Gut check win

After losing another extra-inning hearbreaker on Friday night, Texas faced a must-win situation on Saturday against Oklahoma, their staff ace Alec Hansen, and his 99 mph fastball. The Horns responded with a 4-1 win, using a three run, sixth inning to provide the margin of victory.

When asked if Saturday’s response by the team showed the heart of a champion, Augie Garrido quipped, “Maybe they just got tired of losing.” Texas’ overall record now stands at 19-16 and the team is 6-5 in conference play.

Hansen and Texas starter Kacy Clemens held the two offenses in check for the first five frames. The teams each scored a single run early, but Hansen and Clemens did a solid job of keeping hitters off balance.

The Longhorns’ run came in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI groundout by CJ Hinojosa that scored Michael Cantu. That run and Clemens’ six innings pitched where he only allowed one earned run and struck out four Sooners, was enough to keep Texas in the game until the bottom of the sixth inning.

In the home half of the sixth frame, the Longhorns got an RBI triple from Bret Boswell, followed by RBI singles from Tres Barrera and Zane Gurwitz to post three more runs, vaulting Texas to a 4-1 lead. In addition to their RBI, Boswell and Barrera each had two hits and scored a run.

Ty Culbreth, Ty Marlow, and Kirby Bellow shutout OU over the final three innings, with Bellow earning his fourth save of the season. In addition to the strong pitching and timely hitting, Texas played outstanding defense throughout the afternoon.

Both Boswell and Joe Baker had slick plays on the left side of the infield, Texas turned two double plays, and two Sooners were caught stealing. After the game Clemens praised the effort, “The defense really helped me out a lot today.”

POST GAME

Augie Garrido

Kacy Clemens

Bret Boswell