Opening Day: UNLV vs. Texas

It's baaaack! Have you missed it, you know you have. Yes, there may be a nightmare for parking at the Disch. The traffic on I-35 is probably backed up from the Snake Farm to Temple, but it's time for the "Boys of Late Winter To Late Spring" to get started.

Seems long ago that things shut down in Arlington doesn't it. By the way UTA beat #7 Okie State today 3-2, in that very ballpark, for the first big uspset of the season.

The weather is warm and the field turf is freshly painted, soon the sounds of college students hawking promotions will fill the air between innings. Let's forget that last part. I mean the ping of some kind of metal bat on the ball. Ok, it's not the purest of baseball, but it's Texas Longhorn Baseball and that's enough, isn't it.

It's a new season, with a somewhat new cast of characters, as many old ones have moved on. Some familiar characters and constants still remain though, the pitching will be good, will this be the team that finally puts the offense back in Horn baseball conversations, in a positive light.

The Texas hitting attack has been like one of those daytime soaps, where the storyline hasn't changed much in a long time. You could miss a lot of episodes and just pick right back up where you left off. We need to change these "Days Of Our Slumps, "The Young and the Hitless," the Horn attack has been in traction in the "General Hospital," for much too long. For the record "Luke and Laura," never could hit the curve ball either and had bad mechanics.

It's time to change the script and put hitting back into the Texas Baseball storyline, along with the "Emmy" winning type of pitching, of the past several years. Can it , will it happen? Stay tuned Hornfans faithful, the first episode of a new season of our story starts at 6 pm, at the Disch.

We now return you to regular Hornfans, as we go in search of the starting line-ups and other good stuff. Be sure and tune back in to this channel later.

 

The game will be broadcast on LHN and I believe that the audio, with the very informative narrative of Craig Way and his fashion statement of each team's uniform, will be found here.

Texas Longhorns Athletics - TexasSports.com/audio: FREE streaming audio

The UNLV starters:

For the eyesight challanged, you can click on either line-up, to increase it's size and readability.




The Texas Line-up:

 

"The game will be broadcast on LHN. I believe that the audio, with the very informative narrative of Craig Way and his fashion statement of each team's uniform, will be found here."

Boy he's got it easy, a color guy and spotters, would love to see him type a broadcast. Could you imagine that, would take a million pages. He would be out for the year, after one game, with knarled fingers, that could never be straightened.

 

Time to get things started on the 2016 Texas Baseball Season.

Right hander Kyle Johnston gets the start for the Horns. He has a big time fastball, a nasty curve, and has been working on a change. It's all about control with him, the stuff is there.

Justin Jones, the Rebel second sacker steps in, from the left side of the batter's box and awaits the first pitch of the season.
It's a ball just outside and we are underway.
A ground ball to first is taken to the back by Clemens ant the first out is recorded 3U.

Nick Rodriguez, the shortstop, bats righty with one down.
A one hopper goes back to Johnston, the 1-3 is two away.

Payton Suier, the left fielder bats lefty, with two gone.
He bloops one to left and the new Horn left fielder Rand let's it fall in for the first hit of year. He could of caught that, but looked unsure on that play, freshman jitters.

Corey Pool plays right field and bats righty, with one on and two down.
The count runs full and the runner will be away with the pitch.
An inside heater is ball four and two are on at first and second.

The first baseman for UNLV is Nick Amers batting from the left side, with two aboard and two outs.
Another full count and again the runners will move with the delivery.
Another walk on an inside pitch will load the bases and bring out Skip for his first visit this year.

You wish Rand had made the play in left, but he didn't and now Johnston needs to settle down.

Andrew Yazdanbaksh, say that three times fast, bats righty, he is the catcher, bats righty, with the bases loaded and two down.

He flies one out to Gurwitz in center to retire the side and get Johnston out of the jam.

No damage done and Texas comes to bat for the first time this season.

 

A big righty in D.J. Myers get the start for UNLV.

Zane Gurwitz, the Texas centerfielder will lead off from the right side. Zane need to get on base early and often as he takes over the leadoff role from Ben Johnson.
He lines one right at the centerfielder, hit well, but it's one away.

Shortstop Bret Boswell bats lefty, with one away, he takes over for C.J. Hinojosa, moving from third base.
He swings through a high change, the K means two gone.

Patrick Mathis bats lefty and plays left field, as he becomes a new starter this year, trying find a groove as a hitter.
He grounds weakly to second and the 4-3 retires the side in order.

Horns looking still for offfense and after one played it's nothing across for either side.

 

Johnston is back for his second inning on the mound.

Leading off for the Rebels is A.J. Vanmeetren, the DH, batting lefty.
Yet another full count comes and he walks on a high fastball.
Johnston is struggling.

The centerfield is Cody Howard, the left fielder, batting right handed, with one on and no outs.
He pops out foul to Kacy Clemens, for one down.

Kyle Isbel, the third baseman, bats lefty, with one on and one away.
A comebacker and it goes 1-6-3 for the double play that ends the inning sudenly.

Johnson throwing a lot of pitches, but still no damage done.

Bottom of two and still no runs scored.

 

Myers returns to the hill, for his second inning.

Leading off for Texas is the team leader and catcher, Tres Barrera, batting righty.
He grounds one sharply off the pitcher, but he recover and the 1-3 is the first out.

Michael Cantu is the DH, and bats righty.
He lines one to the gap in right center and it bounces over the wall for a ground rule double. Might have been a triple if it stay in play.
First hit of the year for Texas.

Kacy Clemens, the first baseman, bats lefty, with one on and one away.
A runner in scoring position, for the first time and Clemens swings through a high fast ball to leave him there.

Two down for the younger brother Kody Clemens, playing third and batting also left handed. A man at second and two down. The Marlows have been replaced by the Clemens tonight.
The count runs full for Kody and a hit to the outfield will probably deliver the first run of the year.
Clemens fouls off a couple of pitches and then takes a fast ball just high to put two on.

Jake McKenzie bats righty and plays second for the injured Joe Baker, with two on and two outs.
A ground ball sneaks through up the middle and Cantu motors home to score the first run of the year.
Great clutch at bat for Jake.

Texas leads 1-0.

Pitching coach comes out for a meeting for UNLV.

Ty Rand bats for the first time as a Longhorn and plays left.
The freshman righty hitter lines the first pitch to right center and Clemens scores.
Big time debut for Rand.

Texas leads 2-0.

Gurwitz is back at the top of the order batting righty with two on, two in, and two down.
He sends a drive to left that dies on the track, that retires the side.

New starters make some noise and deliver in the clutch, so the Horns take a 2-0 lead, after two complete.

 

Johnston comes out for the third with the lead now.

He faces the UNLV leadoff man for the second time in second baseman Justin Jones. He bats lefty.
He lines one to the gap in right center and Gurwitz runs it down, with a good jump, for the first man retired.

Nick Rodriguez, at short will bat again, from the right side.
With one gone he runs yet another full counrt and he walks on a fast ball just a bit down.

Payton Suier bats lefty, he plays left, with one on and one down.
A pitch in the dirt and the wild pitch sends the runner to second.
Suier lines one by Boswell to left and the runner stops at third to put runners on the corners.

The right field Pool chops one by Boswelland the single score a run.

Texas leads 2-1.

Runners on second and first with one down for Nick Ames, the first baseman, batting from the left side.
Johnston struggling to get a breaking pitch over and it's costing him.
Another full count and a fly ball just short of the track in left is caught by Rand, for two gone.

Yazdanbaksh, the catcher bats righty, with two on and two down.
Johnston finally gets his curve over and it's taken for a K to end the rally.

UNLV gets on the board and it's 2-1 Texas, bottom of three.

 

Myers back to the bump for the Texas third.

Boswell leads off for the Horns batting lefty,
He sends a long fly ball to center, the wrong part of the ballpark. It's put away for a lead out.

Mathis back up lefty, with one down.
The count goes full and he rips one on the right side and the second baseman ranges over and makes the play 4-3, two gone.

Barrera bats righty, with two gone.
A ground ball goes to third over the bag, but fielded by the third baseman, the throw is wide and by the first baseman.
It's scored a hit and an error, as Tres goes to second. That might be questionable, seemed he would have had him, with a good throw.

Anyway, Cantue, the DH, bats right with two outs and a man in scoring position, at second.
Need a clutch job, to score the run.
Cantu lines a change off the end of the bat that lands in left safely.
Barrera is chugging around third and just beats the throw home.
Cantu goes 2-2, on the young season, with now an rbi.

Texas leads 3-1.

Kacy Clemens tries to find his hitting stroke, batting lefty with one on and two down.
He continues to struggle taking a big curve that drops over the plate for an inning ending K.

Texas gets an unearned run on the Cantu single and leads now 3-1 after three played.

 

Johnston, with his two run lead back, comes out again, in the fourth. Both pitchers have thrown a lot of pitches and probably will be gone soon.

Leading off for the Rebels is the DH Vanmeeten, batting lefty.
He walks on a pitch down low and the lead man reaches.

Howard the centerfielder bats righty, with one aboard.
He throws a hard slider or split by him and the swinging K is one down.

The third baseman Isbel, bats lefty, with one on and one gone.
A fast ball is taken on the outside corner, for another K, so two down.

The top of the order comes again for the Rebels in lefty Jones, the second baseman.
He swings lefty, with two away and one on.
Another sharp breaker and he K's swinging to end the inning.

So after a lead walk Johnston finds his command and K's the side.

Bottom of the fourth and Texas leads 3-1.

 

Myers will come out for the Horn fourth.

Kody Clemens will lead off for Texas batting lefty. He singles sharply through the legs of the first baseman, another interesting scoring call, but it's the first hit as a Horn for him.

With one on McKenzie will bat righty and let's see if the bunting came is on for the first time.
He does square and fouls a couple off, so the bunt may be off now.
Instead he does bunt and fouls off another for K by rule.

Ty Rand bats righty with one on and one down. He got is first ever Texas hit on the first pitch he saw.
Clemens goes, the throw beats him, but one hops the shortstop and he can't handle it, stolen base.
A chopper on the left side goes through for another single for Rand.
Clemens has to hold at third.

Gurwitz, the top of the Longhorn order is up, with runners on the corners and one down.
Need to score this run and get some breathing room.
Have to put the ball in play, but he doesn't. A fast ball on the inside corner rings him up, for two away.
Not a good at bat there.

Boswell bats lefty, with two on and two down.
Rand goes and the throw goes to third, but Clemens stay at third.
Boswell can deliver two big runs here with a safety to the outfield.
He like Gurwitz takes the curve that cuts the plate in half, for a called strike three to end a promising inning.

Texas wastes a real scoring chance there, still to many strike outs.

So after four completed, Texas in the lead 3-1 still.

 

The fifth comes and lefty Josh Sawyer will come in to pitch for Texas.
Johnston threw a lot of pitches and struggled with command, but settled down in his last inning.

The UNLV shortstop Rodriguez, leads off against him, batting righty.
A grounder to short goes 6-3, for one away, as Sawyer starts well.

Sueir up batting lefty, with two hits tonight.
He tries a slug bunt, but Sawyer flags it and the 1-3, two quick outs.

Pool bats lefty with two down.
He grounds to short and it goes right over the glove of Boswell, it's called a hit, and now they change it back to E-6, which is the proper call. Should have been a quick inning for Sawyer.

Ames playing first, bats lefty, with one on and two gone.
He walks to put two on.

Yazdanbaksh, the catcher bats righty, with two outs and two on.
A comebacker will go 1-3 and though it took some extra pitches due to the error, Sawyer get out unscathed.

Halfway through the first game of the season and Texas continues to lead 3-1.

 

Myers will come back out one last time in the Texas fifth, you would think.

Mathis leads off for the Horns, batting lefty.
A ground ball to short is booted and the E-6, puts him on.

Barrera bats righty handed with one on.

Here comes the UNLV coach and he leaves him in.

Barrera back in and he squares to bunt.
He lays it down and the 1-3 sac will move Mathis to scoring position at second.

Cantu bats righty with one on and one down.

Coach back out and that's all for Myers.

Pitching change.

 

The new hurler for the Rebels is right hander Dean Kremer.

He faces Cantu, who is 2-2, with an rbi, so far tonight, with Barrera at second.
A ground ball goes to second the out is made 4-3, as Barrera moves over to third.

Kacy Clemens bats lefty, still looking for his first hit and a much needed rbi.
Two outs for him and and a man on second.
A fairly deep fly ball to right center is no problem and the out retires the side.

Five gone now and Texas maintains the 3-1 lead.

 

Sawyer will come back out to face UNLV in the sixth.

Leading off for the Rebels is their lefty DH, Vanmeetren.
He bats in the 7th position and after a couple of good breakers, he blow the fastball in and it's taken on the outside corner for a K.

One down and Howard bats righty, with one down.
He grounds one hard back up the middle and Sawyer reaches out with his bare hand and takes it off the fingers. It rolls out to second, but there is no play, an infield hit.

Sawyer takes a couple of throws, but say he is ok.

A pinch hitter is Cooper Esmay batting righty, for the Rebels, he hits for Isbel.
One on and one out for him, as he stands in.
The count runs full and he had the runner picked off first, but the throw was high and he gets back in.
A liner to center goes to Gurwitz in his tracks for two away.

Leadoff man Jones will bat again lefty, with two outs and one aboard.
He takes a fast ball down the middle, the K looking will end the inning.

Bottom of six on the way, Texas in the lead still 3-1.

 

Kremer back out for the Texas sixth frame.

Kody Clemens leads off batting from the left side.
A fly ball to left center is an easy first out.

McKenzie bats righty, with one away, he has a hit and an rbi in the contest.
He takes a fast ball on the outside half of the plate, to K looking, two gone.

Rand bats at the end of the order, he has two singles in his first game at Texas.
He shoots a hard ground ball down the first base line, but snagged on his knees by the first baseman. The unassisted 3U, retires the side in order.

Six by the boards now and Texas hangs on 3-1.

 

Sawyer with a good outing gives way to freshman Blake Wellman, in the seventh.
The tall lean right hander is of cours e making his first outing as a Horn.

Rodriguez leads off batting righty and he flies out to shallow center, for one away.

Suier bats lefty and he has two hits tonight.
A grounder to second goes 4-3, for two away.
A fast ball in the dirt is and Suier fishes and the swinging K retires the side for UNLV also in order.

The freshman Wellman looks sharp in this first action, as the Horns hold onto the lead 3-1, as they Cotton Eye Joe for the first time this year in the seventh inning stretch.

 

Kremer takes the mound again, for UNLV, as the Texas seventh starts.

Gurwitz bats righty at the top of the order leading off.
He draws a lead off walk, the kind of at bat you hope Gurwitz will have often in his new role.
t
Boswell is up lefty to bunt with one on.
He squares and pops a bunt down the line, it lands fair and the first baseman had a play at second as Gurwitz had to hold up, but he takes it to first.
It's a 1-3 sac, for one down, as Gurwitz moves to scoring position.

Mathis bats lefty, with one down, and one on.
Texas has missed chances to extend this lead and make things easier, but hasn't cashed in yet.
He swings right through a fastball and the K is two gone.

It's up to Barrera to deliver a big hit to extend the lead, as he bats righty, with one on at second and two away.
The count runs full and a ground ball to second goes the 4-3 route, that ends the inning.

Texas squanders another runner in scoring position, with less than two outs.

The lead stays at 3-1, seven in the books.

 

Mighty nice thread you got goin' here NBH7!

3-1 Horns leading fist game of first series of the year.

Come on Horns - let's get 'er done!!!

 

Nevada was still a territory in 1861-1865 during the Civil War. Why did they pick "Rebels" as their nickname???

 

The freshman Wellman, who looked good in his initial inning is back for the UNLV eighth.

He faces the Rebel first baseman Ames, leading off batting lefty.
He walks and lead man is on.

A pinch runner Allen comes in for Ames.

Skip comes out for a meeting. He leaves Wellman in.

Yazdanbaksh steps in righty, with one on.
He is hitless tonight.
A slicing fly ball to right is caught by Mathis by the right field line, for one away.

Skip is back out and that is all for Wellman, he did well in his first game.

Pitching change.

 

Travis Duke the senior left hander, comes in to replace Wellman. This is the situational type of pitching that Duke usually excells in.

He faces the left handed DH Vanmeetren, with one on and one down.

UNLV now decides to counter, with a pinch hitter, righty Austin Anderson.
The count runs full, as two fast balls just miss the plate.
He walks on an outside fast ball to put the tying runs on.

Howard bats righty with one out and two on.
A fly ball to right is two away, but the runner tags from second and moves to third.

Runners on the corners and two down for third baseman Cooper Esmay, who came into the game earlier as a pinch hitter.
A fly ball to right and the wind plays tricks on Mathis and he misplays it and it will go as a game tying triple.

Game ties 3-3.

Jones, at the top of the order bats lefty, with one on and two outs.
He flies to right and Mathis has this one, to end a tough inning.

UNLV has hung around all night and they tie it at 3-3, bottom of the eighth.

 

Its YOUR field...How do you miss play that ball ?

 

Kremer who has kept UNLV in the game is back once more in the Texas eighth.

Cantu leads off for Texas, from the right side.
He lines one at the centerfielder, for one away.

Kacy Clemens bats lefty with one down.
He grounds the first pitch to second and the 4-3 is two quick outs.
He keeps struggling.

Kody Clemens bats lefty with two gone.
He also grounds to seconed and the side is down much to soon in order.

Eight innnings played and tied at 3-3.

 

I dont know but it could cost us the game

 

http://deadspin.com/the-curious-case-of-unlvs-not-racist-mascot-1745995626

I read the story somewhere years ago about how southern Nevada UNLV "seceded" from the northern Nevada University of Nevada at Reno, but UNLV wasted time on a study to confirm this already known history.

 

This game has to go to 16 innings, otherwise we have not started this year of Augieball off on the right foot!

 

In comes another freshman in Chase Shugart, who has been given the closer role, for now. The right hander comes in for his first work as a Horn in a pressure packed situation.

Rodriguez leads off batting righty.
He walks on four pitches, to reach.

Suier bats lefty, with one on.
He bunts and the sac goes 1-3, one down.
Lead run to second.

Pool bat righty with one down, the lead run at second.
He flies to shallow right and that's two away.

Centerfielder Allen, who came in as a pinch runner and scored, bats lefty, for the first time, with the lead run at second and two outs.
He grounds out to short to retire the side.
Shugart gets the Horns out of trouble.

Texas has a chance to win it as we go to the bottom of the ninth tied at 3-3.

 

Shugart struggles at first but gets us out of the 9th. B- 9 Runner on 1st - need a double to win...

 

Crap. Going to the 10th still tied 3-3.