UTSA vs. Texas

The midweek game is against the UTSA Roadrunners, who come in with a 10-9 record. This is the last non-conference action before Big 12 play starts for the Longhorns.

Big 12 actions starts earlier in the week on Thursday, due to Easter. First place and #6 ranked TCU comes to Austin for the first conference series.

The game is on the LHN at 6 pm. and the audio on the texassports.com site.

Going to look for the line-ups.

 

The posted Texas line-up:

 

UTSA starters:

 

Freshman lefty Nick Kennedy, will get the start. Most likely because the TCU series starts on Thursday, he will certainly not be the only pitcher used. I expect to see many arms tonight.

There are many changes to the usual Texas line-up, still looking for a combination that can hit and field.

Umpire gives the side and the game begins.

Leading off for the Roadrunners is right fielder Skyler Valentine, the wind is blowing out tonight, balls will carry, especially to left.
He steps into the right handed side of the batter's box.
He K'swinging and the ball gets away, but catcher Cantu has it and the 2-3 is one down.

Ryan Stacey, bats lefty, plays left field, with an out.
He also K's swinging on a low slider, two outs.

The shortstop is Tyler Staub, batting righty, with two gone.
He grounds to short, the 6-3 will retire the side in order.

Good inning for Kennedy, Texas comes to bat.

 

Carl Craigie, a lefty will get the start for UTSA.

Leading off for Texas is Travis Jones, batting righty and playing left field.
He is hit on the leg, on an inside fast ball, a lead runner.

Kody Clemens is playing shortstop, batting lefty, with one on.
He lays down the 1-3 sac bunt, runner to second.

Third baseman tonight is Tres Barrera, batting righty, man on second and one down.
A balk moves Jones to third.
Infield back, a ground ball can score a run.
A ground ball up the middle, is a hit to score the run, another balk was called, but the live ball was hit, the play stands.

Texas leads 1-0.

Patrick Mathis bats lefty and plays centerfield, two gone and one on.
A slow roller to second the 4-3 is out two, Barrera to second.

The DH is Kaleb Denny, man on third and two away.
He bats righty and K's swinging on a fast ball, to end the inning.

Texas gets on the board, they lead 1-0, after an inning.

 

Kennedy will come out for the second, with the leads.

The UTSA shortstop will lead off in Trent Bowles, batting righty.
A fly ball to center and the wind takes it over Mathis on a dive, it will be a lead triple.

Mason George, the catcher bats lefty, with a man on third.
A ground ball to short, the 6-3 will score the run, one down.

Game tied 1-1.

The third baseman is C.J. Pickering, batting righty, one away.
Another grounder to short is another 6-3 play, for two gone.

Matt Hilston is the first baseman, he bats lefty, with two down.
He walks for a two out runner.

The DH is righty hitter Ben Brookover, with a man on and two outs.
A liner to left and that retires the side.

UTSA ties it at 1-1, bottom of two.

 

Craigie back to pitch the second for the Roadrunners.

The catcher Michael Cantu will lead off for the Horns, batting righty.
The count runs full and he walks on a high fast ball, another lead runner due to Craigie wildness.

Lefty hitting first baseman is Kacy Clemens, with a man on.
He bunts and nobody covers the bag, the pitcher they say lost the race to first, replays say otherwise. It's scored a hit.

Zane Gurwitz, the righty hitting second baseman up, two on and one down.
He bunts and it goes 1-3, the runners moved up.

Right fielder Brady Harlan, bats lefty, two on and one down.
His little fly ball rides the wind far enough for a SF, to left field.

Texas leads 2-1.

Jones, at the top of the order bats righty, with one on and two gone.
For the second time he is plunked by a pitch, to put two on.

Kody Clemens bats lefty again, with two on and two outs.
He tries to play add on, on a night it could well be needed, with that wind blowing out.
A shallow pop to center and that retires the side.

Texas retakes the lead at 2-1, after two.

 

As expected many arms will be used by the Horns, another one comes in now, in freshman righty, Beau Ridgeway.

The bottom of the UTSA order is second baseman Brian Arias, batting righty, leading off.
A ground ball up the middle removes the glove of Ridgeway, he picks it up, the ball that is, but no play, an infield single.

Valentine is the top of the order, batting righty, one aboard.
The runner goes and Cantu guns him out by five feet, one gone.
The count runs full and a ground ball by Clemens at first, but Gurwitz has it, Ridgeway covers andy they get him by an eyelash, for two down, nice play.

Stacey bats righty with two down.
A fly ball to center will end the inning.

Bottom of three and Texas leads 2-1.

 

Craigie back for the third, for the Roadrunners.

Barrera leads off for the Horns, batting righty.
He grounded an rbi single up the middle his last trip.
He chases a shoulder high fast ball, the K is one down.

Lefty hitting Mathis bats, one down.
He walks, as Craigie continues to be wild.

Denny the righty hitting DH, bats righty, with one on and one out.
A roller to second, he tags Mathis and goes to first or a 4U-3 double play to end the frame.

Three played and Texas ahead 2-1.

 

Here comes the third arm for Texas, in lefty Jon Malmin, a sophomore.

Staub the shortstop, leads off, batting righty.
A fly ball to right is one down.

Righty hitting Bowles, bats with one out.
His triple gave UTSA their run.
The count runs full and he walks on a low pitch, for a runner.

The catcher George, bats righty, with one on and one out.
A liner to right toward the line is bobbled twice and it's a double and a E-9, to let the runner score.

Game tied 2-2.

Pickering bats righty, with a man on and one away.
A ground ball to third and Barrera to first, 5-3, two away, the runner to third.

Lefty hitting Hilston bats with a man on third and two gone.
He blows a fast ball by him, for an inning ending K.

The error gives UTSA a run, so tied 2-2, bottom of the fourth.

 

Craigie comes back for the fourth, for the Roadrunners.

Cantu leads off for Texas, batting righty.
A ground ball to third and the third baseman boots it, the throw is late and they score it a generous base hit.

Kacy Clemens bats lefty, with a man on.
He buns and the 1-3 sac is good.

Righty hitting Gurwitz bats with one away, man on second.
Another ground ball to third, the 5-3 is two gone, Cantu on the throw went to third and just beats the throw from first.

Harlan bats lefty, with a man on third and two gone.
He singled his first trip.
Harlan walks on four pitches to put two on.

Jones bats, at the top of the order, two on, two gone.
He pops up a bunt and the pitcher has it in foul ground, to end the frame.

Four played and tied 2-2.

 

The next pitcher for Texas is righty freshman, Nolan Kingham.

Leading off for the Roadrunners is the righty hitting DH Ben Brookover.
A ground ball up the middle and Clemens has, throws to his brother, for a 6-3 first out.

The nine hole hitter Arias, bats righty, with an out.
A liner to right to Harlan is two gone.

Valentine comes back, at the top of the order, batting righty, two away.
A ground ball up the middle is snagged by Clemens, on a slide, but no play, infield hit.

One on and two gone for lefty hitting Stacey.
A ground ball to short goes 6-3, side down.

Halfway through the game and tied 2-2.

 

Craigie back for the fifth, he's been effectively wild, despite an era over six.

Leading off for the Longhorns is lefty hitting Kody Clemens.
A ground ball goes through on the left side, a lead single.

One on for Barrera batting righty.
He squares and bunts way to hard and the 1-6 force is one down.
He barely avoided a double play on the relay throw.


Coach is out and makes a change.

 

The new pitcher for UTSA is Andre Shewcraft, a right hander.

He faces Mathis batting lefty, with one on and one down.
A sinking fly ball to center, but he centerfield has it on a slide, two gone.

Denny will bat righty, as the DH, with one on and two gone.
A ball in the dirt and Barrra goes and is out by plenty at second, to end the inning.

Good start, but bad from then, so still tied 2-2, after five.

 

Kingham out for another inning, in the Roadrunner sixth.

The shortstop Staub lead off batting righty.
A ground ball to short, the low throw is scooped by his brother, one away.

Righty hitting Bowles bats, with an out.
He has scored both Roadrunner runs.
This time he K's by taking a big breaker, for two quick outs.

Catcher is George batting also from the right side, two down.
He swings through a fast ball, for another K, to retire the side in order.

Good outing by Kingham, in what could be his last inning, game tied 2-2, bottom of the sixth.

 

Shewcraft back for another go in the Texas sixth.

The DH batting righty, is Denny, leading off, after being left at the plate on the throw out by Barrera.
He walks and wildness gets the Horns another lead runner.

Cantu bats righty, with a man on.
A 2-0 count brings out the pitching coach, says throw strikes so he can bunt.
He goes back to the dugout.
He doesn't and a four pitch walk, puts two on.

Coach out and another change.

 

The next hurler for UTSA is Bradley Griggs, a left hander.

Kacy Clemens will be up lefty, to bunt no doubt, if he gets a strike.
He squares and fouls one off, then the count goes 3-1.
He walks on a high fast ball to load the bases.

Gurwitz bats righty, with the bases loaded, batting righty.
A ground ball to second and the second baseman boots it, the run scores, it goes by him the run scores as the shortstop had no play.
It's ruled a single.

Texas leads 3-2.

So Harlan bats lefty, the bases still loaded.
The count goes full and another walk, the fourth of the inning plates another run.

Texas leads 4-2.

Coach out and another change, he looks for somebody to throw strikes.

 

The latest hurler for the Roadrunners is righty Ben Brookover, who has been the DH in the game.

He faces the top of the order in Jones, the bases still loaded, no outs.
Need to break this game open.
He walks to force in another run, the fifth, of the inning.

Texas leads 5-2.

Kody Clemens bats lefty, with the bases still full.
A ground ball off the shortstop's glove, is an infield hit, another run.

Texas leads 6-2.

Barrera bats righty, the bases still full,
A single to left scores two more, on a hanging curve. Runners move up on a bad throw from left, an E-7. I think you can officially say UTSA has fallen to pieces.

Texas leads 8-2

Mathis bats lefty, with two on.
A slow roller on the right side is a 3-1 out that scores a run.

Texas leads 9-2.

Denny bats righty, with a man on third, one out.
A liner to right is a single and another run.

Texas leads 10-2.

Righty hitting Cantu bats, with a man on and one down.
A wild pitch moves Denny to second.
He walks, a novel concept, to put two on.

Kacy Clemens bats lefty, with two on and one out.
He walked earlier in the inning, who hasn't.

Coach out and another change is made.

 

Next up on the mound for UTSA is lefty, Trent Rosipal.

He faces Kacy Clemes, two on and an out, eight in.
Another full count and a sharp one hopper back to the mound, for some reason he doesn't go for a double play, to easy I guess, the 1-3 is two down, as the runner advance.

So the inning goes on, with Gurwitz batting righty, with two on.
A shallow pop to right and it's out of the second baseman's glove and into the right fielder's for the routine 4-9 pop out play, to fittingly end the frame finally.

UTSA walks the world and Texas gets eight runs, the strange play saved two more, to the seventh Texas leads 10-2.

 

Lefty Josh Sawyer and welcome back Josh, we sure missed you. He has been out since the UNLV series, with a sore arm.

Pickering leads off against him batting righty, to lead off.
He pops out foul to Clemens by the fence, for one down.

Lefty hitter Hilston bats, with an out.
He K's looking at a fast ball, for two away.

A pinch hitter is lefty batting Jason Serchay, he takes over for Brookover, who left the DH slot to pitch.
A full count and another fast ball is taken, for a called strike three, the side down in order.

As I said welcome back Josh Sawyer, they stretch at the Disch, this one well in hand, as Texas leads 10-2.

 

Another hurler for the Roadrunners is righty Derek Craft, in the seventh.

Leading off for the Horns is Harlan, batting lefty, at the bottom of the order.
Another full count and grounder to second goes 4-3, one down.

Jones bats at the top of the order again, batting righty, with an out.
A high fly to shallow center and it's a quick two gone.

Kody Clemens bats lefty, with two down.
A fly ball to left and that retires the side in order.

Well that moves the game along, to the eighth, Texas in command 10-2.

 

Another freshman will take the hill for Texas in righty Chase Shugart, in the eighth.

The second baseman in Arias, bats righty.
A three pitch punch out, the last a fast ball, is one out.

Righty hitter is Valentine, at the top of the order, one gone.
A fly ball to center is two quick outs.

Lefty hitting Stacey, bats with two down.
The count runs full and a ground ball gets by Barrera, a single, for a runner.

Straub bats righty, with one on and two gone.
A chopper to Barrera at third, the 5-3 will end the frame.

Bottom of the eighth comes and Texas in control 10-2.

 

Another inning and another pitcher for UTSA, this one is righty Chad Dullnig.

Third baseman is Barrera batting righty, leading off for the Horns.
A high fly ball to left and with that wind, the park will never hold it. A homer for another run. First of the season for Tres.

Texas leads 11-2.

Mathis bats lefty, with a run in.
Yet another walk, for a runner.

Righty hitting Denny bats, as the DH, with a man on.
A sharp grounder to short and UTSA tries to foul it up with two bad throws, and the first baseman came off the bag, so it's a 6-4-3 double play, That's 11-2 baseball in the bottom of the eighth.

Cantu bats righty, with two gone.
The hundreth full count comes and and the hundreth walk, puts another man on.

Kacy Clemens bats lefty, with a man on and two away.
A liner to left will end the frame.

To the ninth, as Texas adds one more on the first Barrera homer of the year, Horns in command 11-2.

 

Another arm fo the Horns is righty, Kacy Clemens, to finish this one off. He makes the last out of the eighth and comes in to pitch the ninth.
McKenzie in to play third, for Barrera, Barrera goes to first.

Leading off is Bowles for the Roadrunners, batting righty.
A nubber to McKenzie and he tries to barehand it, can't, it's an infield hit.

George bats righty, with a man on.
He lines to short, the throw back to first gets away, so it just one out.

Pickering bats righty, with one on and one gone.
A ground ball to short and with a dig of a low relay throw by Barrera, it's a game ending 6-4-3 double play.

Texas gets another midweek win, this one over UTSA 11-2. Back in a bit.

 

The game was tied game in the sixth at 2-2, then UTSA decided not to throw strikes.

A plethera of walks later and two infield hits later six runs were in, then two more on hits.

Several pitchers including the return of Josh Sawyer for an inning gave up one earned run.

It added up to a 11-2 win, that Texas definitely needed.

Now comes the conference season. First up is TCU, they are in first place with a three game sweep of WVU. They are #6 in the nation and are the prohibitive favorite to win the Big 12 again.

Maybe Texas is back to nearly 100% healthwise, they will need everybody against a quality TCU squad.

Seems like Morgan Cooper will get the start on Thursday. This allows one of the other starters and now Josh Saywer, to shore up the bullpen. This will certainly help in that department.

This is the big series of the season to date, you can turn your season around possibly or possibly get buried early.

These are the stakes starting Thursday night, will be here hoping for the best.

 

Well in hand..hahahahahaha. Have you seen our relief pitching and fielding? /sarc

 

Thanks for updates NB nice to get one in win column. I wish i was optimistic about the TCU series but even taking one of the three seems a stretch to expect.

 

Solid momentum heading into TCU. Winning that huge series sure could spark us to get back on track and turn the tables.

Many of our faults can be fixed overnight if the team buckles down. The talent is there to play at a higher level than we've shown, just need to step up and stop allowing failure.

Really sucks to lose Baker (stress fracture) for much if not all of the remaining season...

"Rest is the only option for complete healing of a stress fracture. The amount of recovery time varies greatly depending upon the location, severity, the strength of the body’s healing response and an individual’s nutritional intake.

Complete rest and a cast or walking boot are usually used for a period of four to eight weeks, although periods of rest of twelve to sixteen weeks are not uncommon for more severe stress fractures."

 

NBH
Thank you.
I will be looking for your thoughts on the TCU conference opener.
I hope there is something optimistic but I know you will be honest.

 

Fat umpires who can't get out of the way need to be banned...That injury to Baker should not have happened.