Turning two - Horns sweep doubleheader on Saturday (recap & post-game)

[Matt Cotcher]

submitted Today, 12:00 AM in Texas Longhorns Baseball By Matt Cotcher   

 @mlcotcher
 
FINAL: Texas 5 – Kansas State 2

Texas scored early, then scored late...and it was enough for a 5-3 win over Kansas State in the first game of the series. After Friday night's game was cancelled due to inclement weather, the two teams played through dreary conditions and under a cloudy sky on Saturday afternoon in the first game of a doubleheader.

KSU struck for a run in the top of the first frame, but Texas answered with a pair of runs in the home half of the inning. Both teams' bats stayed relatively quiet until the Horns broke through for three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Starter Parker French pitched five solid innings after allowing the unearned run at the game's outset. Kirby Bellow threw two hitless innings in relief and Ty Culbreth earned his third save of the year. Kyle Johnston and Connor Mayes put the go-ahead run in the batter's box in the top of the ninth inning, but Culbreth pitched out of the jam, recording the final three outs.

Michael Cantu had two RBI, and Bret Boswell was 2-2 at the plate. Texas' third baseman also scored a run and had two walks.


FINAL: Texas 3 – Kansas State 1

The Longhorns secured a series win when they won the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader against K-State, 3-1. Chad Hollingsworth turned in a solid performance on the mound, but the star of the game was the Texas defense, turning three double plays and showing stellar glove work throughout the game.

The Horns vaulted to an early lead in the bottom of the first inning when CJ Hinojosa’s RBI double scored Ben Johnson, who led off the inning with his own double. Johnson also had an RBI triple in the third inning and Zane Gurwitz added an RBI single in the fifth frame.

Three runs was all the Texas pitchers and defense needed. Hollingsworth threw a solid 7.1 innings, allowing only one run on six hits and a walk. Kirby Bellow pitched the final five outs of the night, retiring every batter he faced to earn his second save of the season.

Johnson paced the offense with two extra base hits and a run scored, while CJ Hinojosa and Brooks Marlow each turned in 6 assists on defense.


POST GAME

Augie Garrido

On the team’s mentality in the doubleheader: â€I thought we hit the ball really hard though I don't think the runs indicated how well we performed offensively. The thing that was much better than ever was when they did hit the ball hard they didn't put their heads down, and that was not something we talked about necessarily, that was just something they did. They just accepted it as part of the game and part of their responsibilities. They didn't feel sorry for themselves if they didn't get a hit, they just kept playing and I thought that was really outstanding. The pitching was good, they challenged the hitters. And I think we stayed focused. I thought we hit the ball hard when the momentum was on the line and that's always a good sign.”

On tweaking the pitching rotation: â€œIt's really important mathematically when you win the third game instead of two. The math is really where you gain if you win all three so it is important to have the third start. It's also critical for your regional championship play. You almost have to have a fourth and sometimes a fifth starter if you lose early in the double elimination play off. Connor Mayes looks like a guy like that, [Josh] Sawyer that we took out of the lineup has that in him to be a very fine pitcher, it's just a matter of experience for him and we can get that to him on Tuesday and have him start in that situation. I think we've got the arms. It looks like as we move through this that we are going to be a much more experienced team the last third of the season than we were in the first two-thirds of the season because we're continuing to grow. You can see it, you can see the difference between the way they are handling their errors and they're at bats.”

CJ Hinojosa

On the the team’s execution throughout the doubleheader: â€œWe talk about hitting all of the time and all you can control is hitting the ball. Whatever happens after that you can't really control. But with defense you have control of that and we realized that the turf was a little wet and the ball was a little slick so we had to buckle down and made sure we had the ball in our glove before we threw it and when we did have the ball in our glove made sure to have a good grip on it and make a good throw.”

Kacy Clemens

On playing at first base: â€œIt's kind of like being a kid getting to play all of the positions but this is what I came here for. I talked to Skip about this in high school and not many people have been able to do it but luckily the timing was right here. It will be fun to see how switching back and forth with the intensity levels between being a hitter and the failures that come along with that to pitching as well. It will be fun, I'm excited.”

Chad Hollingsworth

On the efforts of Ty Culbreth & Kirby Bellow out of the bullpen: â€œEven when they struggle a little bit they are going to come back. Ty and Kirby are going to be themselves. You know if they get knocked down they are always going to come back in and there's nobody I'd rather hand the ball to then Ty and Kirby when they are coming out there. I'm always so glad when they are coming out of the bullpen.” 

 

[joeywa]

Good stuff Matt.

 

[Matt Cotcher]

Clemens was really enthused about playing 1B and hitting last night. Then when he started talking about pitching tomorrow (today), you could hear the anticipation in his voice. 

This "experiment" has him 100% engaged.