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Texas State at Texas (recap added)

B8th

Marlow - routine 4-3 for out #1

Gurwitz - singles through the hole on left side, runner to 1B with 1 out

Gurwitz steals 2B easily - good jump off Whitter.

Boswll - YARD WORK! Boswell goes deep over the sign in RF!

 
Series next weekend is huge. If Texas can win a couple against TCU on the road that will significantly improve our RPI. Then we get a decent Tech team at home and a terrible Baylor team on the road. Can't afford to drop midweek games against Prairie View A&M and Texas State. 

 
B8th cont'd

Texas State goes to pen for Braden Pearson.

Baker - L7 nice run/sliding catch in foul ground by Studdard for out #2

Johnson - L3, good stab by Hill

Going to T9th

Texas State 3

Texas 7

 
T9th

Kirby Bellow in to pitch for UT.

Paiz - full count and he goes F7, 1 out

McElroy - K swinging, 2 outs

Huber - 3 unassisted

FINAL

Texas 7

Texas State 3

 
Horns win 7-3... that is more like it.  Nice job by Matt off the bench filling in for Joeywa and going all 9 innings.

Good to see Ty Harrington back tonight!!

Hook 'Em!

 
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Not that it really matters now but below is the rule on letting a ball hit you. So in this game, the ump stated to Augie "It hit the bat" (I read lips) which the replay clearly shows it hit his elbow protector. To me, the ball was out of the strike zone and shouldn't have been a ball.

6.08 The batter becomes a runner and is entitled to first base without liability to be put
out (provided he advances to and touches first base) when—

( b ) He is touched by a pitched ball which he is not attempting to hit unless (1) The ball is in the strike zone when it touches the batter, or (2) The batter makes no attempt to avoid being touched by the ball;

If the ball is in the strike zone when it touches the batter, it shall be called a strike, whether or not the batter tries to avoid the ball. If the ball is outside the strike zone when it touches the batter, it shall be called a ball if he makes no attempt to avoid being touched.

 
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FACT!

 
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submitted Today, 10:58 PM in Texas Longhorns Baseball By Matt Cotcher   
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 @mlcotcher
 
FINAL: Texas 7 – Texas State 3

Springboarding off scoring 16 runs against Kansas on Sunday, Texas smashed two more homeruns on Tuesday evening, beating Texas State, 7-3. The Longhorns have mashed seven longballs in the last two games and have seven multi-homerun games on the season.

The Bobcats struck for a pair of runs in the top of the first inning, getting an RBI double from Granger Studdard and an RBI single from Ben McElroy. Texas responded to the early deficit by sending nine hitters to the plate in the bottom half of the frame, scoring three runs and taking a lead they never relinquished.

While staying aggressive on offense, Longhorn batters also did a good job of staying patient and managing the strike zone in the home half of the first inning. Augie Garrido talked about how difficult it is to balance those two mentalities after the game, saying, “One of the things as a coaching staff that we saw in the game offensively, we took a high level of quality at bats through the first five innings. In all five innings, we did a good job of managing the strike zone and not swinging at pitches outside of the strike zone and becoming impatient. Being aggressive like that comes from confidence.”

To take the lead, Texas used a hit batter, a fielding error, a bunt, three walks, and an RBI triple from Tres Barrera. After the commotion, Texas State had already pulled their starting pitcher, and the Horns owned a 3-2 lead.

Texas then got a pair of two-run homeruns in later innings to maintain their advantage. Zane Gurwitz’ blast down the left field line scored Brooks Marlow in the bottom of the third, and Bret Boswell's dinger to right field in the eighth frame, finished the scoring at 7-3.

Josh Sawyer settled in for a solid five innings after getting roughed up in the opening frame. Sawyer, who earned the win (3-2), struck out four Bobcat batters and only allowed the pair of runs Texas State scored in the top of the first.

Andy McGuire allowed a homerun in the top of the fifth and only recorded a single out before being pulled in favor of Jon Malmin. Combined with an inning of work from Malmin, Connor Mayes and Kirby Bellow shut the door on the Bobcats. The trio of Longhorn relievers tossed 3.2 scoreless innings and did not allow a single hit.

Texas travels to Fort Worth on Friday to face TCU in a pivotal three game series over the weekend.


POST-GAME

Augie Garrido

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On the game: â€œOne of the things as a coaching staff that we saw in the game offensively, we took a high level of quality at bats through the first five innings. In all five innings, we did a good job of managing the strike zone and not swinging at pitches outside of the strike zone and becoming impatient. Being aggressive like that comes from confidence. When you're not confident, you just don't think spontaneously. All of us as coaches saw a good carry over from the Sunday game into this game. The pitching, [Josh] Sawyer gave us five innings and settled down after the first. We played another game without errors and there were some challenges. We continue to play good defense on the field.”

On Josh Sawyer’s performance: â€œThe runs helped big time. That's why we bunt early. The whole idea of us trying to score runs in the first inning and bunting are about the pitcher and trying to get him four runs as fast as we can so that they can relax. The curveball gets better, their location gets better in the strike zone and have a little more movement on the fastball. It's all about relaxation and finding their rhythm and timing and not being afraid to give up a run or hit.”

On whether there was carryover from Sunday's win against Kansas: â€œAbsolutely and it was from the bitter disappointment from the Saturday loss where they hit the walk-off home run. It's happened to us a significant number of times and it finally hit rock bottom with all of them. The players have taken over the team in terms of inspiration and motivation and responsibility, and accountability and providing the leadership that it takes to play at the next level.”

On having Ty Harrington at the game: â€œEmotional. I know what he's going through. I was with my mother when she went through it. She didn't make it, but he did. We thank God for that. It's very emotional. It's because I love him. I love what he's had to go through and how he's conquered it. I admire him. I respect him. I love him for winning the battle.”

Josh Sawyer

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On rebounding after his struggle in the first inning: â€œI came into the dugout and [Associate Head Coach] Skip [Johnson] and I talked about a little mechanical change. Once I changed that, everything went well and smooth from there.”

On if Sunday’s win and this game can be a turning point: â€œIt's definitely a turning point. We got the win against Kansas [sunday] and came out here and scored a lot of runs. If the offense keeps rolling, we are going to go win a couple more.”

On his performance: â€œIt felt good to go out there and finally get in a rhythm for once in a while. It felt good to show my stuff.”

On the offense boosting his effort: â€œNo doubt. When you see those guys go out there in the first inning and throw up a three-spot, you can go out there and pitch with a lead. When you go out there and they are playing defense behind me left and right and hitting the ball all over the place, it's a really good team win.”

Zane Gurwitz

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On breaking out of his slump: â€œMainly what happened with me in the beginning of the season, I tried to be something I wasn't. I tried just do as much as I could at one time when I was up to bat. The game was speeding up on me. I just took a step back, slowed down, and got back to what got me here. It's working. Just keeping the game simple. If you make the game too hard on yourself, it's going to eat you up.”

On what he tried in order to break the slump: â€œI tried everything. I tried an open stance, new walk up, and then nothing was working so I figured why not take it back to what got me here.”

On if the loss on Saturday to Kansas was rock bottom: â€œI think no doubt it was a turning point. We have gone through a lot this season. As baseball players and competitors, when you get the win Friday in extra innings and then to get a walk-off against you, it changed all of us. We were doing everything right that game and one hit just got us the loss. Being competitors, you can only take so much until you have to fight back and get back to just being aggressive and playing baseball.”

On the offense responding to the 2-0 deficit: â€œBig thing is when we were going through our rut, we weren't hitting the ball. We weren't squaring it up and getting the hits because we were being complacent and being passive at the plate. Instead we started back in Kansas - we were thinking that we were taught to go up there and attack the pitcher; 0-0, 1-0, get into hitter's counts and attack. Don't let those good pitches go by.”

 
Does Augie read Hornsports and is he talking directly to one of our stalwarts

“The runs helped big time. That's why we bunt early. The whole idea of us trying to score runs in the first inning and bunting are about the pitcher and trying to get him four runs as fast as we can so that they can relax."

Just messing with you Slim

 
Does Augie read Hornsports and is he talking directly to one of our stalwarts

“The runs helped big time. That's why we bunt early. The whole idea of us trying to score runs in the first inning and bunting are about the pitcher and trying to get him four runs as fast as we can so that they can relax."

Just messing with you Slim
I'd like this post a dozen times if I could. Hahaha.

 
Does Augie read Hornsports and is he talking directly to one of our stalwarts

“The runs helped big time. That's why we bunt early. The whole idea of us trying to score runs in the first inning and bunting are about the pitcher and trying to get him four runs as fast as we can so that they can relax."

Just messing with you Slim

and that's precisely the wrong way to go about it, augie.  that's what you don't get.  sorry.  its the wrong f'ng strategy.  

bunting SOMETIMES gets you a picket fence run and many times just wastes an out because your guys can't f'cking execute the bunt correctly--and bunting seriously limits the number of big innings and crooked numbers you put up.  it also robs the confidence of the players and hitting is all about confidence.

hit away, statistically you're better off (it's been proven, see the run expectancy table), you don't give up an out and you've got a better chance of the big inning (you did say four runs didn't you?). 

yeah, sometimes you hit into a double play, but when you bunt, sometimes you pop it up (remember the game on sunday? twice in a row in fact), sometimes you fail to get it down and have to hit with two strikes, sometimes you bunt it back to the pitcher and he gets the guy at second, but SOMETIMES he gets a hit and starts a big inning.

sorry, but its a loser's strategy and a weak hitter's mentality.  the pro's have all but abandoned the sacrifice bunt precisely for these reasons, but you knotheads continue to believe that because Augie the Zenmaster does it, it must be good.  it's not good.  its a poor strategy.  

sorry, boys, but them's the facts.  BUT LET ME REPEAT SOMETHING FOR THOSE HARD OF HEARING DOOFUSES WHO WANT TO CONTINUE TO BERATE ME OVER THIS.  I DON'T DISLIKE THE STRATEGY ALL THE TIME.

i like sacrifice bunting in late inning strategies when you need just one run and occasionally throughout the game, but it needs to be a surprise tactic, not automatic.  i also like it with runners on first and second, because moving two runners into scoring position instead of one doubles the return on the strategy, so by all means sac bunt when the first two runners of the inning get on base.

Now, here comes the penalty phase of this diatribe.  If you peanut heads don't get off my ass about this, i am going to wear my old faithful hat to the Tech series.  We are turning a corner right now I think and i'm happy the team is responding, but Augie is going to kill the momentum if he employs his automatic sac bunt strategy in the early innings.

Here's what will work for me (somebody copy this and give it to Augie):

1.  lead off guy gets on: hit away, or try a steal (if its johnson or shaw or gurwitz), or try a hit and run, or try a butcher boy play.  showing bunt to pull the third baseman and then hitting away is OK.

2.  first two runners get on, by all means, bunt'em over to second and third but if you fail to get the bunt down, you have to stand on the mound, get the microphone and publicly apologize to everyone in the stands after singing the Eyes of Texas.  if you do it twice, you have cut off your hand and rename yourself "Stump".

3.  if the leadoff guy somehow gets a double and augie try's to bunt him to third, augie has to wear a Labrador Retriever barking shock collar for the rest of the game and i get to hold the controls.  by the end of the game, Pavlov's dogs will be laughing their asses off and Augie will be flopping like a flounder on the bottom of the boat.

4.  anybody caught taking a called third strike with runners in scoring position has to run five laps around the city of Austin.

ok, that's about it for now.

 
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I like how Slim really sugar-coats the way he feels about this stuff.  I applaud your restraint! 

And for the record, I like #2 & #4. 

 
I agree with Slim on the idea of having the bunt not be an automatic strategy. Garrido's belief in the bunt is based on a college team's inability to consistently defend the play. Unlike an MLB player, a college kid botches the play often enough that the percentages argue in favor of the bunt in NCAA-level baseball.

Witness the bottom of the first inning in the Texas State game - the Bobcats had defensive lapses on 2 consecutive bunts. Those misplays directly led to 2 of the 3 runs in the inning.

On the other hand, you get games like the KU one referenced above. Popping up a bunt attempt renders it the most useless play in baseball.

There are good arguments for both sides, IMO. That's why I think Slim's strategy of mixing in bunts is appropriate. Doing so should also add a surprise element and make the defense even more prone to a fielding error.

 
I like how Slim really sugar-coats the way he feels about this stuff. I applaud your restraint!

And for the record, I like #2 & #4.
it would appear he's given this some thought. Good rant. Not Randolph Duke 'Patterson blows' good, but pretty damn good.
 
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