The first road series of the season comes against #19 ranked UCLA, depending on what poll you believe. Texas comes in with a 6-7 record and UCLA is 6-6. The Bruins may be ranked, but they aren't exactly going all that well either. They were below the .500 mark and then finally fought their way above it. Then in their last game they lost 20-12 to California Northridge. You would expected some low scoring games and may still, but you never know. Be interesting to see how Texas does on the road against a quality team and UCLA is probably one. They can't hit like Cal, but their pitching is supposed to be better. Texas starting pitchings has been solid, but will that continue on the road. We will all see or rather hear how things play out, as the series begins. There is no television or even a webcast. Hard to believe a school close to Hollywood and known for being the alma mater of producers, directors, and actors has no webcast, but they don't. PAC 12 Network and their alternate channels have no interest it seems. The game audio will hopefully be here Texas Longhorns Athletics - TexasSports.com/audio: FREE streaming audio because it's all we got. Line-ups coming up.
Griffin Canning starts for the Bruins, a righter I think, with a 1.74 ERA. The Longhorn audio is not working for me, so I have found the UCLA audio. Left fielder Travis Jones, batting righty, leading off for Texas. The count runs full and he walks, for a lead runner. Bret Boswell bats lefty, playing shortstop, with one on. He squares and fouls off two bunt attempts. Then a grounder to short goes 6-4-3, for a double play. Bad execution there. Patrick Mathis will bat lefty, as the DH. He grounds to first and the 3U, will retire the side. Nothing for Texas, after a promising start, UCLA comes to bat.
Right hander Kyle Johnston gets the ball for Texas. He has pitched well this season, but needs his command to keep it up. The Bruin second baseman is Brett Urabe, batting left handed, leading off for UCLA. He walks on four pitches and that is not what you want to see out of Johnston. Brett Stephens, the left fielder, also bats lefty, with one on. A grounder gets through on the right side and the single puts runners on first and second. The right fielder is Eric Filia, who also bats lefty, with two on. A 2-0 count and comes Skip, as Johnston is struggling mightily with control. He walks on four pitches to load the bases. Luke Persico is the first righty batter, he plays first base, with the bases loaded. A ground ball to third and the only play is to first, the 5-3 is one away, as the runners move up, as a run scores. UCLA leads 1-0. The DH is Kort Peterson, batting righty, with two on, one in and one out. A fast ball is taken at the knees, for a called strike three and a big second out. Lefty hitting Christoph Bono bats, he plays third, with two on and two down. A liner to left and Jones has it to end he inning. Wildness costs Johnston and Texas a run in the first, but it could have been much worse. UCLA leads 1-0 after the first inning.
Canning pitches with a lead now as the second starts. Tres Barrera leads off batting righty, as the Texas catcher. He K's swinging on a fast ball, one down. Texas first baseman bats lefty, with one gone. He K's swinging on the curve ball, for two outs. Lefty third baseman is Kody Clemen, two gone. He lines a single to center, to put a man on. Right fielder is Brady Harlan, with one on and two down. A ground ball to third and the play goes 5-3, to end the frame. Bottom of two and UCLA leads 1-0.
Johnston back our for his second inning of work, looking for better command of his control. Leading off for UCLA is shortstop Jarvis Scott, batting lefty. He grounds to deep short and Boswell has it and it's nice 6-3 play and one away. Strong throw by Bret. Jake Hirabayashi bats righty, as the Bruin catcher, with one gone. He takes a curve ball for a called K and it's two gone. Third baseman Trent Chatterton bats right handed, with two away. A grounder up the middle is through for a hit, to put a man on. Top of the order is Urabe, with one on and two outs. He walks for the second time and it puts two on. Stephens bats lefty, with two on. He walks to load the bases. Filia will bat lefty, the bases loaded and two gone. A fly ball to left center and Harlan has it, to end the inning. Another big threat, but no damage done, as Johnston gets out of it. So UCLA still leads 1-0, after two.
Canning back for the third, for the Bruins. Jake McKenzie bats righty and plays second tonight, leading off for the Horns. He K's swinging on a heater, for one out. Centerfielder Zane Gurwitz bats righty, one down. A liner to right center and it falls and he keeps going, and slide just safely ahead of the throw from right. It's a double. The top of the order is back in Jones, batting righty, one on at second, with one out. The count runs full and he walks on a low fast ball, to put two on. Boswell bats lefty, with two on and one down. As the Longhorn audio is finally turned on. He swings and misses at a fast ball and it's two outs. Mathis bats lefty with two on and two outs. This is why he is in the line-up, he needs a big hit to tie the game. He walks to load the bases. Barrera bats with the bases loaded and two outs, from the right side. He could give the Horns the lead with a clutch hit. He stuck out his first trip. A blooper to center and it drops, two runs score. He didn't hit it well, but it does the job. Texas leads 2-1. Kacy Clemens bats lefty, two outs and two on at first and second. A grounder to second goes 4-3 and that retires the side. Texas gets two on the two out hit and leads 2-1, bottom of three.
Johnston now will pitch the third with the lead, he still looks for his control though. Righty hitter Persico bats righty, leading off for UCLA. A curve ball gets him swinging, for the first out. Peterson bats lefty, with one down. A long drive to right and it's gone for a game tying homer. Game tied 2-2. Lefty hitting Bono bats with one down. He bunts, but Barrera has it and the 2-3 play is two gone. Jarvis will bat righty, with two away. The counts runs full and a curve ball is taken for K and that ends the inning. Johnston found his control, but Peterson gets his first ever college homer to tie the game 2-2, after three full.
Did Augie do a "Mack Brown on Vince Young" on the batters ??? Hit against Sam and now against UCLA Killing it tonight.....WOW
Canning pitches the fourth, for UCLA. Leading off for Texas is Kody Clemens, batting lefty. He bunts down the third base line and it's a nice one, no play and the infield hit is his second knock of the game, a lead runner. Harlan will bat lefty, with one on. He squares and lays down the bunt and the sac goes 5-3, with a scoop at first, one down. McKenzie will bat righty, with an out and the lead run at second, one out. A ground ball to short and the shortstop boots it, it puts runners two on, on the E-6. Clemens had to hold at second. Nine hole righty hitter is Gurwitz, with two on and one down. He doubled his last trip. A 2-0 count brings out the UCLA coach, but he leaves Canning in. A liner to right and the right fielder dives and can't make the play. Another double for Zane scores a run. Texas leads 3-2. Runners at second and third for the top of the order in Jones batting righty, with one down. Big chance to play add on. Runner held at third because it looked like the right fielder might have caught the ball. A fly ball to center and it's deep enough for a SF, the run scores. Texas leads 4-2. Boswell bats lefty, with a man at second and two away. A long fly ball to right and it's way out of here, for homer. Texas leads 6-2. Mathis bats lefty, with two gone. A ground ball to short is a 6-3 out to retire the side. Texas gets four, the long homer by Boswell the big blow. The error made three of the runs unearned, but they still count and Texas leads 6-2, bottom of the fourth.
Johnston will pitch with a bigger lead now, in the fourth. Hirabayashi will lead off, for the Bruins, batting righty. A dribbler by Johnston and McKenzie barehands it and the sparkling 5-3 play is one down. Chatterton bats righty, with one gone. He grounds to short and Boswell boots this one. The E-6 puts a man on. Urabe is the top of the order again, batting lefty, one on. A wild pitch and the runner moves to second. A 3-1 count brings Skip to the mound, as the error seemed to unnerve Johnston. Skip leaves and Urabe back in. A full count now and he walks to put two on, the third walk for Urabe. Stephens bats with two on and one down. He has two hits tonight so far. Skip out and the change is made.
Johnston just didn't have his command tonight and the new pitcher for Texas is lefty Jon Malmin. He will face the lefty hitting Stephens, with two on and one out. H K's swinging on the high heater, two down. Another lefty swinger is Filia, with two on and two outs. A full count is reached and the runners will be off and running. The go and he walks on a low pitch to load the bases. Persico will bat righty, with the bases loaded and two outs. A grounder to second will go the short way, a 4-6 force to retire the side and get the Horns out of yet another big jam. Four played and it's Texas in the lead 6-2.
Canning still pitches in the Texas fifth. The Horns lead off with Tres Barrera, the righty hitting catcher. He K's swinging and it's one away. Kacy Clemens bats lefty, with one down. A ground ball to short and after a bobble by the shortstop the play is close at first, but the 6-3, is two outs. Kody Clemens bats lefty, two gone. A fly ball to left and it retires the side in order. Halfway through the opener in LaLa land and the Horns lead 6-2.
Malmin will stay in the game and start the fifth inning. Leading off for UCLA is the DH, in lefty hitter Kort Peterson. He has homered in the game earlier. Another full count and he K's swinging, for one away. Bono bats lefty, one retired. He walks on four pitches, don't know if the ump has a tight zone because of no video, but sure has been a lot of free passes in this game. Jarvis bats from the right side, with one on and one down. A grounder goes by Clemens at third, the single puts two on. Righty hitter is Hirabayashi, with two on and one out. He is 0-2 tonight. He bunts down the third base line and Clemens fields and falls down. charging from third. That loads the bases on the E-5, which is ruled. Chatterton bats righty, in the nine hole, with the bases juiced and one out. He K's swinging on a fast ball and it's a big second out. Top of the order for lefty hitter Urabe, with the bases loaded and two outs. He has walked all three at bats tonight. A full count and the merry-go-round will start now. A liner to short and Boswell has it, to end the inning. Texas gets out of yet another big jam, and after five innings they lead 6-2.
Canning gets another inning on the hill for the Bruins, in the Texas sixth. Brady Harlan leads off batting lefty, as the bottom of the order is due. A fly ball to left will be the first out. Righty hitting McKenzie will bat righty, he is playing because of an injury to Joe Baker at practice this week. He bunts but Canning has it and the 1-3 is two down. Gurwitz bats righty, with two retired. He has two doubles on the game. He lines to right, but the right fielder has it, again the side down in order. Bottom of the sixth and Texas leads 6-2.
Often used lefty Travis Duke will come in for Texas, in the sixth. His tenth appearance in the 14 Horn games played. Stephens will lead off batting lefty, for the Bruins. Yet another full count and grounder to second goes 4-3, for an out one. Another lefty hitter is Filia, with one gone. A fly ball to center is a quick two outs. Persico bats righty, with two retired. Duke looks for the first quick inning for Texas tonight. A grounder to short and it goes right between his legs, his second E-6 of the game, have to have a runner it seems. Peterson bats lefty, with one on and two outs. He has a homer tonight. He lines a single to right, the runner was off on the hit and run, it puts runners at the corners. Bono bats lefty, with two outs and two on. He K's swinging on a big round house curve ball, to retire the side. UCLA again leaves multiple base runners stranded, Texas leads still 6-2, after six gone.
He's over a hundred pitches, but Canning hangs in the game, as the seventh starts. Top of the order is Jones, batting righty, to lead off for the Horns. A high chopper behind third goes 5-3, for the first out. Boswell bats lefty, with one gone. A fly ball to fairly deep right field is caught for two down. Mathis bats from the left side, with two outs. A liner goes over the second baseman's outstretched glove, for a single, to end a long consecutive out string for Canning. Tate Shaw comes in to run for the still gimpy Mathis. Barrera bats righty, with one on and two gone. A liner to left and it's down for another single, to put two on. You would think that Canning is out of gas. Here comes the UCLA Skipper with the hook finally. Pitching change.
The new Bruin hurler is lefty Hunter Virant, a junior. He will face as his first hitter Kacy Clemens, batting lefty, with two on and two gone. Texas tries to play add on and make what has been a tedious lead, with all the Bruin traffic, on the base paths, larger. A liner down the line in right is down, for a double that plates another run. Texas leads 7-2. Kody Clemens will bat lefty, with runners on second and third, one away. More add on wouldn't hurt a thing. Another walk in the game will load the bases, the bases have gotten a work out tonight. Lefty hitting Harlan bats, the bases loaded and one gone. He could break this game wide open, with a gapper. A liner behind the first base bag is caught and the tag of first is a 3U double play. Texas adds one, more runners left on and as they stretch in Westwood, Texas now leads 7-2.
Duke will pitch the seventh for the Horns. Jarvis will lead off for UCLA, the righty hitting shortstop. Another full count and a liner to right is caught by Harlan, one down. Righty hitter and hitless on the game is Harabayashi, with one retired. He swings at the high heat and it's two away. Nine hole hitter is Chatterton, batting righty, with two gone. A liner to right is one hop in front of Harlan, and UCLA just has to get a runner every inning. Top of the order one more time is Urabe, batting lefty, with on on and two outs. He flies to center and that will end the frame. Seven innings down and Texas leads 7-2.
A new pitcher is Jon Olson a right hander, from Rancho Cucamonga, just like saying that, it's a long game. McKenzie leads off, batting right handed, for the Horns, in the eighth. He rifles a single to left, on a high fast ball, to put another runner on. Gurwitz bats righty, in the nine hole, with one on. A hard one hopper goes to short and the 6-4-3 is the third DP of the game for UCLA. The top of the order is Jones, batting righty, with two down. A called strike three will end the inning. Bottom of eight comes and Texas ahead 7-2.
Duke stays on the mound for Texas, in the UCLA eighth. The Bruins lead off with Stephens, their left fielder, batting lefty. A ground ball up the middle is a lead single, and yet another base runner for the Bruins. Filia bats lefty, with one on. He grounds to second and it's a 4-6 force, for the first out. The ball not hit hard enough to turn two. Persico bats righty, with one on and one down. A ground ball ball to deep short and Boswell knocks it down and recovers and throws to second for the second out, on a 6-4 force. Peterson bats lefty, with one on and two down. Persico is picked off first, the play goes 1-3-6 to retire the side. To the ninth and Texas still ahead 7-2.
Olson will pitch the ninth for UCLA. Boswell bats lefty, leading off for the Horns. He flies to shallow center for the first out. Michael Cantu bats for the first time, as he is the DH now for Mathis. This is the first game he didn't start. The righty hitter flies to fairly deep left, but caught, for two away. Righty hitting Barrera bats with two outs. He has two singles and two K's tonight. He sends one down the line in left and it turns into his third single of the game because he is hosed at second, trying to stretch it into a double, the play goes 7-4, to retire the side. Bottom of the ninth, Texas leads 7-2.
