole. A fast ball and Harlan isn't close to it, another swinging K and it's one gone. Gurwitz will try to start something at the top of the order, with one down. He slaps a single just under the glove of the diving second baseman, to put a man on. Boswell bats lefty with one on and one down. He slaps a fly ball to left and it lands fair, Gurwitz would have scored, but it's a ground rule double, that bounces into the seats and then back into play. So there are runners at second and third, one down, for Joe Baker, batting righty. Corners up and the middle of the infield is back for Cal. Have to get something here. A fly ball to center and it's deep enough for a SF and the first earned run off Jefferies this season. Cal leads 4-1. Barrera bats righty in a big situation, with a man on third, as Boswell had tagged an moved up. Two down and you need this run to really get back into the game. It doesn't happen a comebacker goes 1-3, end of the rally. Texas gets on the board, but Cal still leads 4-1, after six.
Johnston's night is over and the new pitcher is Freshman Beau Ridgeway. Johnston did a good job, but didn't have much support. Kranson leads off for Cal batting lefty. His first pitch is grounded to first and another 3U is one away. Pearson bats righty, one gone. A grounder to short and the 6-3 goes for the second out. Lefty hitting Farney bats with two gone. He also grounds to short and the second consecutive 6-3 will retire the side in order. Ridgeway has a good inning and as they stretch, Cal has a 4-1 lead.
Jefferies is back one more time for Cal, in the seventh, after being nicked for his first earned run of the season, last inning. Cantu leads off batting righty for the Horns. He remains in his funk, as he K's swinging on a low outside slider, one gone. Kody Clemens bats lefty, one out. He grounds to second and a 4-3 put out is recorded. Two away quickly and McKenzie bats righty. He grounds a ball deep in the hole and the shortstop backhands it and throws just late, an infield single puts him on. Kacy Clemens bats lefty, with two gone and one on. The count runs full and the runner will move on the pitch. He walks on a pitch outside and it puts two on. Harlan bats lefty, with two on and two down, in the nine hole. He is the tying run at the plate. Another situation where you need a big hit, to get back in the game He delivers a ground ball up the middle and through, it will plate a run. Cal leads 4-2. Top of the order is Gurwitz, batting righty, two on and two outs. Suddendly an extra base knock could tie the game with runners on first and second. Jefferies may be finally showing some sign of tiring, as he nears the 100 pitch mark. He still has enough left to blow a fast ball by him, for a swinging K, to end the rally. Texas gets one more on a two out rally, but just can't the big hit to get right back in it. Cal leads 4-2, after seven.
Ridgeway will come out for the eighth. Leading off for the Bears is lefty hitting Cumberland. He flies to center and it's one away. Jeffery Mitchell, who came in to play left field bats for the first time, from the righty side, one away. He K's looking on a curve ball on the outside corner, two gone. Celsi bats lefty, with two outs. His grounder to first goes 3-1 to retire the side in order. Cal will take a 4-2 lead to the bottom of the eighth.
Jefferies will finally bow out and the new Cal hurler is right hander Keaton Siomkin, who got out of big jam last night. Leading off for Texas is lefty hitter Boswell. The count runs full and a big pitch coming here. He swings at ball four, a high fast ball and pops out foul to left, caught by the left fielder, a big first out. Baker bats righty, with one down. A hard one hopper goes off the shortstop and it's ruled an infield single, righty so. The tying run is power hitting Barrea, from the right side, one away and one on. A ball shot to the gap, and it goes to the wall, Baker scores on the double. Cal leads 4-3. Cantu bats righty, with the tying run at second and one down. Coach is out for Cal and he wants the closer. Pitching change.
The Cal closer is right hander Erik Martinez, he worked last night and got the save, looking dominant. Cantu who has really been struggling will get a chance to tie the game, as Barrera leads from second. After a swing and a miss, an offensive timeout is called for a discussion with Cantu. He's back in and he walks to put two aboard. It does set up a double play, but puts the lead run on. Kody Clemens bats lefty, with two on and one out. A liner to second and Barrera just took off on the play and it's rally killing 4U-6 twin killing. You got to make the line drive go through. Texas gets one and to the ninth it's Cal hanging on 4-3.
Ridgeway, who has been great since coming on, will pitch the ninth for the Horns. He needs another to keep Texas close. Cal leads off with righty hitter Tenerowicz. A fly ball to left and McKenzie runs it down, for one away. Grand Pre bats righty, with one down, in the nine hole. A fisted one hopper to third and the 5-3 is two down. Top of the order again in Knapp, batting lefty, two outs. He lines a deep drive to right and it goes off the wall, for a double. The first extra base hit of the series for Cal, after a plethora of singles. Skip out and Ridgeway did a great job, but he is gone. Pitching change.
Lefty hander and senior Travis Duke, tries to get an out and keep Texas within a run. Two outs and a very fast runner at second for lefty hitting Kranson. A liner to Boswell will quell the threat, side down. We go to the bottom of the ninth, Texas needs one to tie and two to win, as Cal leads 4-3.
Martinez tries for his second save in two games for Cal. Texas leads off with righty hitter McKenzie, he has a hit tonight. A ground ball to first is a big 3U first out. Kacy Clemens bats lefty, with one down. He has shown some power lately and the Horns could use that to get the tying run in scoring position. He walks on a pitch just low, the tying run on. Ty Rand comes in to run for Clemens. Nine hole hitter, bats lefty with the tying run at first, he had a hit in his last at bat. A flair to left and the shortstop goes out and it just falls out of the reach, of his outstretche glove. Two on now. Top of the order is Gurwitz, the tying and winning runs on, with one out, he bats righty. He K's swinging on a big curve ball, two down. Lefty hitter Boswell has the game on his shoulders now, two on and two out. He swings through a fast ball and that's the game. Texas gets the tying and winning runs on with less than two outs and leaves them there. Cal wins 4-3 and takes a 2-0 lead in the series. Need time to reflect on this tough loss, back in a minute.
At least we actually put up a fight this time. Still need to see more out of this time. Gurwitz has turned into an incredible liability for Texas at the plate
Gurwits at bat was horrible!What i fiiting way to end the game.This team better find some offense and quick!
At this point, I'm not even thinking this team will be close to competing for regionals. I just want to see them finish above .500 on the season!
