Matt Cotcher
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submitted Today, 12:02 AM in Texas Longhorns Baseball By Matt Cotcher
Game 1: Texas 13 – Minnesota 2
The offense pounded out 17 hits, and Texas put the leadoff batter on in every inning. With 2 runs in each of the first two innings, this one was over from the get-go – a 4-run 5th and a 5-run 8th were just icing on the cake.
While the offense was dominating at the plate, Parker French gave the Gophers nothing to work with. Cruising with an 8-1 lead, French turned it over to Jon Malmin, who sat down the first seven batters he faced. Both of Minnesota’s runs were unearned.
- Michael Cantu had 5 RBI.
- Collin Shaw had 3 extra-base hits.
Four UT hurlers combined to throw a 5-hit shutout. Longhorn dominance on the bump started with Josh Sawyer who threw five scoreless innings, and struck out four Gophers. Sawyer only faced three batters over the minimum and induced six groundouts for the defense.
Collin Shaw and Zane Gurwitz each had multi-hit games. Texas got plate production from the entire lineup with seven players either having a hit or a walk.
- Connor Mayes, Kirby Bellow, and Kyle Johnston combined to throw four shutout innings of relief.
- Collin Shaw had two doubles, and three RBI.
Chad Hollingsworth and Ty Culbreth carried momentum from Saturday’s first game forward, limiting Minnesota to just four hits. The two Texas pitchers combined for eight strikeouts and only three walks.
Four Longhorns had multiple hits and five different players collected an RBI. Brooks Marlow started the scoring with a homerun to right field – his first round-tripper of the season.
- Tres Barrera scored two runs.
- Zane Gurwitz had five putouts in center field.
The Texas offense produced seven RBI with two outs en route to a series sweep of the Gophers. Longhorn hitters jumped all over Minnesota for seven runs and six stolen bases, all in the first two frames.
After losing his first collegiate start, Kacy Clemens bounced back and earned a win in the series finale. In five scoreless innings, Clemens only allowed one hit and two walks. Travis Duke, Tyler Schimpf, and Andy McGuire combined for four shutout innings.
- Ben Johnson had four hits.
- Brooks Marlow drove in four runs.
Trends & Takeaways
Texas dominated the series in every way possible. Before booking plane fare to Omaha, understand that Minnesota will not be a competitive team in the Big Ten this season.
Having stated that, Texas absolutely annihilated Minnesota in all three phases of the game. For those curbing enthusiasm due to the quality of opponent, it is equally true that the Horns handled the series like a Top 5 team should – there was no doubting who was the better team in most of the innings, let alone the games.
- With four losses this weekend and three to Houston on opening weekend, Minnesota is 0-7. The Gophers have lost those seven games by a combined score of 50-7.
- In the series, Texas amassed 20 extra base hits - 15 doubles, 4 triples, and 1 home run.
- His double on Sunday gave Collin Shaw six doubles in the series.
- The Longhorn pitching staff did not allow an earned run in the entire Minnesota series, lowering the team ERA to 2.36.
- Texas' starting pitchers were a perfect 4-0 this weekend, collectively throwing 22.1 innings and allowing no earned runs. The Horns’ starters allowed nine hits and seven walks while striking out 15 Gophers.
- Five Longhorns are batting above .300 (Ben Johnson, Tres Barrera, Michael Cantu, Collin Shaw, and Bret Boswell). Additionally Brooks Marlow is hitting .297.
- Ty Culbreth, Travis Duke, Connor Mayes, and Jake McKenzie have yet to allow a run this season.
- Ben Johnson was 9-18 at the plate this weekend, and has a hit in all nine games this season.
