« National Upset Day? | Main | Game 42: Nebraska at Texas »

Saturday - April 22, 2006

Game 41: Nebraska at Texas

Texas beat Nebraska 6-2 last night. The Horns had the game well in hand for most of the game. It would not be the 2006 team, though, if we didn't have just a wee bit of excitement. Kyle McCulloch started and pitched a very nice 7 innings. He allowed one run on 7 hits (6 singles, 1 double) with 4 strikeouts and 2 walks. Randy Boone pitched a 1-2-3 eighth. And, then the fun started. Austin Wood came on for the ninth. The first batter he faced (Opitz) battled away but finally grounded out to 1b on the 9th pitch he saw. Jaros doubled down the lf line. Sullivan flew out to lf. Then Mort had another marathon at-bat. He singled the 9th pitch he saw up the middle. Runners at the corners. Two outs. Brown (pinch-hitting for Nimmo) walked on a 5 pitches to load the bases. Christy then singled to rf (rbi). Bases still loaded. Still two outs. Tying run due up. So, Texas sent Adrian Alaniz in. Wehrle (one of three Nebraska batters batting over .380 coming into the game) popped up to 3b to end the game. Whew. In the post-game interview, Coach Garrido said the decision on whether or not to start Adrian in today's game would be made this morning. Adrian only threw 4 pitches so, hopefully, he'll be good to go.

Texas played error-free which was great. They started Nick Peoples in rf and Clay Van Hook at 3b. Otherwise, things were about as they usually are. Offensively, Texas jumped to a 1-run lead in the 1st and just kept building on it. Nick Peoples went 1-for-4 with a run scored. Drew Stubbs went 1-for-3 with 2 walks and a run scored. Carson Kainer went 2-for-3 with a double, a sac bunt, 3 runs batted in, and a run scored. Chance Wheeless went 0-for-3 with a sac fly (1 rbi). Bradley Suttle went 0-for-3 with a walk. Kyle Russell went 1-for-3 with a run scored. Brett Lewis (pinch hitting in the dh spot for Kyle in the 7th) singled (1 rbi) in his only at-bat. Preston Clark went 0-for-4 (too bad). Chais Fuller went 1-for-4 with a run batted in. And, Clay Van Hook was perfect on the day at the plate; he went 2-for-2 with a double, 2 walks, and 2 runs scored.

I was very confused by one ruling in the 7th. Drew had reached on an infield single. Carson hit a very high pop-up to 2b but the officials did not call the infield fly rule. The Nebraska second baseman missed the ball and Drew (a few feet off 1b) broke for 2b. The second baseman picked the ball up and tossed to the shortstop at 2b for the force out. Carson was safe on the fielder's choice. I thought that Carson should've been called out automatically and Drew should've been at 1b. I looked the rule up, though:

Infield Fly: A fair fly ball (not including a line drive or an attempted bunt) that can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort, when first and second or first, second and third bases are occupied before two are out. The pitcher, catcher and any outfielder who is positioned in the infield on the play shall be considered infielders for the purpose of this rule. The ball is live and runners may advance at their own risk. If a declared infield fly becomes a foul ball, it is treated the same as any foul.

So, since there was only one runner on, I guess the infield fly rule did not come into play. You really do learn something new every day. Heh.

I do think Nebraska should've been charged with a second error in the 8th. Clay came up to bat with one out and hit a fly ball to shallow cf. The Nebraska center fielder (Nimmo) charged the ball and dove to make the catch. He missed the ball and the right fielder had to retrieve the ball and throw it in. Clay easily reached 2b and was credited with a double. If Nimmo hadn't left his feet, though, Clay would've had to hold at 1b. So, I think it should be a single and E8. But, that's just a quibble.

Ah well...Texas continues to lead the Big 12 and winning yesterday was great. I hope the winning ways continue today. The game's on TV so if you can't make it out to Disch-Falk, tune in. Hook 'em!

Posted by Joanna at 9:42 AM