FINAL
Texas - 5
BYU - 7
BOX SCORE
Horns fall to 18-12 on the season and 6-4 in Big 12 conference play.
Winning Pitcher: Ben Hansen (4-3)
Losing Pitcher: Lebarron Johnson Jr (1-3)
Save: Stone Cushing (6)
RECAP
In an all too familiar story for the Horns this season, the starting pitcher from Texas struggled and despite a comeback offensively, the Horns fall short. Lebarron Johnson Jr, a pre-season all-american went just 3 innings pitched, giving up 6 hits, allowing 4 runs, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts and earned the loss. Of the 6 hits allowed, 2 were home runs and one was a double. Once again, command was an issue early and often for LBJ as he allowed 2 runs in the Top 1st inning.
LBJ walked the first batter of the game, but got the second batter to strikeout swinging. Unfortunately LBJ walked the next batter, bringing Collin Reuter to the plate and he promptly lined a ball down the LF line for an RBI single, putting runners on the corners. A sac fly to LF brought in the 2nd run to make it 2-0 and give the Cougars the early lead and momentum.
In the Top 2nd, the lead off man worked a full count after being down 0-2 and ended up hitting a home run to LF to make it 3-0 BYU. The Cougars would get double in the inning, but that was it.
In the Bottom of the 2nd, the Horns got the lead off runner on for the second inning in a row, but could not do anything else.
In the Top 3rd, LBJ again gave up a solo home run to LF as Collin Reuter took advantage of a pitch over the heart of the plate to make it 4-0 BYU. The Cougars would threaten again in the inning after back to back singles, but failed to bring another runner home.
In the Bottom 3rd, Texas again got the lead off runner on base with a lead off single and then got a runner into scoring position after another single, but hit into a double play and then lined out, coming up empty.
In the Top 4th, Heston Tole came into pitch for for the Horns but was immediately lifted after hitting the first batter and then issuing a walk to put two runners on with no outs. Freshman Easton Tumis gave up a single to the first batter he faced to load the bases with no outs, but got a strikeout and a ground ball double play to end the BYU threat and keep it a 4-0 ball game.
In the Bottom 4th, the Horns went down in order, giving the momentum right back to BYU, who took full advantage in the Top 5th. Easton Tumis hit the first batter he faced with a fastball that ran inside, then gave up a double to right centerfield, putting runners on 2B and 3B with no outs. After getting a strikeout, Tumis gave up a single to LF that score both runs to make it a 6-0 game. Tumis got another strikeout for the 2nd out, but then hit the next batter in the foot, putting two runners on. Thankfully, Tumis battled back to get a ground out to end the threat.
In the Bottom 5th, the Horns finally got on the board as Rylan Galvan got a 1 out single to RF, then moved to 2B on a wild pitch, then moved to 3B on the fielders choice by Porter Brown, eventually scoring as Dee Kennedy hit a single back up the middle to make it 6-1 BYU. Jared Thomas then earned a 4 pitch walk, bringing Peyton Powell to the plate, who hit a single to CF, scoring Kennedy from 2B to make it a 6-2 ballgame.
In the Top 6th, BYU again got the lead runner on, this time with a double down the LF line off the new pitcher, Charlie Hurley. Hurley then walked the next batter to put two runners on with no outs. Hurley then gave up a double to CF, allowing one run to score and make it a 7-1 ballgame. Hurley would bounce back to get back to back strikeouts to end the top half of the frame.
In the Bottom 6th, the Horns struck back as Jack O'Dowd hit a 1 out solo shot to RF to make it a 7-3 ball game. Freshman Tommy Farmer, pinch hitting for Will Gasparino, got a single after a hit to the left side. Rylan Galvan then put up a terrible at-bat for the 2nd out, before Porter Brown drew a walk, brining Dee Kennedy to the play. Kennedy ended up hitting slider to the corner in LF for a 2 run RBI triple, making it a 7-5 ball game.
In the Top 7th, Charlie Hurley put up a zero on the board, again letting the lead runner on base. Thankfully Hurley didn't allow any more runners to score after walking the second batter of the frame.
Andre Duplantier made life interesting in the Top 8th, as he hit a batter and then gave up back to back singles to load the bases with no outs. That constituted the 8th inning in a row where the lead off man reached back. Thankfully, Duplantier was able to battle back and not give up any runs as he sat the next three batters down in order. In the Bottom of the 8th, the Horns again went down in order, 1-2-3.
In the Top 9th, Andre Duplantier bounced back to strike out the side, bringing the Horns to the plate, unfortunately, the Horns were not able to capitalize on a 2 outs 2 runners on end the ball game in a loss.
BIG MOMENT
With 2 outs and 2 runners on base in the Bottom 9th, trailing by 2 runs, Kimble Schuessler hit a soft chopper down the 1B line where he was fielded and Kimble was tagged out. Game Over.
INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE
Freshman Dee Kennedy went 3-4 on the night with 1 run score and 3 RBI.
TAKEAWAYS
Once again the Horns find themselves down a game in a three game series. Good news is that they can still win the series, no doubt about that, but they have a lot of work to do. The Horns were out hit on the night, made an error, and thankfully, BYU did not come up with more timely hitting as they left 15 runners on base.
What to do with Lebarron Johnson Jr. The pre-season all-american came back to school to get his degree and try to boost his draft stock. Safe to say, he has definitely not improved his draft stock.
The Horns simply were not good enough on the evening and despite the attempted come back, drop another winnable ball game.
NEXT UP
Horns will square off against BYU again tomorrow night at 730pm as the Cougars look to take the series and the Horns look to even things up.
Texas - 5
BYU - 7
BOX SCORE
Horns fall to 18-12 on the season and 6-4 in Big 12 conference play.
Winning Pitcher: Ben Hansen (4-3)
Losing Pitcher: Lebarron Johnson Jr (1-3)
Save: Stone Cushing (6)
RECAP
In an all too familiar story for the Horns this season, the starting pitcher from Texas struggled and despite a comeback offensively, the Horns fall short. Lebarron Johnson Jr, a pre-season all-american went just 3 innings pitched, giving up 6 hits, allowing 4 runs, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts and earned the loss. Of the 6 hits allowed, 2 were home runs and one was a double. Once again, command was an issue early and often for LBJ as he allowed 2 runs in the Top 1st inning.
LBJ walked the first batter of the game, but got the second batter to strikeout swinging. Unfortunately LBJ walked the next batter, bringing Collin Reuter to the plate and he promptly lined a ball down the LF line for an RBI single, putting runners on the corners. A sac fly to LF brought in the 2nd run to make it 2-0 and give the Cougars the early lead and momentum.
In the Top 2nd, the lead off man worked a full count after being down 0-2 and ended up hitting a home run to LF to make it 3-0 BYU. The Cougars would get double in the inning, but that was it.
In the Bottom of the 2nd, the Horns got the lead off runner on for the second inning in a row, but could not do anything else.
In the Top 3rd, LBJ again gave up a solo home run to LF as Collin Reuter took advantage of a pitch over the heart of the plate to make it 4-0 BYU. The Cougars would threaten again in the inning after back to back singles, but failed to bring another runner home.
In the Bottom 3rd, Texas again got the lead off runner on base with a lead off single and then got a runner into scoring position after another single, but hit into a double play and then lined out, coming up empty.
In the Top 4th, Heston Tole came into pitch for for the Horns but was immediately lifted after hitting the first batter and then issuing a walk to put two runners on with no outs. Freshman Easton Tumis gave up a single to the first batter he faced to load the bases with no outs, but got a strikeout and a ground ball double play to end the BYU threat and keep it a 4-0 ball game.
In the Bottom 4th, the Horns went down in order, giving the momentum right back to BYU, who took full advantage in the Top 5th. Easton Tumis hit the first batter he faced with a fastball that ran inside, then gave up a double to right centerfield, putting runners on 2B and 3B with no outs. After getting a strikeout, Tumis gave up a single to LF that score both runs to make it a 6-0 game. Tumis got another strikeout for the 2nd out, but then hit the next batter in the foot, putting two runners on. Thankfully, Tumis battled back to get a ground out to end the threat.
In the Bottom 5th, the Horns finally got on the board as Rylan Galvan got a 1 out single to RF, then moved to 2B on a wild pitch, then moved to 3B on the fielders choice by Porter Brown, eventually scoring as Dee Kennedy hit a single back up the middle to make it 6-1 BYU. Jared Thomas then earned a 4 pitch walk, bringing Peyton Powell to the plate, who hit a single to CF, scoring Kennedy from 2B to make it a 6-2 ballgame.
In the Top 6th, BYU again got the lead runner on, this time with a double down the LF line off the new pitcher, Charlie Hurley. Hurley then walked the next batter to put two runners on with no outs. Hurley then gave up a double to CF, allowing one run to score and make it a 7-1 ballgame. Hurley would bounce back to get back to back strikeouts to end the top half of the frame.
In the Bottom 6th, the Horns struck back as Jack O'Dowd hit a 1 out solo shot to RF to make it a 7-3 ball game. Freshman Tommy Farmer, pinch hitting for Will Gasparino, got a single after a hit to the left side. Rylan Galvan then put up a terrible at-bat for the 2nd out, before Porter Brown drew a walk, brining Dee Kennedy to the play. Kennedy ended up hitting slider to the corner in LF for a 2 run RBI triple, making it a 7-5 ball game.
In the Top 7th, Charlie Hurley put up a zero on the board, again letting the lead runner on base. Thankfully Hurley didn't allow any more runners to score after walking the second batter of the frame.
Andre Duplantier made life interesting in the Top 8th, as he hit a batter and then gave up back to back singles to load the bases with no outs. That constituted the 8th inning in a row where the lead off man reached back. Thankfully, Duplantier was able to battle back and not give up any runs as he sat the next three batters down in order. In the Bottom of the 8th, the Horns again went down in order, 1-2-3.
In the Top 9th, Andre Duplantier bounced back to strike out the side, bringing the Horns to the plate, unfortunately, the Horns were not able to capitalize on a 2 outs 2 runners on end the ball game in a loss.
BIG MOMENT
With 2 outs and 2 runners on base in the Bottom 9th, trailing by 2 runs, Kimble Schuessler hit a soft chopper down the 1B line where he was fielded and Kimble was tagged out. Game Over.
INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE
Freshman Dee Kennedy went 3-4 on the night with 1 run score and 3 RBI.
TAKEAWAYS
Once again the Horns find themselves down a game in a three game series. Good news is that they can still win the series, no doubt about that, but they have a lot of work to do. The Horns were out hit on the night, made an error, and thankfully, BYU did not come up with more timely hitting as they left 15 runners on base.
What to do with Lebarron Johnson Jr. The pre-season all-american came back to school to get his degree and try to boost his draft stock. Safe to say, he has definitely not improved his draft stock.
The Horns simply were not good enough on the evening and despite the attempted come back, drop another winnable ball game.
NEXT UP
Horns will square off against BYU again tomorrow night at 730pm as the Cougars look to take the series and the Horns look to even things up.
