After taking the early lead, the Longhorns pitching staff ran into an Aggie buzzsaw. Weather definitely played a factor as Texas tried to bring starter Luke Harrison back on the mound after a delay of one hour and thirty eight minutes, but his stuff was not as sharp and his velo was down and A&M took advantage. In just two batters, A&M had raced out to a big lead and provided them all the cushion they needed to cruise the rest of the game, winning the series.
Texas Longhorns (27-7, 9-5 SEC): 4
Texas A&M (26-7, 9-5 SEC): 11
Box Score
Winning Pitcher: Gavin Lyons (5-0)
Losing Pitcher: Luke Harrison (4-1)
Key Moments:
After the Horns got the early 1-0 lead in the Top 1st, starter Luke Harrison took the mound in the Bottom 1st as the rains began gently falling. Texas A&M got the first two hitters on as Gavin Grahovac and Caden Sorrell both singled up the middle. Harrison battled back to get a strike out against Chris Hacopian, but then walked the next batter. As the rain really started pelting down, freshman 3B Nico Partida hit a liner down the LF line for a two run RBI double giving the Aggies a 2-1 lead. The umpires immediately called a halt to the game.
After a 1 hour and 38 minute weather delay, Texas elected to go back with Luke Harrison with a 1 out and runners on 2B and 3B situation.
That move would prove costly as the next batter drew a walk on a controversial call on a 3-2 count which appeared to be a strike but was not called. Harrison did get a strikeout, but then disaster struck as the number eight hitter lined one down the LF line for a two run RBI double. After another walk to load the bases back up, Grahovac hit a bases clearing triple to left CF off the wall followed by an RBI double off the wall by Cade Sorrel to put A&M up 8-1.
Here is the video of the non-call.
Recap:
The game started brightly for the Horns as Ethan Mendoza led off by hitting a double off the wall in left CF and then came in to score on a ball hit to the SS that he booted, giving Texas the early 1-0 lead.
Unfortunately, things went south for the Horns in the Bottom 1st as noted about.
In the Top 2nd, the Horns had runners on 1B and 2B with just one out, but a pop up and a strike out by the bottom of the lineup erased the possibility of chipping into the Aggy lead.
In the Bottom 2nd, RHP Max Grubbs was back on the mound after getting the last out in the Bottom 1st and retired the side in order.
In the Top 3rd, Texas got a run back as Aiden Robbins hit a two out shot to LF to make it 8-2 Aggies.
In the Bottom 3rd, Texas A&M answered back as Max Grubbs over threw Larson at 1B on a high chopper with a lot of top spin that was hard to field and then walked the next batter, which included a wild pitch to move the runner from 2B to 3B. A&M made Grubbs and Texas pay for those mistakes as a sac fly to LF brought home another run to make it 9-2 Aggies. Freshman RHP Brody Walls stepped into the breach and got back to back fly outs against Grahovac and Sorrell to end the frame.
After both teams traded a scoreless 4th inning, Texas cut into the lead again in the Top 5th as Josh Livingston hit a 1 out solo shot to RF to make it 9-3 Aggies. Carson Tinney then hit a liner into left CF for a 2 out double, followed by an Aiden Robbins walk prompting A&M to go to the bullpen for former Texas commit Soph RHP Gavin Lyons. He struck out Anthony Pack Jr looking to end the scoring threat.
After Brody Walls retired the side in order in the Bottom 5th, Texas came back to the plate looking to further cut into the lead in the Top 6th. Unfortunately, all they could muster was a 2 out single by Ashton Larson.
In the Bottom 6th, freshman Brody Walls was again on the mound for the Horns as Texas looked to keep the A&M offense at bay and continue to chip into the lead. Once again, the A&M offense, the best in the SEC had other plans. Walls hit the first batter on a 96mph fastball that ran too much inside, but bounced back to get a big strikeout against Gavin Grahovac. Unfortunately, Caden Sorrell hammered a pitch that caught too much of the plate to LF for a two run home run to put the Aggies up 11-3. Walls was able to finish the inning for the Horns, preventing any further damage but Texas trailed big.
In the Top 7th, Aggy reliever Gavin Lyons continued to put up zeros as he retired the side in order.
In the Bottom 7th, Texas brought in Michael Winter who has missed some time recently due to illness to pitch. He gave up a lead off single before battling back to get a strike out. Winter then issued back to back balks to move the runner from 1B to 3B with just 1 out, but did not give in or give up a run as a fielder’s choice to Casey Borba was thrown home to Tinney to apply the tag for the second out and then a fly out to CF ended the frame.
In the Top 8th, Aiden Robbins led off with another solo shot to LF to make it 11-4 Horns. This was the second day in a row that Robbins hit two home runs. Anthony Pack followed with a single through the left side, but Becerra popped up and Borba hit into a double play to kill any chance of further chipping into the lead.
LHP Cal Higgins came in to pitch for the Horns in the Bottom 8th and immediately got back to back ground outs before giving up a double to Chris Hacopian who went opposite field down the RF line. Higgins then issued a walk before inducing a pop up against Partida to end the frame.
In the Top 9th the Horns were retired in order as Ashton Larson flied out to LF and then Maddox Monsour and Josh Livingston both struck out.
Offensive Performance:
Aiden Robbins: 2-3, 2 runs, 3 RBI, 2 HR, 1 BB
Ethan Mendoza: 1-4, 1 run, 1 double
Pitching Performance:
Luke Harrison: 0.2 IP, 6 hits, 8 runs, 3 walks, 2 strikeouts, 44 pitches (26 strikes)
Max Grubbs: 1.2 IP, 1 run, 1 BB, 28 pitches (15 strikes)
Brody Walls: 3.2 IP, 1 hit, 2 runs, 1 BB, 1 K, 57 pitches (38 strikes)
Michael Winter: 1 IP, 1 hit, 1 K, 16 pitches (11 strikes)
Cal Higgins: 1 IP, 1 hit, 1 BB, 20 pitches (12 strikes)
Final Thoughts:
11 runs 9 hits (6 left on base) vs. 4 runs 7 hits (5 left of base). Lopsided score, but the disaster of the first inning was really the story. After that, Max Grubbs and Brody Walls did an outstanding job of holding serve and giving the Horns a chance to get back into the game.
The Horns 5, 6, and 8 hole hitters going 0-10 cannot happen. They have to get more production than that in order to turn the lineup over and compete.
Texas has Dylan Volantis, Sam Cozart, Thomas Burns, Haiden Leffew, and Brett Crossland available tomorrow which bodes well. The hitters swinging for the fences and trying to hit the long ball has to be improved. They need to continue looking to drive the ball and let power come to them instead of chasing it.
The Texas bullpen did exactly what it needed to do giving up just three runs, three hits, three walks, and two strikeouts over 7.1 IP. Tip of the cap to freshman Brody Walls today for eating innings out of the pen especially.
Next Up:
Texas will be back in action tomorrow at 1pm looking to avoid get the sweep. Tomorrow’s weather looks dicey at first pitch, so it remains to be seen what that will look like.
