FINAL
Prairie View A&M - 2
Texas - 11
BOX SCORE
Winning Pitcher: Kade Bing (3-0)
Losing Pitcher: Isaac Herrera (0-1)
RECAP
Top 1st - LHP Kade Bing took the mound for the Horns and retired the side in order.
Bottom 1st - DH Ethan Mendoza led off the game with a single to RF. C Rylan Galvan then hit a chopper to the left side which bounced off the leg of the defender for an error, putting runners on 1B and 2B. THe Horns then put on a double steal moving both runners into scoring position. 1B Kimble Schuessler then came to the plate with two outs and runners on 2B and 3B after SS Jalin Flores and CF Will Gasparino recorded outs. As he has done so often lately, Kimble came through in the clutch with a single through the left side to give the Horns a 2-0 lead.
Top 2nd - Kade Bing was back on the mound for the Horns. He got the first batter to line out to 2B, but then gave up a single to RF. Bing bounced back to pick off the runner who was caught leaning too far. Kade did give up a single to the next batter, but induced a fly out to CF to put up another zero.
Bottom 2nd - After 2B Adrian Rodriguez struck out and RF Tommy Farmer grounded out, LF Easton Winfield came to the plate and laid down a bunt single to the left side. Unfortunately, Winfield was thrown out going to 2B on a passed ball that didn't get far enough away, ending the frame.
Top 3rd - Kade Bing was back on the mound and gave up a lead off single to left CF. A sac bunt then moved the runner to 2B putting a runner in scoring position with just one out. On a fly ball to CF, the runner then advanced to 3B. Unfortunately for Kade, a single up the middle off his foot would bring home a run to make it a 2-1 ball game with the Horns still ahead. The top of the frame ended as Kimble Schuessler made another outstanding defensive play at 1B, snagging a ball down the 1B line.
Bottom 3rd - The top of the Horns lineup went down in order.
Top 4th - The Horns went to the bullpen and brought in RHP Hudson Hamilton. Huddy got the first batter out on a strikeout and then retired the next two batters in order, which once again saw Kimble Schuessler make a nice defensive play in foul territory for the final out.
Bottom 4th - The Horns got a run back to lead off the bottom half of the frame as CF Will Gasparino crushed the first pitch he saw, bouncing it off the RF video board to make it 3-1 Horns. The Prairie View starter retired the next three batters in a row via ground out.
Top 5th - Hudson was back on the mound and again retired the side in order as he induced a fly out and then back to back ground outs.
Bottom 5th - After Tommy Farmer flied out to lead off the inning, the man of the night stepped to the plate. Easton Winfield hit a single to LF and then Ethan Mendoza hit a double to right CF for an RBI to make it 4-1. Ethan Mendoza then stole 3B after getting a great jump, followed by a walk by Rylan Galvan to put runners on 1B and 3B with just one out. Jalin Flores then hit the first pitch he saw to left CF for an RBI single, making it 5-1 Horns. That prompted a pitching change by Prairie View. The new pitcher got Will Gasparino to foul out to 1B for the second out, but there were still two runners on base as Kimble Schuessler stepped to the plate. The Schuess stayed loose as he hit a single to left CF for an RBI single making it 6-1 Horns. That brought Casey Borba to the plate and after taking the first pitch, he hammered one to LF over the Yeti Yard for a three run home run to make it 9-1 Horns. Not done quite yet, Adrian Rodriguez hit a single to left field and then stole 2B and 3B, but was unable to come home as Tommy Farmer popped up to 2B.
Top 6th - Hudson Hamilton was back on the mound for the Horns. After getting the first batter to ground out, Hudson issued a walk, breaking a streak of seven straight outs. The runner on 1B then moved over to 2B on a wild pitch. Hudson battled back to get back to back strikeouts to end the top half of the frame.
Bottom 6th - Prairie View went to the bullpen again. The new pitcher gave up a lead off double to left CF off the Yeti Yard wall to Easton Winfield as he continued his hot streak on the evening. Unfortunately, Mendoza, Chamberlain, and Flores all grounded out to end the frame.
Top 7th - The Horns went to the bullpen and brought in RHP Aiden Moffett. He walked the first batter he faced, pumping gas with a 95-96mph fastball but missing the zone. After a wild pitch that went to the back stop moved the runner to 2B, the next batter hit a single to RF. The runner on 2B who had been picked off earlier tried to make it to home plate but was thrown out on an outstanding throw home from Tommy Farmer in RF and applied tag by back up catcher Cole Chamberlain. Moffett then got the next batter to hit into a double play to end the top half of the frame.
Bottom 7th - Prairie View went to the bullpen again. After giving up a lead off walk to Will Gasparino, the new pitcher got Kimble Schuessler to fly out to LF and then induced a ground ball double play by Casey Borba to end the inning.
Top 8th - The Horns went to the bullpen again and brought in LHP Ethan Walker. He gave up a single up the middle to the first batter, then gave up another single on a soft grounder to the right side that Adrian Rodriguez could not get to 1B in time. A third single in a row then saw the runner score to make it a 9-2 ballgame. After the runner on 1B stole 2B, which was upheld on review, that put runners on 2B and 3B with no outs. Walker bounced back though to get the next batter out on a fielder's choice which saw the runner going from 2B to 3B get caught in a run down. The runner on 1B was then caught trying to steal 2B for the second out, followed by the batter hitting a pitch on the ground to Flores for the 3rd out. That kept the game a 9-2 Horns.
Bottom 8th - Adrian Rodriguez led off with a walk, followed by a fly out to RF by Tommy Farmer. That brought Easton Winfield to the plate, who was already 3-3 on the evening. On a 2-1 count, Winfield hammered the ball to LF and sent it to the street for a 2 run home run to make it 11-2. That home run was the first of Winfield's Texas career and left him just a triple short of the cycle. Jaquae Stewart then pinch hit for Ethan Mendoza, but struck out looking on a full count, followed by Cole Chamberlain being robbed of a single as the 2B made a great diving catch.
Top 9th - Texas went back to the bullpen and brought in RHP Cody Howard to finish the game off. He got the first batter to strike out looking, followed by a ground out for two quick outs. The third batter he faced would draw a 2 out walk, but Cody struck out the next batter looking to end the game and give the Horns their 10th straight victory.
BIG MOMENT
In the Bottom 6th, the Horns entered the inning leading 3-1. After having already plated three runs in the inning to push the lead to 6-1, Casey Borba hammered a 1-0 pitch to left CF for a three run home run to busy the Panther pinata open, making the score 9-1.
INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE
Easton Winfield - The UL-Monroe transfer has had a rough time this season, but had a career night at the plate for the Horns going 4-4 on the evening, ending up just a triple short of the cycle. As part of his 4-4 night, Winfield also collected his first career home run.
NEXT UP
Horns (38-5, 19-2 SEC) head to Fayetteville to take on old Southwest Conference foe Arkansas (37-9, 14-7 SEC) in a matchup pairing the top two teams in the SEC and not just in the standings. Texas leads the SEC in team ERA and Arkansas leads the SEC in team batting average.
