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Saturday - March 3, 2007

Game 17: Oral Roberts at Texas

The Longhorns did something I really really like today: they came from behind to win. Final score: 5-3.

It was a pretty cold day. The temperature sign on the scoreboard kept telling us it was in the high 50s but it felt a lot colder than that as we sat through a very strong and steady wind from the north. Brrrrr...

Adrian Alaniz started and did an okay job. He lasted 3.1 innings and gave up 2 runs (1 unearned) on 4 hits with 5 strikeouts, 2 walks, and 2 hit batters. Joseph Krebs went 4.2 to get the win. He gave up 1 run on 4 hits with 4 strikeouts and 1 walk. Randy Boone threw the last inning. He had a nice 3-up/3-down inning.

The first batter of the game scored for ORU and things looked just a bit bleak. Texas got Chance Wheeless to 2b in the bottom of the 1st but stranded him there. The Eagles went down in order in the top of the 2nd. Texas left one at 1b in the bottom. ORU left runners at 1b and 2b in the top of the 3rd. Texas left one at 2b in the bottom. ORU scored their 2nd run in the top of the 4th when Pearson led things off and reached on an error by Chance at 1b. He scored from 2b a few batters later on a single by Warfle. At that point, Joseph Krebs went in for the Horns and got the last two outs of the inning, leaving runners at 2b and 3b. Bradley Suttle led off the Texas half of the 4th with a single but it was followed by a fly out and a double play. In the top of the 5th, Travis Tucker made a spectacular play to stop a ball headed into cf and then he threw the batter out at 1b. Wow. Sadly, a bit later, with two out, Joseph walked a batter and then gave up back-to-back singles to put ORU up 3-0. And, finally, the Horns got on the board in the bottom of the 5th. Russell Moldenhauer singled to lead off the inning. He started the day hitless on the season and ended up with 3 singles. Way to go! Preston Clark flew out behind Russell but Josh Prince (on fire!) singled to move Russell to 2b. Travis then reached on a fielder's choice. Runners at the corners. Chance then doubled to the cf/rf gap (2 rbi). ORU changed pitchers and got out of the inning. ORU did not score again. They left a runner at 3b in the 6th and one at 2b in the 8th but were unable to get anyone else on base. In contrast, Texas scored two more in the 6th (three singles scattered around a couple of groundouts and a failed suicide squeeze) and 1 unearned in the 8th when Josh scored from 2b after the ORU right fielder dropped a fly ball.

Todays offensive stars: Chance Wheeless went 3-for-5 with a double and 2 runs batted in; Bradley Suttle went 3-for-4; Russell Moldenhauer went 3-for-4 with a run scored; Preston Clark only went 1-for-4 but that one drove in 2 runs; and Josh Prince went 1-for-2, reached base 3 times, and scored a run.

Coach Garrido strenuously argued one call (hit batter) in the top of the 4th. I think he was arguing that the batter swung at the ball so it should've been called a strike. The home plate umpire called over the 1b and 2b officials to discuss matters but stood by his call. Augie must've stood out there 2 or 3 minutes. He seemed determined to get thrown out of the game. But, the umps were having none of it. It was kinda strange.

All in all, a very good win for the Horns. I was delighted to see them pushing on with such determination and I hope they get their first sweep of the year tomorrow.

Posted by Joanna at 10:33 PM