Tulane vs. Texas Game 3

The rubber game of the series, with conference play on the horizon, for both teams.

The game televised on LHN and audio on texassports.com

Line-ups coming.

 

Tulane line-up:



Texas starters:

 

Right hander Kyle Johnston gets the ball righttoday, after starting the suspended game on Friday.

Leading off for Tulane their second baseman Cade Edwards, batting righty.
He walks on four pitches, a lead runner.

Catcher Jake Rodgers bats righty, with one on.
He single to right toward the corner, then moves up on the throw.

Grant Witherspoon the righty first basemanbats, with two on.
He K's swinging, a big first out.

The righty DH is Matt Rowland, with two on and one out.
He also K's swinging, on a heater, a bigger second out.

The right fielder is Lex Kaplan, with two on and two outs.
A fly ball to center and Johnston gets out of a first inning jam.

Lot of noise, but no runs, Texas to bat, looking for the lead.

 

A right hander for Tulane is Emerson Gibbs, starting in the finale

Leading off is left fielder Travis Jones, batting right handed.
He K's swinging, on a heater, one down.

Bret Boswell bats lefty, with an out.
The Texas shortstop grounds to first, the 3U is two away.

Right fielder is Patrick Mathis, bats lefty, two outs.
He grounds a single through the right side of the infield, for a single, first Horn runner.

Tres Barrera bats righty, as the Texas DH, one on and two gone.
He takes a big cure on a full count pitch, to retire the side.

The Horns with a hit, but nothing more, so after an inning no rus across.

 

Johnston back to the mound for the Green Wave second, hoping for an easier inning.

The righty hitting third baseman leads off for Tulane, in Hunter Hope
He K's swinging on a slow curve, that dropped off the table, one out.

Left fielder Jarrett Dehart, bats lefty, with an out.
He also K's swinging, on a hard running slider, two away, after the 2-3 put out.

Matt Braud is a righty hitting shortstop, with two gone.
The sharp slider is taken this time, for a called strike three, to retire the side in order.

Much easier inning for Johnston, as he strikes out the side, so bottom of two, 0-0.

 

Gibbs is back out for his second inning of work.

Texas leads off with Kody Clemens, batting lefty, he plays third base.
A high fly ball to left is one down.

Kacy Clemens plays first and bats lefty, with one out.
He K's swinging onb a slow curve, for two away.

The Horn catcher is Michael Cantu, batting right handed, with two gone.
One hopper to short and the 6-3 retires the side in order.

Both sides down in order in the second, on to the third and still nothing across.

 

Johnston is back for the Horns in the Tulane third.
Leading off for the Green Wave is the bottom of the order in centerfielder, Richard Carthon, batting lefty.
He K's swing on the low breaking slider, one away.

Top of the order is Edwards, batting righty, with an out.
The count goes full and a pitch just low, is a walk, for a runner.

Rodgers bats righty, with one on and one out.
A ground ball up the middle and McKenzie boots the double play ball, the E-4 puts two on. McKenzie playing for the injured Baker.

Witherspoon bats righty, with two on and one out.
He grounds to first and the play goes 3-6, for a force and two down.

Runners on the corners, with two away, for Rowland, batting righty, with two on and two down.
He grounds to Boswell and he boots it for an E-6, that scores a run.

Tulane leads 1-0.

Kaplan bat lefty, with two on and two outs.
He singles up the middle, for another run.

Tulane leads 2-0.

The errors have shaken up Johnston, as might be expected.

Righty hitting Hope bats, with still two on and two down.
A fast ball, taken for a called strike three, fianlly ends the frame.

Errors are killing Texas, they give Tulane two unearned runs, they lead 2-0, bottom of the third.

 

Gibbs pitches the third for Tulane, with a lead now.

Leading off for the Horns is Jake McKenzie, batting righty, playing for Baker that injured himself yesterday, by running into an umpire.
He grounds to first and the 3-1 play is one down.

Centerfielder is Zane Gurwitz, batting righty, with an out.
A comebacker to the mound goes 1-3, two gone.

Top of the order again, in Jones, batting righty, two down.
A ground ball to short and the throw is wide of first, but Jones tries for second and is thrown out there, thought he looked safe.
This will be an E-6 and a 6-3-6 out, to retire the side, bad play all around by both sides there.

Game is ugly and uglier because Tulane is leading 2-0, after three.

 

Johnston back to the bump, in the fourth for the Horns.

Leading off is lefty hitter, Dehart, for the Green Wave.
A fly ball to right is one away.

Next up is righty hitter Braud, with an out.
Another fly ball to right is two away.

Carthon bats lefty, at the bottom of the order, two gone.
He K's swinging on the slider low, to end the frame.

Tulane goes in order, but still leads 2-0, bottom of four.

 

Gibbs works on for the Green Wave, in the Horn fourth.

Texas sends lefty hitting Boswell, to lead off.
A grounder to second goes 4-3, for the first out.

Mathis bats lefty, with one away.
He has the only hit of the game for Texas, a single.
He lines it sharply to second, two gone.

Righty hitting Barrera bats, with two outs.
A grounder by the third baseman is the second hit, for the Horns, a two out single.

Kody Clemens bats lefty, with one on and two down.
A fly ball to left, will end the inning.

Four played and Tulane leads 2-0.

 

Johnston stays on for the Green Wave fifth.

They lead off with the top of the order, in lefty hitting Edwards.
A fly ball to shallow center is caught by Gurwitz, for one away.

Rodgers bats righty, with an out.
The count runs full and a fly ball to left is caught by Jones over his head, for two away.

Lefty hitting Witherspoon bats, with two gone.
A ground ball to second and the 4-3 retires the side in order again.

Halfway through the finale and Tulane has riden a wave of Longhorn errors to a 2-0 lead so far.

 

Gibbs takes the mound for a fifth inning, he looks to become the pitcher of record, for a possible win.

Leading off for the Horns is Kacy Clemens, batting lefty.
A high pop and the shortstop has it, for one down.

Cantu swings righty, with an out.
He swings through a high heater, the K is two quick outs.

The righty hitting McKenzie bats, with two gone.
A big hook is taken for a called strike three, to retire the side in order.

Five played and the pitching is good for each team, the fielding not so much, so Tulane leads 2-0.

 

Johnston is removed, he threw a lot of pitches today, with the K's and errors. He also started on Friday.
The new pitcher for Texas is right hander, Nolan Kingham.

Leading off for the Green Wave is the righty hitting DH, Rowland.
A fast ball gets him swinging, for one away.

Lefty hitting Kaplan bats, with an out.
He rolls one right Clemens, on the bag at first, the 3U is two quick outs.

Hope bats righty, with two away.
The count is worked full and he blows a fast ball by him, the swinging K, retires the side in order.

Kingham has a good inning, but Tulane still in the lead 2-0, bottom of six.

 

Gibbs rolls into the sixth, having only given up two singles, both with two outs.

Leading off for the Horns is the bottom of the order in Gurwitz, batting righty.
A nubber back to Gibbs and he makes the 1-3 play, one down.

Back to the top of the order, Jones bats right handed, one away.
He takes that same curve ball that Gibbs has thrown all game, for another called strike three, two gone.

Boswell bats lefty, with two down.
A liner to left is the third two out single, of the game, for the Horns.

Lefty hitting Mathis bats with one on and two outs.
He has one of those singles.
He has a lot of power, could use some of that here, to score a run or two.
A full count will send the runner and a gapper will score a run now.
A liner to right and the right fielder comes in and it goes over his head, break for Texas, on his mistake, the double scores a run.

Tulane leads 2-1.

Barrera bats righty, the tying run at second, with two outs.
A wild pitch sends the runner to third, Gibbs shaken by the turn of events it seems, like Johnston was earlier.
He is hit by an inside fast ball and Barrera and the pitcher exchange some words, it's broken up.

Two on for lefty hitter Kody Clemens, with two outs.
A comebacker to Gibbs goes 1-3, the side down.

Texas gets one back on the misplayed ball in right, so Tulane leads 2-1, after six gone.

 

Kingham back for another inning of work, after retiring the side in order in the sixth.

Tulane sends the lefty hitting left fielder, Dehart, to lead off.
The count runs full and he walks on a pitch just low, for a lead runner.

Braud bats righty, with a man on.
He bunts and the 1-3 is successful, for an out, the runner to second.

Skip out and he wants a lefty, pitching change.

 

The new pitcher is lefty senior Travis Duke, on to face a lefty hitter, as he often does.

Nine hole hitter Carthon is due, but Tulane will counter with a pinch hitter. He is righty hitting and former Longhorn, Jeremy Montalbano.
A high pop to right and McKenzie goes out to grab at, as Mathis didn't see it, two away.

Top of the order is Edwards, batting righty, with two outs and a man on second.
A grounder to short and the 6-3 will end the frame.
Tulane gets a man to second and leaves him there, so as they stretch at the Disch, Tulane leads 2-1.

 

Gibbs will go on as the Green Wave pitcher, in the Horn seventh.
Grant Brown goes into center, for Tulane.

Kacy Clemens bats lefty, to lead off.
He K's swinging on a curve in the dirt, the 2-3 put out completes the K.

Cantu bats righty, with one gone.
A high pop to center and the second basman turns in a circle and misses it, another misplayed double for Texas. It was the new centerfielder's ball, a defensive replacement, but he just kind of watched the second baseman try to find it.


Brady Harlan pinch hits for McKenzie, batting lefty, with one out and the tying run at second.
A ground ball to first that hits the bag, then the first baseman grabs it and tags Harlan, two down, runner to third.

Gurwitz bats righty, with two down and a man on third.
A little liner just gets over the second baseman's head, the single ties the game.

Game tied 2-2.

Top of the order again in Jones batting righty, with a man on, one in, and two outs.
You would think Gurwitz might go, with the top of the order up, with two outs, but he hasn't.
Another high pop and the shortstop just throws up his hands and it drops ten feet to his left, cue the circus music again. It's another so called hit for Texas, can't really score it any othe way.

It puts runners on the corners.

Coach out and a disgusted Gibbs is gone, don't blame him
Every run he gave up was on misplayed pops and fly balls.

Pitching change.

 

New hurler is righty Trevor Simms, for Tulane.

He will face Boswell batting lefty, with runners on the corners, two down.
So get a hit or at least pop it up.
Jones could go, see if they would throw or not, maybe steal the lead run.
The count runs full and now Jones will go.
He K's on a fast ball, on the foul tip, to end the inning.

The ugliness continues and this time it ties the game for Texas, not errors, but certainly misplays.

Top of the eighth, tied 2-2.

 

Duke back for another inning, the game in his hands now.

Gurwitz moves to second and Harlan to right, Mathis goes to center for the Horns defensively.
Leading off for Tulane is righty hitter, Rodgers.
He walks for a lead runner.

Witherspoon will bat righty, with a man on.
He squares and the sac will go 1-3, one out.

Skip out and now a righty is wanted.

Pitching change.

​

 

That righty pitcher is freshman Chase Shugart, for Texas.

He faces righty hitter, Matt Rowland, the DH, with one out and the lead run at second.
The count runs full and a bleeder that dies toward short, Clemens fields it, but no play, an infield hit, to put runners on the corners.

Kaplan bats lefty, with two on and one out.
He bunts down the first base line, the ball was possibly going foul, but Shugart picked it up, no play, another infield hit, to score the run.

Tulane leads 3-2.

Hope bats righty, with two on and one down.
He K's swinging on a fast ball, for two outs.

Dehart bats lefty, two on and two outs.
A full count and the runners will go.
He walks to load the bases.

Stephen Alemais bats righty, having come into play short, the bases loaded, two outs.
He is their best hitter, but has been injured.
The count goes full again and the merry-go-round starts, on the pitch.
He fouls off two pitches and then walks, to force in the run.

Tulane leads 4-2.

Not a ball out of the infield, but two runs have scored.

Grant Brown bats righty, the bases loaded, two gone.
He K's looking on the fast ball, to end the inning.

The game remains ugly and strange and Tulane back in front 4-2, bottom of eight.

 

Its time for Augie to give up on Shugart as a closer.

 

Simms comes back for the eighth, with a lead.

Mathis will lead off for Texas, batting lefty.
He has a single and the misplayed fly ball for a double.
A ground ball to second and the 4-3 is one away.

Righty hitter is Barrera, with an out.
He K's swinging on the slider away, two quick outs.

Kody Clemens bats lefty, with two gone.
A full count and he walks for a runner, the first of the game for Tulane pitchers.

Kacy Clemens bats lefty, a man on and two outs.
Another very wild pitch brings out the pitching coach.
He returns and Simms stays in.
Roller to second goes 4-6, the force retires the side.

The ninth is here and Tulane leads 4-2.

 

Shugart will stay in and pitch the ninth, for the Horns.

He faces the top of the order in Edwards, batting right handed.
He swings and misses on the curve ball, one away.

Rodgers bats righty, with an out.
A liner off the end of the bat, falls in lefty, for a single.

Righty hitting Witherspoon, bats righty, with a man on.
He grounds a single into left, to put two on.

The DH is Rowland, batting righty, two on and one away.
A ground ball up the middle goes into center, not hit well, but well placed, to score a run.

Tulane leads 5-2.

Kaplan bats lefty, with two on, one in, and one down.
He flies to left and Jones has it by the line, for two gone.

Hope bats righty, with two on and two down.
A high pop on the infield and Kacy Clemens has it, to retire the side.

Tulane adds one more, to the bottom of the ninth, Texas needs three runs to prevent another series loss, down 5-2.

 

Simms will try and close the game out and get the win, in the ninth.

Cantu leads off for Texas, batting righty.
The count runs full and he walks, for the first time today, a lead runner is on.
Ty Rand comes in to run for Cantu.

Lefty hitting Harlan will bat, with a man on.
Another full count and a liner up the middle for a single, Rand goes around to third.

Coach is out and a change is made.

 

The new pitcher for Tulane is a right hander, Dan Rankin.

Gurwitz will face him, as the tying run, runners on the corners.
Yet another full count and a fly ball to right is a SF, but a big first out.

Tulane leads 5-3.

Jones bats righty, at the top of the order, one on and one down.
He swings through an outside heater, the K is two down.

Boswell bats lefty, with a man on and two gone.
Jones heads to second without a throw, defensive indifference, no stolen base.
He K's swinging on a head high fast ball, to end the game.

Tulane wins the game 5-3 and the series 2-1. It's another bad loss for Texas, no other way to put it.

Need a break, back in a minute.

 

The pitching and defense always kept us in games despite some horrendous hitting. Now the pitching is average, the defense is terrible, the mental approach is beyond brain dead and the hitting is as lousy as ever.

Throw in some lazy coaching and recruiting and you have the refuse we are foced to watch every week.

If this craptastic season causes the AD to do what should have been done 3 sasons ago then I will swallow my disgust and live for the future. Otherwise it's hard to see how this team will be competitive for the forseeable future.

 

Texas still can't hit with any consistency and can't field very well either.

Three errors gave Tulane the early lead 2-0, despite another quality start by a Horn pitcher, this time in Kyle Johnston.

Texas ties it up on misplays in the outfield on pop ups and a liner that the left fielder broke in on, that got over his head.

The Horns can never get the big hit in close games. They strike out at an alarming rate, many on bad pitches.

Then Tulane scores two in the eighth on walks, a dribbler, and a bunt that was going foul, nothing out of the infied.

The Greenwave adds one more in the ninth.

Texas puts the first two on in the ninth, but then three straight outs, end that threat, with one meaningless run.

Bottom line another bad loss and series loss. You got to be able to score some runs in college baseball to win. The livlier baseball has made that even more necessary.

Giving the other teams unearned runs will also help get you beat. The errors have really hurt the Horns this season, it's as bad as I can ever remember.

Texas can't put all phases of the game together in many games and that is why the record is what it is. That being 8-12, with the TCU conference series coming next weekend.

There is one more game before that series, with UTSA, on Tuesday.

People are asking if we can play with TCU, probably, the question should be, can we win a game or two. Things are going to have to really change, if that is to happen.

 

Once again, Skip's pitching decisions cost us the game. Tied 2-2...with all the momentum, Skip chooses the freshman, Shugart, and he immediately puts us in a mess. Picking up a bunt going foul...to score a run, walking in a run, etc. He's a freshman, for Gawd's sake, Skip! He's got a great arm, but he's proven in his last few outings as closer that he's not ready!
I think this is the 7th game this season where we've lost due to Skip's coaching/pitching decisions. Auggie, put Skip in a "time-out," or start making the pitching decisions for him. This is getting critical!

 

Everybody but you, knows what has been critical for years, now the fielding is terrible too. Who's responsible for this?

Anytime somebody like the poster above makes reference to this. Here you come with something about the pitching, the only good phase of the game, Texas has had, even shorthanded.

Everybody also knows why you do this.

Skip is the only thing that has kept Augie from being put on a permanent time out, years ago. This staff is shorthanded if you haven't noticed.

But keep trying, when is the cutoff date for the young hitters coming around for the sixth year?

By all means reference these seven games, if you can. You mean like the misplayed fly balls, that have already cost Texas two games this season. Maybe the pop up in College Station.

 

Hard not see this as already a lost season and we havent even gotten to conference play.

There are a lot of things this team does really poorly and not a lot they do exceptionally well. NB you are a stronger man than me for coming back game after game.