Turning two

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