The first game of the series is moved up, as we play a DH today to try to get in all three games. Texas needs the wins and so does Kansas. Anything less than a sweep of Kansas and your can just nearly write off the rest of the regular season for both teams, till the Big 12 Tournament. That is if they either team wants to keep playing after that Tourney ends. Line-ups on the way:
Morgan Cooper, the right handed sophomore, will get the start in the first game. Leading off for Kansas is Joe Moroney, the right fielder, batting right handed. A high pop up, on the left side of the is one down. Third baseman is lefty hitter, Ryan Pidhaidchuk, one away. A full count and he swings through a fast ball, the K is two outs. Righty hitting is Matt McLaughlin, the shortstop, two down. A grounder to short goes 6-3, to retire the side in order. Nothing for the Jayhawks, Texas to bat.
Ben Krauth, lefty with good stuff, starts for Kansas, this is their best pitcher. Travis Jones leads off for the Horns, batting lefty, playing left field. He walks, on an outside fast ball, for a lead runner. Shortstop is Kody Clemens, batting lefty, with a man on. He squares and bunts, the sac goes 1-3, for one down, runner moves up. Tres Barrera, the righty hitting third baseman, with a man on second and one away. Wind blows out to left and should pick up later, with the approaching front. He K's swinging on a low change up, two outs. This brings lefty hitting Kacy Clemens, the first baseman, one on and two down. A liner to center and the centerfielder lets it go right by him, but in the gap, it's ruled a triple, looked like a double and an error, been some strange scorekeeping this year, anyway the run scores. Texas leads 1-0. Second baseman is Zane Gurwitz, batting righy, one on and two gone. A looping liner to left is caught to end the inning. Texas gets one to lead 1-0, after one.
Cooper back for the second with the lead now. Leading off for Kansas is Michael Tinsley, the catcher, batting lefty. This is the Jayhawks best hitter. A full count and he swings and misses at a low change, the K is a lead out. Colbey Wright, the second baseman, bats righty, with an out. Another full count and a grounder to short goes 6-3, two away. Lefty hitter is Devin Foyle, the left fielder, two outs. Make it three as he swings through a fast ball, a K that retires the side in order once more. Bottom of two and Texas leads 1-0.
Krauth will work the second for KU. Joe Baker is back from injury, the DH today, leading off. He lines the first pitch back up the middle, for a lead single. The right fielder is Patrick Mathis, batting lefty, one aboard. He bunts and the sac goes 1-3. Michael Cantu is the catcher, batting righty, one on and one out. A liner to left is a single, the run scores. Texas leads 2-0. Ty Rand is the centerfielder, batting righty, with one on and one out. He lines a ball to center that falls, he keeps running and legs a double out, just ahead of the tag, to put two on. Top of the order is Jones, batting righty, with two on and one away. A fly ball to left is a SF, for another run, two down. Texas leads 3-0. Kody Clemens bats lefty, one on and two gone. He K's swinging, on a pitch in the dirt, the 2-3 out is made, side down. Texas gets two more, to lead 3-0, after two played.
Cooper comes back for the third, for the Horns. Leading off is Joven Afenir, the centerfielder, batting lefty. A liner to right is a single, the first Jayhawk runner. The DH is righty hitting Marcus Wheeler, with a man on. He takes a curve ball that splits the plate, a K looking, for one down. Owen Taylor, the first baseman, bats righty, with a man on and one out. The nine hole hitter slaps a grounder by Clemens and down the line, the batter runs into Clemens rounding the bag is awarded second, but it's a double to put two on, he made it without that. Top of the order is Maloney, batting righty, two on and one out. A fast ball on the outside corner is another called K, two down. Pidhaichuk will bat lefty, with two on and two down. He lines one in the gap, in right center and just over the glove of Mathis, the double drives in two. Texas leads 3-2. McLaughlin bats righty, with one on and two away. A big overhand curve and the swinging K, will retire the side on strikeouts. But Kansas gets two and the new score is Texas ahead 3-2, bottom of the third.
Krauth stays in, as the Horn third arrives. Texas leads with Barrera batting righty. He lines a ball to the left center gap, for a lead double. Two pretty good pitchers getting hit some today, so far. Kacy Clemens bats lefty, with a man on second. A fast ball is taken for a called strike three, one down. Righty hitting Gurwitz, up with a man on and one out. A high pop to second is two down. Baker bats righty, with one on and two gone. A fly ball to left will end the inning. Lead double is stranded and the Horns lead 3-2, after three.
Cooper returns for the four, for the Jayhawks. They lead off with Tinsley, the catcher, batting lefty. A full count and he walks, for a lead runner. Wright bats righty, with a man one. He bunts and the sac goes 5-3, the low throw dug out nicely by Clemens, at first, one away. Runner on second and one away for Foyle, batting righty. A 1-0 count prompts a visit by Skip, his stay is short. A fly ball to right center and Rand and Mathis let it fall, they just looked at each other and then trip each other, a three base error on Mathis is called, E-9, the run scores. Game tied 3-3. Afenir bats lefty, with a man on third, one out. He K's swinging for the second out. Wheeler bats righty, with a man on and two outs. A little bloop over Kody Clemens, off the end of the bat will fall, the single scores another run. Kansas leads 4-3. Lefty hitting Taylor bats with a man on and two gone. He K's swinging, on a fast ball, to end the inning. The dropped fly ball leads to two unearned runs and Kansas leads 4-3, bottom of the fourth.
Krauth back for his fourth inning of work, now with the lead. Texas leads off with Mathis, batting left handed. He lines a ball in the gap, to the wall, he rounds second and falls down, the throw went to third or he would have been out, but a double. Cantu bats righty, with a man on second. A ground ball to second is a 4-3 out one, the runner third. Rand bats righty, with a man on third and one out. He lines one to right center and he legs out another double, run scores. Game tied 4-4. Top of the order is Jones, a man on second and one down. He takes a fast ball on the inside corner, for a called K, two away. Pitching coach is out and he leaves Krauth in. Kody Clemens bats lefty, with a man on and two away. A liner to right center on a high fast ball is a single, for another run. Texas leads 5-4. Barrera bats righty, with one on and two outs. A fly ball to center is the third out, side retired. Texas gets two and retakes the lead 5-4, after four.
Cooper back for his fifth inning of work, tries to become the pitcher of record. Leading off for the Jayhawks is righty hitter, Maroney, top of the order. Another looper to right, it falls for a lead single. Pidhaidchuk, bats lefty, with a man on. He pops up the bunt and Cantu has it, the 2U, for one out. Righty hitter is McLaughlin, one on and one out. A liner to right is a single, to put two on. Lefty hitting Tinsley will bat, with two on and one out. A liner to right is another single, to load the bases. Wright bats righty, the bases full and one out. A liner to second and Gurwitz has it on his knees, two down. Two outs and the bases loaded for Foyle, batting lefty. A liner down the left field line drops just fair, the double will clear the bases. Kansas leads 7-5. That will be all for Cooper, pitching change.
The new pitcher is senior Travis Duke, a lefty hander. He will face lefty hitter Afiner, with a man on and two outs. He K's swinging, on a fast ball, to end the frame. Kansas strikes back for three, they retake the lead 7-5, halfway through game one.
Krauth will stay in the game, as he tries to become the pitcher of record, in the fifth. The Horns lead off with Kacy Clemens batting lefty. A ground ball to short and the 6-3 is a lead out. Gurwitz bats righty, with an out. He takes a fast ball on the outside corner, the called K is two away. The DH is Baker, he bats righty with two gone. A ground ball toward the hole, on the left side, the shorstop backhands and throw low, but dug out, for the 6-3 out three. Texas goes in order, so Kansas leads 7-5, after five played.
Freshman Eric Dunbar, the right hander, comes on to pitch for the Horns, in the sixth. Kansas leads off with righty hitting Wheeler. A ground ball to short goes 6-3, one away. Lefty hitting Taylor will bat, with an out. He takes a fast ball, on the inside corner, for a K, the tenth for the Jayhawks, for two gone. Top of the order is Maroney, batting righty, with two gone. He grounds a single up the middle, to put a runner on. Pidhaichuk bats lefty, with a man on and two outs. A little looper to center and Rand comes on and on a dive makes the catch, to end the frame. Bottom of the sixth and Kansas leads 7-5.
Krauth stick around for the sixth, after a good previous inning. The Horns lead with Mathis, batting left handed. He swings and misses at a pitch in the dirt, the 2-3 putout will make the K complete, one down. Cantu bats righty, with an out. A ground ball to third is a 5-3 out, two gone. Bottom of the order is Rand, with two outs. He pops up to the first baseman and the side down in order. Kansas leads 7-5, after six in the books.
Dunbar back out for the seventh, he has been an effective pitcher out of the pen, in his appearances. Leading off for the Jayhawks is righty hitting McLaughlin. A full count reached and he walk on a low pitch, for a lead runner. Tinsley bats lefty, with a man on. Another full count and liner up the middle is just missed by Clemens going to cover the bag, the runner on the move. It's a single and two aboard. Wright bats righty, with two on. He bunts and the sac goes 1-3, the runners move up, one away. Foyle bats lefty, with two on and one down. Infield comes in. A comebacker and Dunbar tags the runner coming from third, the 1U is out two. Runners on the corners with two outs for Afenir, batting lefty. He lines a single to center, the run scores. Kansas leads 8-5. Dunbar is coming out of the game, pitching change.
The new hurler for the Horns is freshman righty, Beau Ridgeway. He faces righty hitter Wheeler, with two on and two down. The count runs full and the runner at first will go and a walk loads the bases. Taylor bats lefty, with the bases loaded, two outs. A grounder to first goes 3-1, to end the frame. Kansas gets one more and leads 8-5, as they stretch in Austin, in the first game, maybe wondering if this is the game that puts the Horns needing to win another Big 12 Tourney.
Krauth back for the Horn seventh, he was rocky early, but has been tough, the last few innings. Top of the order is Jones, leading off and batting righty. He lines a single up the middle, a lead runner. Kody Clemens bats lefty, with a man on. Jones is picked off first, the play goes 1-3-6 for one down. That is just unexcusable down three runs, the base running continues to be very loose, at the worst times. Clemens K's swinging at a pitch in the dirt, the 2-3 putout is now two away. Barrera bats righty, with two down. A high fly ball to left rides the wind to the track, but caught, to end the frame. A lead runner cut down by bad base running and Kansas leads 8-5, after seven.
Ridgeway comes back to pitch the Kansas eighth. Top of the order is Moroney, batting righty, leading off. He lines a single to left, for a lead runner. Pidaichuk bats lefty, with a man on. A ground ball on the left side of the infield sneaks by Barrera and into left, for another single, to put two on. Righty hitter is McLaughlin, with two on. He fouls off bunt attempt, with two strikes, the rule K, is one down. Tinsley bats lefty, with two on and one away. The runner goes and steals third without a throw. A ground ball up the middle and it gets by Gurwitz, for a single, to score another run. Kansas leads 9-5. Wright bats righty, with two on and one out. He is hit by a pitch to load the bases. That's all for Ridgeway, pitching change
Left hander is Jon Malmin, coming in for Texas. He faces Foyle, now batting righty, a switch hitter, with the bases loaded, one gone. A liner to righty is a single and Mathis boots it and two runs score, its a hit and an E-9. Kansas leads 11-5. Afiner bats lefty, with two on and one out. He K's swinging for two down. Wheeler bats righty with two on and two outs. He lines to second and that finally ends the inning. The wheels have come off it looks like and Kansas leads 11-5, bottom of the eighth.
Krauth comes out for the Horn eighth, that seemed most improbable earlier. Texas leads off with Kacy Clemens, batting lefty. A ground ball to the left side goes through, for a lead single. Gurwitz bats righty, with a man aboard. He K's swinging on pitch in the dirt, one down. DH is Baker, batting righty, with a man on, one out. A slow roller to second goes 4-3, for two outs, runner to second. Mathis bats lefty, with a man on and two outs. A full count and he takes a curve ball over the heart of the plate, the K will end the frame. To the ninth, Kansas in control 11-5.
Malmin will stay on and pitch the ninth. Kansas leads with righty hitter, Taylor. He K's swinging on a pitch in the dirt, the 2-3 completes the K, one down. Top of the order is Moroney, batting righty, with an out. He K's swinging on a fast ball, two down, fourteen K's now for Kansas, but it doesn't matter. Pidhaichuk will bat lefty, with two gone. A comebacker and Malmin will take it to the bag, the 1U will retire the side in order. Bottom of the ninth and Kansas leads 11-5.
Stephen Villines will come in and pitch the ninth for the Jayhawks. Krauth pitched a good game after the fourth and will probably get the win. Villines is a right hander, the submariner closer, for Kansas. Cantu leads off for the Horns, batting righty. Cantu grounds a ball off the pitcher, and it's an infield hit. This brings up Rand, batting righty, with a man on. Shaw runs for Cantu. A grounder to second goes 4-6-3 for a double play, but it looked like he beat the relay, but it's two gone. Top of the order is Jones, batting righty, with two gone. He is grazed on the knee, with a pitch, the HBP puts him on first. Kody Clemens bats lefty, with a man on and two down, trying to keep the game and most likely the regular season alive for Texas. He K's swinging on a fast ball, to end the game. Kansas wins 11-5, back in a bit.
Texas lead 5-4, after the fifth, then the roof fell in and Kansas scored seven straight runs. The loss makes Texas 14-20 on the season, with 18 games left. The longest winning streak of the season for Texas is two games. I'm not seeing a long winning streak from this team, just no way to see that. You can talk about the cutlery of your choice if you choose to, for the regular season, would love to be wrong, but I don't think I am. That means it's a do or die Big 12 Tournament again for the Horns, to reach a regional. For the hard core among you, there is still another game to play today, it starts in about 45 minutes.
The question remains as to how far will the powers that be let the program fall before they make an effort to get it fixed ? The longer they wait, the longer it will take to return this program to national championship relevance.
When did our outfield play suddenly become so horrible? How many misplayed balls have cost us runs this year?