The midweek game the University of Houston, at Constellation Field in Sugar Land. This is the home field for the Sugarland Skeeters, a pro team not affiliated with any mlb team. Houston is 19-12 on the season, this is the best team Texas has faced, since the TCU series. There is rain the area, this game may be delayed for even cancelled, depending on the weather. This could be good or bad, Texas needs all the wins they can get, but doesn't need a third consecutive Tuesday loss. Time will tell how it all shakes out. The game if played can be seen here Watch Texas vs. Houston Live Online at WatchESPN and the audio on texassports.com. Going for the line-ups:
Texas is the home team in this game, in the suburbs of greater Houston. Connor Mayes will get the start, the sophomore right hander, but there will be several pitcher's used most likely, on both sides. Houston will lead off with their right fielder, Connor Wong, from the right side. Wind blowing out to right field. He swings through a high fast ball, the K is our first out of the game. The DH is lefty hitter Michael Pyeatt, with an out. A chopper to third and the 5-3 out is made on dive by Clemens, two outs. Righty hitting Joe Davis, is the Cougar first baseman, with two away. A fly ball to center will retire the side in order. Nothing for Houston, Texas comes to bat.
Bubba Maxwell, a right hander, gets the start, his first of the year, but as we said earlier, maybe just a start, not a real starter. Kody Clemens lead off for the Horns, batting left handed. He lines the first pitch to second, for a 4U out one. Left fielder is Travis Jones, batting righty, with an out. A full count for the first time and fly ball to right does carry some, but not enough, two outs. Tres Barrera, the catcher tonight, bats righty, with two gone. He K's swinging on a low change, side down in order. Both teams go in order, so nothing, after one inning.
Mayes comes back for the Cougar second frame. Leading off for Houston is the third baseman, Justin Montemayor, batting from the lefty side. A deep fly to center is caught on the track, for one away. The left fielder is Corey Julks, batting righty, with an out. A high foul pop, on the right side, is two away, caught by Clemens. Josh Vidales, the second baseman, bats lefty, with two gone. A pitch that grazes his shoulder, is the first runner of the game. Righty hitter is the catcher, Jacob Campbell, with one on and two outs. A little looper will fall in center for the first hit, a single, to put two on. Connor Hollis bats righty, with two aboard, with two down. He swings through a fast ball, the K, will end the inning. Houston with a couple of runners, but nothing across, still no runs, bottom of two.
Maxwell back out for the Texas second. Leading off is Patrick Mathis, from the lefty side, the right fieder. He swings through a fast ball, for another K. one down. Kacy Clemens bats lefty, with an out, the first baseman. A fly ball to center is two outs. The second baseman is Zane Gurwitz, batting righty, with two down. A fly ball to right and the side down in order again. Two played and no runs to report.
Mayes is back out, as the third starts. Houston leads off with the nine hole hitter, Zac Taylor, the centerfielder, batting righty handed. He lines a single to righty center, a lead runner. Wong, bats righty again, at the top of the order, with a man on. The runner goes and a throw on a hop is well late, stolen base. He bunts down the first base line and it's a good one, that is let roll and it stays fair, for an infield hit, to put two aboard. Lefty DH is Pyaett, with runners on the corners. Skip out for a visit, but Mayes stays in. A liner to right is a single, to score a run. UH leads 1-0. Davis bats righty, with two on. A fly ball to right is one away, the runner at second tags and moves to third. Montemayor bats lefty, with an out, runners on the corners. A full count and he walks on a pitch outside, the bases loaded. Righty hitter is Julks, with the bases loaded, one out. A grounder by Barrera, another single, plates another run. UH leads 2-0. Here comes Skip and that's all for Mayes, pitching change.
The new pitcher is Beau Ridgeway, the freshman right hander, for Texas. He will face the lefty hitting Vidales, with the bases loaded, one out. A shallow fly ball to left, the runner heads home from third and he is easily out at the plate. The double play goes 7U-2, to end the inning. Houston gets two, to lead 2-0, bottom of the third.
Maxwell stays on for his third inning of work. Texas leads off with Bret Boswell, the shortstop, batting lefty. A fly ball to right is one away. The catcher is Michael Cantu, batting righty, with an out. A fly ball to center is two down. The nine hole hitter is Ty Rand, the centerfielder, with two outs. A two hopper is the third out, 6-3, side down in order again. Maxwell retires the entire Texas order in order, the first time around. Houston leads 2-0, after three.
Ridgeway back out for the fourth. Campbell leads off for the Cougars, batting righty. He lines a single to lefty, a lead runner. One aboard for Hollis, batting righty. He bunts and the sac goes 1-3, one down. Taylor bats righty, with a man on second, one away. A ground ball to third and the 5-3 is two gone, runner holds. Righty hitting Wong, back to the top of the order, with a man on and two down. He K's swinging on the high heater, the side is down. Bottom of the fourth and UH leads 2-0.
Maxwell back for the fourth, in his first start of the season. Kody Clemens leads off, for the Horns, batting lefty, Texas looks for it's first base runner of the game. A high pop foul, on the left side is caught by the third baseman, one away. Righty hitting Jones, bats with one down. A one hopper to third and the third baseman has it and the 5-3 out is two outs. Barrera bats righty, with two gone. A liner third will retire the side, yet again in order. Houston still leads 2-0, after four.
Ridgeway is back again for the fifth. UH leads with lefty DH, Pyeatt, He lines a single to righty, another lead runner. A man on for Davis, batting righty. He flies to right center and it's one away. One on and one out for the lefty hitting Montemayor. A fly ball to left is two outs. Julks bats righty with a man on and two outs. Another fly ball to left and the side is retired. Halfway through the game, UH leads 2-0, Texas looks to get somebody on base.
Maxwell stays in and looks to become the pitcher of record and a possible win. Mathis leads off batting lefty, for the Horns. A grounder goes through, on the left side of the infield, the first runner of the game for Texas. Kacy Clemens bats lefty, with a man on. He bunts and the sac goes 1-3, one away. Righty hitting Gurwitz, with a man on second, one away. A flair to right and it drops by the line, Gurwitz legs out a double, the run scores. Houston leads 2-1. Coach out for Houston and decides that Maxwell's first start is over. Pitching change.
Houston brings in lefty Trey Cumbie. Bret Boswell bats against him,lefty, one away, a man on second. He grounds to second, the 4-3 is two down, runner to third. Cantu bats righty, with a man on third, two outs. A fly ball to right will end the frame. Texas gets on the board, but Houston leads 2-1, after five.
The new pitcher for Texas is Nick Kennedy, a freshman left hander. Leading off for the Cougars is Vidales , batting right handed. Barrera need a new mitt, a broken leather string, he gets it. A high pop behind second and it's one away. Campbell bats righty, with one gone. He swings at a change in the dirt, the 2-3 putout, completes the K, two down. Righty hitter is Hollis, with two outs. A liner to left center and Rand on the run dives and has it, the defensive gem will retire the side in order. Bottom of the sixth, Houston leads 2-1.
Cumbie will return for the sixth, for the Cougars. As often is the case in baseball, Rand leads off, after a gem in the field, for the Horns. He swings through an outside fast ball, for a K, one down. Top of the order is Kody Clemens, batting lefty, with an out. A looper to left falls, for a single, for a runner. Jones Bats righty, with a man on and one out. A fisted ball to center will drop and Clemens saw it and goes to third. Runners on the corners for Barrera, one away. Infield at double play depth. The safety squeeze is on and it's to the left of pitcher, he picks it up barehanded, comes home, but late, the runs scores. That's a FC and an rbi. Not a good decision there by the UH pitcher. Game tied 2-2. Mathis bats lefty, with two on and one down. A ground ball toward the hole at short and the shortstop goes to third for the 6-5 force, two down. Kacy Clemens bats lefty, with two on and two gone. The catcher took a pitch off the hand, and walks out to the mound. He was crossed up and got a fast ball, right on the throwing hand, ouch. A fly ball to right will end the inning. Texas ties it up 2-2, after six.
Kennedy comes back to pitch the seventh, for the Horns. The Cougars lead off with Taylor, in the nine hole, batting righty. A bunt on the right side and Kenndy, tries backhand it and can't, an infield hit. Wong bats righty, the top of the order, with a man on. Another bunt and a good one, Kennedy makes a good play and gets him by an eyelash, at first, the sac is 1-3, almost a second bunt hit for this guy. Pyeatt bats lefty, with one on and one out. He grounds to short, the 6-3 is two outs, runner to third. Davis bats righty, with a man on third and two down. They walk the Houston slugger, to get to a lefty hitter and set up a force at second. Montemayor bats lefty, with two on and two outs. He hits a little jam shot that just gets over Boswell's outreached glove, the single will score the run. UH leads 3-2. Righty hitter is Jultz, with two on and two outs. A full count reaches and the runners are off and a grounder to third goes 5-3, to end the inning. They stretch in Sugar Land, Houston leads 3-2.
Cumbie back on the bump, for the Cougars, as the seventh frame for the Horns is here. Leading off is Gurwitz, batting righty. He K's swinging, on a high fast ball, one away. Boswell bats lefty, with one out. He grounds a single through the right side, for a runner. The DH is Cantu, batting righty, with one on and one down. Boswell is picked off first and the play goes 1-3-6, for the second out. Another base running mistake. Cantu back in and the count worked full. A fly ball to left and it dies at the track, to retire the side. Seven played and Houston leads 3-2.
Nolan Kingham comes in to pitch for Texas, in the eighth, another freshman and a right hander. The Cougars lead off with lefty hitting Vidales. A roller to short and the 6-3, is one away. Righty hitting Campbell is up, with one down. A high foul pop down the right field line and Gurwitz has it, for two gone. Hollis bats righty with two down. A high foul pop on the left side and Kody Clemens staggers, but has it, the side down in order. Bottom of eight, Houston leads 3-2.
Cumbie keeps pitching, as the Horn eighth starts. Rand leads off for the Horns, batting righty, at the bottom of the order. A high pop to shallow right, the second has it for one gone. Top of the order is Kody Clemens, with an out. He has a hit tonight. A grounder to second is a much too quick second out. Jones bats, at the top of the order, two down. He walks on four pitches, the first walk of the game for Texas. Coach out and a pitching change.
The new pitcher for the Cougars is their closer, Nick Hernandez, a right hander. He will face Barrera with a man on and two outs. Barrera steps in batting righty, with the tying run on. A full count and the runner will be off, a gapper could tie the game. He swings through a low fast ball, to end the inning, on a K. To the ninth, Houston still leads 3-2.
Kingham comes back for the ninth, trying to keep it a one run game. Houston lead off with the bottom of the order in Taylor, batting righty. A fly ball to left is one away. Top of the order again is Wong, batting righty, one down. A curve ball hits him on the shoulder, these don't believe in the getting out of the way rule, we have seen so often this year, a runner. Pyeatt bats righty, with a man on and one away. A hit and run ground ball goes to second, the 4-3 is two down, the runner to second. Big righty hitting Davis bats, a man on second and two outs. A fly ball to center will retire the side. Bottom of the ninth and Texas needs one to tie or two to win, Houston leads 3-2.
Hernandez will pitch the ninth, looking for a save. Texas leads off with lefty power hitter Mathis, the wind blowing out to right field. He has a single tonight. He takes a fast ball right down the middle, for a called strike three, the K is one away. Kacy Clemen bats lefty, with an out. A fly ball to right and the wind carries it, but caught at the base of the fence, two outs. Gurwitz bats righty, two down. The last hope for Texas in this game. He K's swinging on a fast ball way outside, the side down in order, that's the game. Houston wins 3-2, yet another low scoring loss, we have become so familiar with. Back soon.
The third straight Tuesday loss may just about do the Horns in, barring a big winning streak. Texas drops to 14-19, with nineteen games to play. It's another tough loss, but it was a game you really needed. That's the story of the season, and why it will probably take anothew Big 12 Tourney win, if the Horns see any action after that. Texas had an RPI of 116 before this game, this didn't help it, a win could have. Texas has Kansas in Austin, this next weekend, nothing but a sweep will do anything to help the sitauation. Even that will still makes it an uphill climb.
