The rubber game of the series is really big for both teams. We have talked about all this, it just remains to be seen who wins it. Wind will again be a big factor today, it's blowing harder than it has in the first two games. I have the game televised on Fox South, with no worry about a softball conflict. It's on other channels on Dish and Direct, have to check your television guide. The audio is on texassports.com Line-ups coming up.
In this third game of the series, OU gives the ball to Jake Elliot. He is 6' 7" junior right hander, with 0-0 record, an era of 5.13. There is no dirt on this pitching mound, it's all turf, I could see how that would affect visitor's pitching. It's a different feel when your lead foot comes down and there is no give at all, just a grab. The wind blows mostly out today, helping fly balls. Kody Clemens leads off, batting lefty, for the Horns, playing short. Sign given to play, so we get underway. A swing through a fast ball is the first out of the game, the K means one down. The centerfielder is Travis Rand, batting righty, with an out. He K's looking at a fast ball, for two gone. Kacy Clemens bats lefty, with two outs, playing first base. He lines out to third, to retire the side in order. Nothing for Texas, OU comes to bat.
Sophomore right hander is Kyle Johnston, on the mound for the Horns. He is 1-1 for the season, with 3.34 era. As always, the story for Johnston is command and control. The mid 90's fast ball and breaking pitch are both good. Cade Harris plays third base, batting lefty, leading off for the Sooners. A liner to center hangs up for Rand, one away. Centerfielder is Ben Hollas, batting also lefty, with an out. Two hopper to first and the feed to Johnston is a 3-1 second out. The shortstop is the Sooner's best hitter and player in Sheldon Neuse, batting righty, with two down. He turns on an inside fastball, and is still able to drive it to left, the wind will help that and it's off the scoreboard, for a homer. OU leads 1-0. Second baseman is Jack Flandsburg, batting lefty, with two gone. A ground ball to second and the 4-3 retires the side. OU gets a homer from their slugger and with this wind blowing out, runs will be needed today, most likely. After one OU leads 1-0.
For those with Directv, the game is on 676-5..... Bases empty...2 outs.....and Skip chooses to pitch to the hottest hitter in baseball.......home run!!!
Elliot is back to the hill for the Sooner, in the second. Tres Barrera bats righty, as the Horn third baseman, leading off. He grounds to third, the 5-3 is one down. The right fielder is Patrick Mathis batting lefty, with an out. He K's swinging on a high fast ball, for two down. Kaleb Denny is the DH, batting righty, two down. He lines a single to left, for the first Texas runner. The left fielder is Brady Harlan, batting lefty, with one on and two down. He K's swinging on another fast ball, to end the inning. Bottom of two and it's OU leading 1-0.
He ran a fastball in on Neuse, and he still hit it, you going to put him on with two outs, with Johnston's control problems, you never miss a chance do you.
Johnston back out, for his second inning of work. First baseman is Austin O'Brien bats righty, with one down. A ground ball to second is a 4-3 first out. Steel Walker bats lefty, with an out. He grounds to first, the 3U, for two gone. Alex Wise bats righty, with two down, he plays right field. A ground ball to short, the 6-3 will retire the side in order. Two played and it's 1-0 OU.
Elliot will work the third, for the Sooners. Michael Cantu, the Texas catcher, leads off batting righty. He really needs a hit to get his confidence up. A shallow pop to right and it's one away. The second baseman is Zane Gurwitz, batting righty, with an out. A liner goes to left toward the foul line and to the wall, for a double. Top of the order again is Kody Clemens, batting lefty, with a man on second, one down. A fly ball to left is two away. Randy bats righty, with the tying run at second, two outs. A looping fly ball off the end of the bat gets down in center, as the centerfielder dives and can't get it, Rand legs out a double, the run scores. Game tied 1-1. Kacy Clemens bats lefty, the lead run at second, two outs. Rand goes and the throw is low, and the third baseman can't handle it, stolen base. A ground ball to second goes 4-3, to end the frame. Texas gets their first run of the game to tie things at 1-1, bottom of three.
Johnston back out for the Sooner third. The DH is Hunter Haley batting lefty, leading off. A grounder to short goes 6-3, one away. Domenic Dorenzo is the Sooner catcher batting righty, with an out. A fly ball to left, the wind is carrying it, but it was a bit off the end of the bat, and it's caught at the wall, two down. Top of the order is Harris, batting lefty, with two retired. A grounder up the middle and Gurwitz backhands and throws, but late, an infield single. Hollas bats lefty also, with a man on and two outs. A little liner to second will end the inning. Three played with the game tied 1-1.
Elliot back for OU, in the fourth. Barrera leads off batting righty, leading off for the Horns. A ground ball to third and another 5-3 is out one. This brings Mathis batting lefty, with an out. He K's swinging for the second time, on a change, two down. Denny bats righty, as the DH, with two gone. A fly ball to center rides the wind to the track, but caught, to retire the side in order. Bottom of the fourth, tied 1-1.
So far, good and consistent home plate umpire. Both okie schools sure have hitter's ball parks....wow......so different from the Disch.
No, but I'd be very careful with the pitches....if he nibbles, no problem. If he doesn't, he ends up at first vs a home rum.
So Johnston out again, as the Sooner fourth starts. Leading off for OU is Neuse, batting righty. His homer is the Sooner run. A grounder to first and Clemens boots it, but recovers for the 3-1 put out, very close, replays say safe, but the out is on the board. Flandburg bats lefty, with an out. He K's swinging on a pitch in the dirt, the 2-3 completes the K, two down. Righty hitting O'Brien bats with two gone. He K's swinging, to retire the side in order. Four played, game tied 1-1.
A pitch on the fists isn't grooving one, he pulled his hands in and turned on it. You don't give up extra outs, the wind is blowing out, the next hitter Flandsburg, already has a three run homer in this series. Flandsburg is a good hitter, it's why he bats clean up.
Elliot back out for the fifth. Harlan leads off batting lefty, for the Horns. He K's swinging on another fast ball, one away. Righty hitting Cantu bats, with an out. He walks, for a runner. Gurwitz bats righty, with a man on, one away. His double tied the game, his last trip. He lines a single to left, to put two on. Top of the order is lefty hitting Kody Clemens, with two on, one out. A liner to center is two away. Up to Rand, batting righty, with two on and two down. His second hit is single up the middle and it scores Cantu. Texas leads 2-1. Kacy Clemens bats lefty, with still two on and two outs. A high pop on the left side, it retires the side. The Horns take the lead 2-1, halfway through this final game of the series.
Johnston tries to become the pitcher of recors, in the fifth. Lefty hitting Walker leads off, for the Sooners. A ground ball to second and a 4-3 first out. Wise bats righty, with an out. He reaches out and serves a liner to left center, for a single. The DH is lefty hitter Haley, with one on and one out. The big curve is taken for a called K and two down. Bottom of the order is Dorenzo, batting righty, with one on and two down. A full count and the runner is off and a single through the left side, to put two on. Top of the order is Harris, batting lefty, two on and two away. Grounder to second and the 4-3 ends the threat. Bottom of the fifth and Johnston does become the pitcher of record, as of now. Texas leads 2-1.
Elliot has been removed, after doing a pretty good job, in these conditions. The new pitcher for the Sooners is Keaton Hernandez, the right hander is making his second appearance in the series. Barrera leads off batting righty, for Texas. He K's swinging on an outside slider, for one away. Lefty hitting Mathis is up, with an out. He lines a ball down the right field line, the right fielder can't pick it up and it's ruled a triple. Pitching coach out, but just a defensive strategy visit. The righty hitting DH is Denny, with a man on third, one out. Really need this run. Infield in, a ball to the outfield will do the trick. A pitch to the backstop, but Mathis doesn't come home. A full count and a fly ball to right, here comes the throw, on the money, but just late, run scores, on the SF. Texas leads 3-1. Harlan bats lefty, with two down. He K's swinging, on the fast ball, to end the inning. Texas adds a run, to lead 3-1, bottom of six.
The game is on Fox Sports Southwest for those with cable, although you wouldn't know it by looking at the texassports.com website (or today's Statesman). Strange.
Johnston out for another inning, the Sooner sixth. Hollas leads off batting lefty. A 3-0 count brings out Skip. He walks, for a lead runner. Neuse bats righty, with a man on. A double play to short goes right between the legs of Clemens, then the throw in goes by the cutoff man, to send Neuse to second. It's an E-6 and just a mental error for Harlan on the throw. Skip out and that's it for Johnston, that's how quickly it can get away from you, pitching change
Travis Duke comes in to pitch for the Horns, the senior lefty. It's a full blown jam, he comes into. Flandsburg faces him, with two on. A little chopper goes over third and the throw home had a chance to get the second runner trying to score, but it was cut off, for some reason, the batter goes to second. Game tied 3-3. Skip out and another change.
Chase Shugart comes into pitch, for Texas, the freshman righty. O'Brien bats righty, with a man on second. He squares and can't get the bunt down, then K's on a fast ball, a big first out. Walker bats lefty, with a man on second and one away. A fly ball to left is two down. Righty hitting Wise is up, with a man on second, two outs. A comebacker to Shugart and he tags the runner, for the 1U, that ends the inning. Good job by Shugart, to keep the game tied, but two unearned runs score and it ties the game at 3-3, after six.
Hernandez pitches the seventh, for OU. Leading off for Texas is Cantu, batting righty. He lines out to second, for one away. Gurwitz bats righty, with one away. A ground ball to short is a 6-3 out two. Kody Clemens bats lefty, with two gone. He drives a ball to left center and it plugs the gap, for a double. Rand bats righty, the lead run at second, with two outs. A full count and he K's swinging, on the curve ball, to end the frame. Stretch time in Norman and tied 3-3, in the finale of the series.
Shugart back out for the seventh frame for OU, after getting Texas out of the last inning tied. Leading off for OU is their DH, lefty hitting Haley. A slicing fly ball to left and the wind carries it to the wall, but caught, for one away. Derenzo bats righty, at the bottom of the order, with one gone. A high fly to right for two down. Top of the order is Harris batting lefty, with two down. A full count and he walks, for a runner. Hollas bats lefty, with a man on and two outs. A 2-0 count brings out Skip, he returns to the dugout. Another full count and the runner will be off. A fast ball on the outside corner, is a called strike three, side down. Seven played and game still tied 3-3.
Sure wish Skip had pulled Johnston after that lead-off walk vs leaving him in to face Neuse who'd smoked him for a home run. Oh well. Let's go, Horns. Get those positive vibes back, and let's take this series! Hook'Em Johnston pitched a really good game today, overall. Lead-off walks are killers in the late innings, however.
Hernandez back out for the eighth, for the Sooners. Texas leads off with Kacy Clemens batting lefty. He K's on swinging on the fast ball, the tenth K of the game for Texas, one away. Barrera bats righty, with an out. He sends a ball to the gap, for a double, in left center. Coach out and a pitching change.
Nuese smoked a double play ball to short, right between his legs for an E-6, that's what tied the game, two unearned runs. What game are you watching?
Sheldon Neuse comes in to pitch, from shortstop, he does it all it seems, a right hander. Bret Boswell is a pinch hitter, batting lefty, with the lead run at second, one away. A fly ball to center is two away. Travis Jones is pinch hitting for Harlan, a righty, with a man on second and two outs. He K's swinging, on the fast ball, to end the inning. Botom of eight, tied 3-3.
Shugart out again for the eighth.ugart Neuse leads off batting righty, for OU. He pops out to short, a big out gotten there. So Flandsburg bats lefty, with an out. Another full count and he walks, for a runner. Righty hitter is O'Brien, with one on and one out. A fly ball to right is two gone. Lefty hitting Walker is up, one on and two down. A grounder to second and the 4-3 end the frame. Shugart with another good inning and to the ninth tied 3-3.
