Game One FINAL:
Texas Longhorns - 7
Missouri Tigers - 4
BOX SCORE
Winning Pitcher: Max Grubbs (3-0)
Losing Pitcher: Kaden Jacobi (2-3)
Save: Dylan Volantis (6)
Game Two FINAL:
Texas Longhorns: 7
Missouri Tigers: 1
BOX SCORE
Winning Pitcher: Ruger Riojas (6-1)
Losing Pitcher: Brady Kehlenbrink (0-2)
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Game One RECAP
In the Top 1st, the Horns went quietly 1-2-3, all via ground out as the team had to adjust to not having both RF Max Belyeu and 3B/DH Adrian Rodriguez in the lineup
In the Bottom 1st, LHP Luke Harrison gave up a 2 out single, but immediately picked him off to face the minimum.
In the Top 2nd, C Rylan Galvan led off with a double to left CF. After CF Will Gasparino and 3B Casey Borba both recorded outs, fellow Sinton Pirate Jaquae Stewart stepped to the plate and hit an RBI double to left CF to give the Horns an early 1-0 lead. Stewart then came in to score as RF Tommy Farmer hit an RBI single to RF to make it 2-0 Horns.
In the Bottom 2nd,
LHP Luke Harrison gave up a 1 out double down the RF line. The next batter bunted the first pitch he saw foul. Unfortunately, the ball came straight off the bat and hit Rylan Galvan in the index finger, forcing him to leave the game as the Horns turned to freshman catcher Cole Chamberlain. Mizzou would get their first run of the game as the same batter then hit a hard grounder to the right side that went under 1B Kimble Schuessler's glove for an error making it a 2-1 Horns lead. The next batter then reached base as Luke Harrison hit him with a slider that missed way inside putting two runners on with just 1 out. The next batter then reached on a fielder's choice as 3B Casey Borba collected a chopped to the left side and stepped on 3B but threw an errant throw to 1B that ended up in the stands. That would prove big as the next batter, Chris Patterson took Harrison deep to CF for a 3 run HR to give the Tigers a 4-2 lead.
In the Top 3rd, the Horns got back to work and of course it was all started by 2B Ethan Mendoza. Doza hit a single up the middle and then reached 2B as the defender did not field it cleanly, putting a runner on 2B with no outs. Mendoza then advanced to 3B when 1B Kimble Schuessler hit a ball back to the pitcher for the 1st out. That brought SS Jalin Flores to the plate and on the first pitch he saw tied the game up as he crushed a ball to LF for a 2 run HR to make it 4-4.
No finished yet in the inning, CF Will Gasparino then hit the first pitch he saw to LF that hit near the top of the LF scoreboard for a solo shot to make it 5-4 Horns. That home run was 430 feet with a 109 exit velo. CRUSHED!
In the Bottom 3rd, Luke Harrison gave up a 1 out single but fought back to get back to back outs to preserve the 5-4 Horns lead.
In the Top 4th, the Horns were retired in order.
In the Bottom 4th, Luke Harrison gave up a lead off single to the right side, but followed that up with back to back outs as he induced a fly out and then picked off the runner who was trying to swipe 2B. After back to back two out walks, Harrison got a ground out to end the Tigers threat to send it to the 5th inning with the Horns leading 5-4.
In the Top 5th, the Horns got a lead off single from Ethan Mendoza, who then moved to 2B on an errant pick off attempt. Mendoza then moved to 3B when Kimble Schuessler grounded out to the 2B, which prompted a pitching change by Missouri.
The pitcher on the mound then walked Jalin Flores, who promptly stole 2B to put two runners in scoring position with just 1 out. Freshman C Cole Chamberlain, filling in for Rylan Galvan then drew a walk to load the bases, still with just 1 out. Will Gasparino then hit into a fielder's choice for the 2nd out, but it did bring home a run to make it 6-4 Horns. Casey Borba then walked to load the bases with two outs, but unfortunately, Jaquae Stewart hit a hard liner right to the LF to end the scoring threat.
In the Bottom 5th, Luke Harrison gave up a lead off single through the left side and then threw a wild pitch to move the runner over to 2B. After Harrison walked the next batter, Jim Schlossnagle opted to go to the bullpen and bring in RHP Max Grubbs.
Grubbs got the next two batters he faced out on strikeouts, before throwing a wild pitch himself to move both runners up 90ft. Unfazed, Grubbs got a strike out swinging to end the Tigers scoring threat and preserve the Horns 6-4 lead.
In the 6th inning, both teams were retired in order, sending the game to the 7th inning with the Horns leading 6-4.
In the Top 7th, Kimble Schuessler led off with a single to left field, but Jalin Flores then hit into a double play, followed by a Cole Chamberlain fly out.
In the Bottom 7th, Max Grubbs gave up a 1 out single, but a fantastic play by Will Gasparino got the runner trying to turn a single into a double for the 2nd out. Max Grubbs then walked the next batter, who then advanced to 2B on a wild pitch, but battled back to get a strike out swinging to end the threat.
In the Top 8th, the Horns got an insurance run and of course it was by the hottest hitter on the planet, Will Gasparino who reached down and hit a ball out to LF and over the wall for his 2nd home run of the game to make it 7-4 Horns.
Casey Borba then singled through the left side, but Jaquae Stewart hit into a double play, followed by a fly out from Tommy Farmer.
In the Bottom 8th, the Tigers got a lead off single to LF off Grubbs, which prompted a pitching change from the Horns. In came LHP Dylan Volantis. The freshman lefty gave up a single to LF to put two men on before getting the next batter to line out to Mendoza at 2B. The Tigers would not go quietly though as the next batter hit a single through the right side against the shift to load the bases with just 1 out. Volantis, who is mature beyond his years, got a strikeout swinging and then a ground out to end the Tigers scoring threat.
In the Top 9th, the Horns lead off by having Matt Scott II get hit by a pitch, but Missouri struck out the next three batters to prevent the Horns from scoring any runs.
In the Bottom 9th, Dylan Volantis struck out all three batters he faced to slam the door and win the series for the Horns.
Game One Big Moment
In the Bottom 5th, with the Horns leading 6-4, the Tigers had two runners on and no outs, prompting the Horns to go to the pen and bring in Max Grubbs. He answered the call by getting three strikeouts to end the scoring threat and keeping the Horns ahead.
Game One Individual Performance
Will Gasparino. EN FUEGO!
In game one, he went 2-4 with 2 runs, 3 RBI and 2 home runs, plus he made an outstanding defensive play from the outfield.
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Game Two RECAP
In the Top 1st, the Horns were retired in order by the Tigers.
In the Bottom 1st, the Tigers would get a 2 out single to RF, but that was it as RHP Ruger Riojas, getting his second weekend start in a row struck out the next batter swinging.
In the Top 2nd, Will Gasparino led off by striking out, but Casey Borba hit a big fly to LF on the second pitch he saw to give the Horns a 1-0 lead. Jaquae Stewart was then hit by the first pitch he saw, followed by a Tommy Farmer walk, giving Texas fans thoughts of a big early inning to put the Tigers away. Unfortunately, the Horns left the two runners stranded to keep it at 1-0 Horns.
In the Bottom 2nd, Ruger Riojas put the Tigers in a blender as he got a ground out and then back to back strike outs to retire the side in order.
In the Top 3rd, Ethan Mendoza led off with a single through the left side and then stole 2B, followed by a walk from Kimble Schuessler. That brought Jalin Flores to the plate, but he went down swinging, chasing a changeup that was left up and outside. Mendoza and Schuessler would advance 90 ft on a balk, putting runners on 2B and 3B with just 1 out and bringing Will Gasparino to the plate. Will would not get much of an at-bat though as on a 3-1 count, the Tigers decided to intentionally walk him, which loaded the bases. Casey Borba struck out in the next at-bat, but that did prompt the Tigers to go to the bullpen and bring in a new pitcher. The new guy would end up walking Jaquae Stewart and then hit Tommy Farmer, to give the Horns a 3-0 lead.
In the Bottom 3rd, Ruger Riojas still had the Tigers guessing as he struck out the side.
In the Top 4th, the Tigers went back to the bullpen. The new pitcher got Jayden Duplantier, playing LF since Tommy Farmer was playing RF in Max Belyeu's absence to pop out. Ethan Mendoza would draw a walk though, following by a big fly from Kimble Schuessler to LF for a two run home run to make it 5-0 Horns.
Not finished there, Jalin Flores would then hit a double to right CF, followed by a Will Gasparino walk on four straight pitches as the Tiger pitcher wanted nothing to do with Willy G. Casey Borba then hit a single to the left side to load up the bases, still with just one out. Unfortunately Jaquae Stewart would not be able to take advantage, striking out, but Tommy Farmer reached on a throwing error by the pitcher, which brought home another run to make it 7-0 Horns.
In the Bottom 4th, Ruger Riojas again retired the side in order.
In the Top 5th, the Tigers again went to the bullpen which ended up being successful as the Horns were retired in order, all three of which came on ground outs.
In the Bottom 5th, Ruger Riojas retired the side in order again, racking up his 7th and 8th strikeout of the night in the process, which represent a career high.
In the Top 6th, the Horns got a 1 out bunt from Gasparino, but strike em out, throw em out ended the top half of the frame for the Horns to keep it at 7-0 Horns.
In the Bottom 6th, Ruger Riojas finally came back to earth as he gave up a 1 out single to LF, but then induced a double play to still face the minimum.
In the Top 7th, Jaquae Stewart led off with a single to RF. That was following by Tommy Farmer getting hit by another pitch to put two runners on with no outs. Unfortunately, Cole Chamberlain struck out swinging, following by a Jayden Duplantier ground out. After Ethan Mendoza drew a walk to load the bases, Kimble Schuessler hit into a fielder's choice to end the threat.
In the Bottom 7th, Ruger Riojas was back out and racked up his 9th and 10th strikeouts as he retired the side in order again.
In the Top 8th, the Tigers again went to the bullpen. Jalin Flores led off by striking out, after which Will Gasparino reached due to a throwing error by the SS. Gaspo would move over to 2B on a steal, but the Horns couldn't bring him home to keep it at 7-0 Horns lead.
In the Bottom 8th, the Horns went to the bullpen and brought in RHP Andre Duplantier to pitch. After getting a quick fly out, he walked the next two batters, prompting another pitching change from Jim Schlossnagle, who turned to freshman RHP Jason Flores.
Flores would plunk the first batter he faced to load the bases with just 1 out. Flores then gave up a fielder's choice as he had a ball hit back to him which he flipped to 1B, but Missouri finally scored their first run of the game to make it 7-1. Thankfully for Texas, Jason Flores got a strikeout looking on a nasty sinker to end the threat.
In the Top 9th, the Tigers went back to the bullpen for the 100th time in the game. Tommy Farmer would lead off by striking out, followed by a ground out by Cole Chamberlain. Freshman two sport phenom Jonah Williams then pinch hit for Jayden Duplantier and was promptly walked on four straight pitches, drawing his ire as he really wanted to swing the bat. Williams then stole 2B, which was followed by an Ethan Mendoza walk. Both runners moved up another 90ft on a wild pitch, but unfortunately neither were able to score as Kimble Schuessler hit a ground out to 3B.
Going into the Bottom 9th, the Horns led 7-1 and brought back out Jason Flores on the mound. He promptly retired the side in order with three straight ground outs to end the game and finish the weekend road series sweep!
Game Two Big Moment
In the Top 4th inning, with RHP Ruger Riojas cruising, Kimble Schuessler hit the 2 run big fly to put the Horns up 6-0, which seemed like an insurmountable number and leaving many fans thinking that Texas might run rule the Tigers for the second time in as many days.
Game Two Individual Performance
Ruger "Dominate the Damn Zone" Riojas.
Final line on Ruger was 7 IP, 2 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, and 10 K.
DOMINATION!
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Weekend Takeaways:
Weekend domination. The Horns hit more home runs (10) then then used pitchers (8) on the weekend. That is fairly absurd. Yes, the wind was blowing out to LF on Friday and for most of Saturday, but if you look at the distance, exit velo, and launch angle, there were only three of the ten homeruns that were not going out.
The Missouri team simply isn't good. Everyone knew that going into the series, but it is still not easy to walk into an SEC opponents home and sweep them, yet Texas did exactly that. That is big time stuff, especially when you consider that in three years at A&M, Schlossnagle had never swept an SEC road series and he now has two this season.
The Horns came into the season with the simply conference goal of getting to 15 wins which ensures you are in a Regional. The Horns through three conference series already have 8 conference wins and are tied for first place in the conference. Elite coaching matters and that is abundantly evident with this squad. The pitching is better. The hitting is better. The fielding is better. The base running is better.
Yes, there are still numerous tough series ahead, including a weekend tilt against the #3 team in the nation who boasts one of the best offenses and an outstanding bullpen, but you take an 8-1 start to conference play in the SEC every day of the week!
Now...about those injuries. The good news for the Horns is that it appears that there is no fracture for Galvan after having the ball bunted foul off his index finger. Based on what I have heard, I am cautiously optimistic about Galvan and Max Belyeu both being back for the Georgia series this coming weekend. I would still not expect them to play on Tuesday against Texas State. As it pertains to freshman Adrian Rodriguez, I am less clear on the extent of the thumb issue that he is facing. We should know much more on Monday after the team gets back to Austin and has further time to examine him.
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NEXT UP:
Horns will host Texas State (12-14 at time of posting) on Tuesday night at Disch-Falk Field with first pitch ocurring at 630pm CT
