BASEBALL WEEKEND SERIES THREAD: No. 19 Texas vs. BYU (Sat. 6:50 p.m. - Witt was awesome, but UT loses series-finale)
- Thread starter DustinMcComas
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Antico takes a strike to make it 2-1. Another pitch, this one inside, taken for a strike. 2-2... he fouls one back. He smashes one 108 MPH off the bat, but it's at the 2B, who makes a sliding stop and throws to end the game. Texas takes the series, but loses today, 5-4.
Damn damn damn
Played to lose. Nice job pierce.
loser play
Played to lose. Nice job pierce.
loser play
Yes, but his team focused on it, practiced and were expected to execute, which they did at a high rate. Unfortunately, Pierce is not in the same area code as the GOAT Augustus.
Probably would have. But man on first then fine. It just wasn't necessary. Hopefully Todd comes back soon. He's a veteran we need.
I don’t agree with the decision to hunt but it’s on the player to get it down.
Didn’t say he was. But everyone calling it a strategic blunder acts like Pierce is the only one ever to try.
Coach calls the BS bunt in that situation. I agree that Kennedy has to get it down but don’t put him in that situation. He was up 2-0 in the count.
Thanks for double duty today @DustinMcComas ! Bad day for the Horns.
Go have an IPA or two and play with Jack.
Great job as always.
Go have an IPA or two and play with Jack.
Great job as always.
Let’s say we consider track and field a sport.
Conference Championship!!! Light the tower!
Saturday 6:50 p.m. update:
The No. 19 Longhorns (3-4) showed progress this weekend by winning a four-game series against BYU (3-5), but this afternoon they let a good opportunity to sweep slip away. BYU capitalized on UT’s first moves to the bullpen, and the home team botched a prime scoring opportunity in the bottom of the ninth, which led to a frustrating 5-4 loss.
After four innings, it looked like Texas, despite some re-emerging swing-and-miss issues in the batter’s box, had the game completely under control. Ahead 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning, Texas looked like it would waste a run-scoring opportunity when Trey Faltine bounced into a 5-4-3 double play with runners on first and second with no outs.
However, Cam Williams, who looked terrible in the previous two at-bats, showed he never lacks confidence regardless of what happened earlier in the game. He smashed a two-out, two-run homer just to the right of the batter’s eye in right-center field to put his team in front 4-0. It was Williams’ third homer of the season.
In the top of the sixth, as BYU started to see UT starter Tristan Stevens for the third time, the Texas lead was given away because of shaky bullpen performances. After four-straight one-out singles loaded the bases and cut the Texas lead to 4-1, Pierce, with two lefties coming up, elected to play matchups and brought in freshman lefty Caden Noah. The first pitch Noah, who suffered the loss (0-1) threw hit the batter in the back to force in a run. Next, BYU made it 4-3 Texas with a sacrifice fly to left field.
Pierce quickly made a move to righty Drew Shifflet. The results weren’t any better. Shifflet fired a wild pitch, which moved two runners into scoring position. And BYU took the lead on a two-out, two-RBI single. Finally, Tanner Witt came in from the bullpen, immediately fired strikes and ended the disastrous inning.
“I just feel like that's on me. Should have went directly to Tanner in that situation. And unfortunately, it didn't work out for us. So we got to make a better choice right there. Noah wasn't ready,” said David Pierce. “Drew's a kid that we're thinking that we're gonna be able to count on, but he’s just got to change up some things and quit trying to do too much… But it's probably my fault for putting him in that situation.”
Witt was sensational. He was perfect over 3.1 innings, struck out five, and looked like a future star. With a lively fastball he used up and down in the zone at 89-93 MPH, the tall, athletic righthander established himself with heat. Then, he spun his plus curve, around 76 MPH, effectively to keep hitters off-balance. Then, as he faced hitters a second time, Witt began using his changeup, which resulted in several swings and misses.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, it appeared like Texas, after BYU inexplicably made a change on the mound to remove a dominant righty, would at least tie the game when Silas Ardoin smashed a leadoff double into the right-center gap. However, Eric Kennedy’s bunt bounced up off the turf and hit him, which resulted in an out.
“Very good question because Eric hasn't really used a sac bunt since he's been here,” said Pierce when asked about the ninth-inning bunt and if it was a drag or sacrifice. “So what we call it is basically a modified drag; just slows everything down. And I told him, that's why I called timeout. I said, ‘Look, you being safe at first is not the premium here. What we want to make sure is, let's just get it down. So, which side do you prefer?’ He said, ‘I want to go to first.’ I said, ‘Okay, let's do it.’ And there were crashing the first baseman. And I said, ‘You know, you have the option if you want to come to third.’ He chose to stay there.
“I really think the ball took a weird hop because it bounced up. Initially, I thought I hit him in the heel, but the ball bounced up and hit him in the elbow, which is really kind of weird because the ball wasn't rolling fast. It was a slow bunt. I think they would have had a lot of pressure throwing him out. That wasn't again, the premium. The premium was to slow down and advance a runner, but we have to stick with what he does. We just have two different versions of it. It just didn't happen.”
Kennedy, hitting down in the lineup now, had a day to forget with two strikeouts earlier in the contest and looked overmatched at the plate. Dylan Campbell flew out, and Mike Antico smashed a bullet right at the second baseman to end the game.
Stevens was charged with four runs in 5.1 innings, but left with a 4-1 lead. It’s clear he’s probably best utilized as a starter that goes through an order twice. His changeup wasn’t as sharp as it was his first start of the season, but Stevens effectively challenged hitters with his three-pitch mix and gave up six hits, didn’t issue a walk and struck out four. He’s proved he’s capable of being a starter at least early in the season.
Offensively, Antico, Douglas Hodo, Ardoin and Ivan Melendez were the Longhorns who were locked in every at-bat and hit the ball hard. In particular, Melendez is proving he’s more than just a power hitter with his all-fields approach and solid bat-to-ball skill. Hodo’s development is important because Pierce provided an update on Austin Todd after the game. Todd has been dealing with an oblique injury.
“He actually took some dry swings and some light work off the tee and that's it. So, it's an oblique injury and it's one of those injuries if you continue to swing and not allow it to heal, it's going to continue to get worse," said Pierce about Todd's status. "So we need to give him the time hopefully, you know, him actually swinging the bat with no pain today was good. So hopefully Tuesday, he’ll be able to play. If not, we'll wait because I want him for the duration."
The No. 19 Longhorns (3-4) showed progress this weekend by winning a four-game series against BYU (3-5), but this afternoon they let a good opportunity to sweep slip away. BYU capitalized on UT’s first moves to the bullpen, and the home team botched a prime scoring opportunity in the bottom of the ninth, which led to a frustrating 5-4 loss.
After four innings, it looked like Texas, despite some re-emerging swing-and-miss issues in the batter’s box, had the game completely under control. Ahead 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning, Texas looked like it would waste a run-scoring opportunity when Trey Faltine bounced into a 5-4-3 double play with runners on first and second with no outs.
However, Cam Williams, who looked terrible in the previous two at-bats, showed he never lacks confidence regardless of what happened earlier in the game. He smashed a two-out, two-run homer just to the right of the batter’s eye in right-center field to put his team in front 4-0. It was Williams’ third homer of the season.
In the top of the sixth, as BYU started to see UT starter Tristan Stevens for the third time, the Texas lead was given away because of shaky bullpen performances. After four-straight one-out singles loaded the bases and cut the Texas lead to 4-1, Pierce, with two lefties coming up, elected to play matchups and brought in freshman lefty Caden Noah. The first pitch Noah, who suffered the loss (0-1) threw hit the batter in the back to force in a run. Next, BYU made it 4-3 Texas with a sacrifice fly to left field.
Pierce quickly made a move to righty Drew Shifflet. The results weren’t any better. Shifflet fired a wild pitch, which moved two runners into scoring position. And BYU took the lead on a two-out, two-RBI single. Finally, Tanner Witt came in from the bullpen, immediately fired strikes and ended the disastrous inning.
“I just feel like that's on me. Should have went directly to Tanner in that situation. And unfortunately, it didn't work out for us. So we got to make a better choice right there. Noah wasn't ready,” said David Pierce. “Drew's a kid that we're thinking that we're gonna be able to count on, but he’s just got to change up some things and quit trying to do too much… But it's probably my fault for putting him in that situation.”
Witt was sensational. He was perfect over 3.1 innings, struck out five, and looked like a future star. With a lively fastball he used up and down in the zone at 89-93 MPH, the tall, athletic righthander established himself with heat. Then, he spun his plus curve, around 76 MPH, effectively to keep hitters off-balance. Then, as he faced hitters a second time, Witt began using his changeup, which resulted in several swings and misses.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, it appeared like Texas, after BYU inexplicably made a change on the mound to remove a dominant righty, would at least tie the game when Silas Ardoin smashed a leadoff double into the right-center gap. However, Eric Kennedy’s bunt bounced up off the turf and hit him, which resulted in an out.
“Very good question because Eric hasn't really used a sac bunt since he's been here,” said Pierce when asked about the ninth-inning bunt and if it was a drag or sacrifice. “So what we call it is basically a modified drag; just slows everything down. And I told him, that's why I called timeout. I said, ‘Look, you being safe at first is not the premium here. What we want to make sure is, let's just get it down. So, which side do you prefer?’ He said, ‘I want to go to first.’ I said, ‘Okay, let's do it.’ And there were crashing the first baseman. And I said, ‘You know, you have the option if you want to come to third.’ He chose to stay there.
“I really think the ball took a weird hop because it bounced up. Initially, I thought I hit him in the heel, but the ball bounced up and hit him in the elbow, which is really kind of weird because the ball wasn't rolling fast. It was a slow bunt. I think they would have had a lot of pressure throwing him out. That wasn't again, the premium. The premium was to slow down and advance a runner, but we have to stick with what he does. We just have two different versions of it. It just didn't happen.”
Kennedy, hitting down in the lineup now, had a day to forget with two strikeouts earlier in the contest and looked overmatched at the plate. Dylan Campbell flew out, and Mike Antico smashed a bullet right at the second baseman to end the game.
Stevens was charged with four runs in 5.1 innings, but left with a 4-1 lead. It’s clear he’s probably best utilized as a starter that goes through an order twice. His changeup wasn’t as sharp as it was his first start of the season, but Stevens effectively challenged hitters with his three-pitch mix and gave up six hits, didn’t issue a walk and struck out four. He’s proved he’s capable of being a starter at least early in the season.
Offensively, Antico, Douglas Hodo, Ardoin and Ivan Melendez were the Longhorns who were locked in every at-bat and hit the ball hard. In particular, Melendez is proving he’s more than just a power hitter with his all-fields approach and solid bat-to-ball skill. Hodo’s development is important because Pierce provided an update on Austin Todd after the game. Todd has been dealing with an oblique injury.
“He actually took some dry swings and some light work off the tee and that's it. So, it's an oblique injury and it's one of those injuries if you continue to swing and not allow it to heal, it's going to continue to get worse," said Pierce about Todd's status. "So we need to give him the time hopefully, you know, him actually swinging the bat with no pain today was good. So hopefully Tuesday, he’ll be able to play. If not, we'll wait because I want him for the duration."
This is a game we can learn from. Step on their damn throat when you have them down. Stay focused and get the sweep. Gave this game away. Stevens needed to leave a bit earlier. If you are going to bunt, you must execute as you are normally giving away an out.
On the positive-side: Let's see if we learn from this game. We played a great series other than a few innings in this last game. Really just a few at bats and a few coaching decisions and we sweep. On to the next. Hook'em.
On the positive-side: Let's see if we learn from this game. We played a great series other than a few innings in this last game. Really just a few at bats and a few coaching decisions and we sweep. On to the next. Hook'em.
Pierce came here and was supposed to be a hit and run coach and get away from the small ball. Pierce was supposed to bring the offense, which meant pitching and defense would probably suffer some. He can’t seem to commit to any philosophy on offense. His teams struggle and he goes to bunting. He needs to figure out his identity and recruit to it.
You realize that he adjusts to the situation, as do most coaches.
If that’s what you want to call it. When he first got here his team struggled on offense and he held out on small ball for a long time. This year his offense is starting to smack the ball around and come alive and he switches to small ball. He’s never had the defense or pitching that Augie’s teams had and he can’t seem to figure out what he wants on offense. It’s still early but Pierce needs to figure out what he wants his identity to be and implement it. I don’t think he’s the level of Coach that should have the UT job but hopefully I’m wrong.
He needs to recruit much better. We still lack significant talent in the batter’s box and depth in the pitching staff.
take the experience we have in position players for example. ZZ is a 7th year senior, Todd,Kennedy, Petrinsky. Plenty of experience, but show the player out of that bunch that has really developed. Is Kennedy a better hitter than what we saw as a true freshman (to these eyes no)?
Rough day. Bullpen implodes in the 6th and we fail to respond to being hit in the mouth.
still a lot of swing and miss in our bats that I don’t like. Getting a lead off double in the ninth and not having him even move off second is an epic failure. I didn’t disagree with the bunt. Honestly, your best bunter is up there and you know he’ll pressure the D to get his out. The execution was poor. EK is a veteran and has to know what job one is. The ball does not hit him if he’s not really trying to drag bunt and get out of the box quick.
we needed all 4 after the way we started last week. We outscored them 30-12 over 4 games, so some theoretical wasted runs in Thursday/ Friday games. This team playing from behind is going to feel like a high mountain to climb all year. Getting reliable arms out of the pen looks like a long ride all year (with the exception.of Witt).
it’s early, as we like to say. I just don’t know that there’s that much talent to do much in the postseason here.
still a lot of swing and miss in our bats that I don’t like. Getting a lead off double in the ninth and not having him even move off second is an epic failure. I didn’t disagree with the bunt. Honestly, your best bunter is up there and you know he’ll pressure the D to get his out. The execution was poor. EK is a veteran and has to know what job one is. The ball does not hit him if he’s not really trying to drag bunt and get out of the box quick.
we needed all 4 after the way we started last week. We outscored them 30-12 over 4 games, so some theoretical wasted runs in Thursday/ Friday games. This team playing from behind is going to feel like a high mountain to climb all year. Getting reliable arms out of the pen looks like a long ride all year (with the exception.of Witt).
it’s early, as we like to say. I just don’t know that there’s that much talent to do much in the postseason here.
Baseball teams typically have multiple identities. Also, switching to a small ball strategy in later innings to push a run across is something many coaches do. Lack of offense is first year is hardly indicative of him not having an identity.
He’s lacked offense since he’s been here. Kody Clemens is the only offense he has every really had. He constantly switches between bunting, hit and run and just let them hit. He’s never been consistent with anyone of them. Good coaches have a philosophy and stick to it. He doesn’t know what he wants his team to be. He has never had an identity here.
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