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Monday - June 4, 2007

Game 63: Texas at UC Irvine (Austin Regional)

Texas tried but just couldn't come up with the answers needed to beat the UC Irvine Anteaters as they lost this afternoon's rain-delayed game 6-9. UCI moves on to play in a Super Regional against the winner of the Wichita State/Arizona game to be played tonight at 7.

Texas was the designated Visitor and here's how things played out:

• Texas, 1st inning
• Eric Pettis on the mound for UCI
• Jordan Danks grounded out to 1b unassisted.
• Kyle Russell singled to 2b.
• The second pitch to Chance Wheeless was down in the dirt and got away from the catcher. It dribbled into foul territory on the 3b side and away from 1b. Kyle hesitated and then broke for 2b. If he'd broken immediately, he might've had a chance to make it. Instead, the catcher got to the ball and threw to the shortstop covering 2b to catch Kyle stealing. Sigh.
• Chance Wheeless flew out to lf.
• UCI, 1st inning
• Austin Wood started for Texas
• Holiday grounded out to 3b.
• Orloff grounded out to 3b.
• Cipriano struck out looking.
• Texas, 2nd inning
• Bradley Suttle, after falling behind 0-2, reached on an 8-pitch walk.
• Russell Moldenhauer advanced Bradley on a sac bunt to the pitcher.
• Chais Fuller hit a double down the rf line, scoring Bradley.
• Kyle Lusson struck out.
• Brett Lewis did likewise.
• Texas up 1-0.
• UCI, 2nd inning
• Morris flew out to lf.
• Petersen singled up the middle.
• Cusick flew out to cf.
• Linton flew out to lf.
• Texas, 3rd inning
• Travis Tucker doubled to the lf corner.
• Jordan Danks lined out to cf. Travis took off at the crack of the bat, thinking the ball would fall in for a hit. Alas. He tried to get back to 2b but was not able to beat the throw. Double play.
• Kyle Russell grounded out to 1b.
• UCI, 3rd inning
• Lowenstein grounded out to 3b.
• Vaughn singled to lf.
• Holiday singled up the middle, moving Vaughn to 2b.
• Orloff, much like Bradley Suttle in the 2nd, fell behind 0-2 but then worked his way on via an 8-pitch walk to load the bases.
• Cipriano doubled down the lf line, scoring 2.
• Runners at 2b and 3b with 1 out. Texas sent Keith Shinaberry to the mound.
• Morris grounded into a sac bunt (1-3). Orloff scored on the squeeze bunt and Cipriano moved to 3b.
• Petersen grounded out to 2b.
• UCI up 3-1.
• Texas, 4th inning
• Chance Wheeless singled up the middle.
• Bradley Suttle struck out looking.
• Russell Moldenhauer flew out to lf.
• Chais Fuller doubled to the lf corner, moving Chance to 3b.
• Josh Prince went to the plate to pinch hit for Kyle Lusson. He fell behind 0-2, fought off several pitches, and finally hit a 2-2 pitch to the lf/cf gap for a 2-run double! Wow!
• Brett Lewis went down swinging.
• Game tied at 3.
• UCI, 4th inning
• Cusick grounded out to 2b.
• Linton grounded out to the pitcher on a bunt attempt. Keith Shinaberry made a great athletic effort to get to the ball and throw Linton out. Wow.
• Lowenstein struck out.
• Texas, 5th inning
• Travis Tucker popped out to ss.
• Jordan Danks singled to cf.
• Kyle Russell grounded out to 1b, moving Jordan to 2b.
• Chance Wheeless flew out to cf.
• UCI, 5th inning
• Vaughn grounded out to 3b.
• Holiday singled to lf. He tried to stretch the hit into a double, thinking the inexperienced Josh Prince would not be able to field the ball and get it in quickly enough to make the out. However, Josh's throw was right on target and Holiday slid past 2b slightly as Travis Tucker held the tag on his arm to get the out.
• Orloff struck out.
• Texas, 6th inning
• Bradley Suttle singled to rf.
• Russell Moldenhauer popped out to the pitcher. He was trying to bunt but could not get the ball down. On the play, the pitcher tried to double up Bradley at 1b but the throw was wild. It bounced off the wall and back into the field of play before Bradley could advance, though.
• Chais Fuller singled to cf, moving Bradley to 2b.
• UCI sent Dylan Axelrod to the mound.
• His first pitch got past the catcher and both runners advanced. Ruled a passed ball.
• Josh Prince grounded out to 1b. Sadly, neither runner could advance.
• Brett Lewis doubled to the rf corner, 2 rbi.
• Travis Tucker struck out.
• Texas up 5-3.
• UCI, 6th inning
• Cipriano doubled to the lf/cf gap.
• Morris reached on a 6-5 fielder's choice. Nice play.
• Petersen doubled (again to the lf/cf gap) to score Morris.
• Cusick tripled to cf, scoring Petersen. Jordan Danks dove, trying to catch a sinking liner. He did not make the catch, though, and the ball rolled into deep cf.
• Texas sent Joseph Krebs to the mound (his 4th appearance in as many Regional games).
• Linton was hit on his right shoulder by a 2-1 pitch and stole 2b on the second pitch to Lowenstein.
• Lowenstein grounded out to 2b. Cusick scored and Linton moved to 3b.
• As Vaughn settled into the batter's box, Linton tried to steal home. He was thrown out, though, on a very nice play by Joseph and Brett. I hadn't seen someone attempt to steal home in a long time.
• UCI up 6-5.
• Texas, 7th inning
• Jordan Danks grounded out to 2b.
• Kyle Russell struck out.
• Chance Wheeless singled through the right side.
• Bradley Suttle walked on 4 pitches.
• UCI sent Tom Calahan to the mound.
• Jeff Boes (pinch-hitting for Russell Moldenhauer) popped out to 3b.
• At this point, the game was sent into delay due to looming storms. The teams cleared the field and the grounds crew pulled out the tarp. A light rain (more drizzle than anything else) had been falling for quite some time. Oddly, when they called the game, the rain had almost completely stopped. But, within about 10 minutes of getting the tarp out, hard rain started pouring down. It was almost 8:30 when they called the game. We stood around on the concourse for about 90 minutes before they announced that the game would be resumed the next day at 1 o'clock. And, so...
• UCI, 7th inning
• Joseph Krebs continued on the mound for the Horns.
• Vaughn flew out to lf.
• Holiday grounded out to ss. Chais Fuller made a great play. He charged the slow grounder, fielded it with his bare hand, and threw Holiday out in one smooth motion. If he'd tried to field the ball with his glove, Holiday would've been safe.
• Orloff was hit on the knee by a 2-2 pitch to reach.
• Cipriano grounded into a 4-6 fielder's choice. Another nice play, this time by Travis Tucker.
• Texas, 8th inning
• Scott Gorgen went to the mound for UCI. Remember him? He threw that complete game against the Horns on Saturday. Not happy to see him up and throwing.
• Chais Fuller grounded out to the pitcher.
• Josh Prince struck out.
• Brett Lewis grounded out to 2b.
• UCI, 8th inning
• Randy Boone went to the mound for Texas.
• Morris grounded out to 2b.
• Petersen reached on (what was ruled) a fielding error by 1b. Chance tried to field the hard-hit ball and it went off the tip of his glove into shallow rf. I'm not sure it really was an error. But, whatever.
• Bell (pinch-hitting) singled to rf. Kyle Russell tried to throw Petersen out at 3b and the throw sailed way over Bradley Suttle at 3b and out of play. Petersen scored and Bell was awarded 3b on the error. Tough luck. Kyle managed to catch a few players on exactly that sort of play several times this year. Alas, this time, his throw was bad.
• Madigan went in to pinch-run for Bell.
• Linton was then hit by a pitch (second time in the game) to put runners at the corners.
• Texas sent Pat McCrory to the mound.
• Linton stole 2b on the first pitch to Lowenstein.
• Lowenstein lined out to rf. This time, Kyle's throw in was a bullet and neither player even thought about tagging and advancing.
• Vaughn doubled to the cf/rf gap, scoring Bell and Linton.
• Holiday grounded out to the pitcher for the final out of the inning. On the play, the hard hit ball knocked the glove off Pat McCrory's hand. It bounced into the air and Pat grabbed it in the air and threw Holiday out at 1b. Unusual (and cool) play.
• UCI up 9-5.
• Texas, 9th inning
• Wherein Texas does not go away quietly.
• UCI sent Blair Erickson (their closer) to the mound.
• Travis Tucker singled through the left side.
• Jordan Danks doubled to the cf/rf gap, moving Travis to 3b.
• Kyle Russell struck out. Ouch.
• Chance Wheeless walked to load the bases.
• UCI sent Wes Etheridge to the mound. Texas sent Michael Demperio in to pinch run for Chance and Clay Van Hook to pinch hit for Jeff Boes.
• Clay worked the count full but struck out. Ouch.
• Chais Fuller grounded out to ss to end the game. And, the Regional. Damn.

Oh so close. And, yet...oh so far.

Posted by Joanna at 6:03 PM