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Sunday - March 16, 2008

Game 17: Kansas at Texas

No sweep this weekend. Texas lost the third game of the series 2-7 to Kansas this afternoon. The Horns just could not get much going offensively. The Kansas starter was able to keep the Longhorns off balance and on their heals. Weather-wise, it was overcast and very windy (wind blowing across from rf to lf). I think it started out at 71 deg. F and got up to 75.

And, here's how the whole ugly mess played out:

• 1st inning: Casey Whitmer started for Texas. Kansas got two aboard via walks but stranded them at 1b and 2b. Freeman started on the mound for Kansas. In the bottom of the inning, Preston Clark reached on a 2-out walk and moved to 2b on a double by Cameron Rupp down the rf line. Tant Shepherd grounded out to the pitcher to strand two in scoring position.
• 2nd inning: Morrison was hit by a pitch and moved to 2b on a wild pitch. After striking out the next batter and walking the third, Texas sent Cole Green to the mound. He gave up a single (rbi) before getting the final batter to ground into a 4-6-3 double play. In the bottom of the inning, Kyle Russell reached on a full-count 1-out walk. David Hernandez then hit into a 6-4-3 double play. Texas down 0-1.
• 3rd inning: Kansas stranded 1 at 1b in the top of the inning. Texas returned the favor in the bottom of the inning.
• 4th inning: Morrison (who reached in 4-of-5 plate appearances today) singled up the middle, moved to 3b on a single by Afenir, and scored on a sac fly to cf. Afenir was stranded at 1b. In the bottom of the inning, Texas went 3-up/3-down (ground out to 2b, ground out to ss, ground out to ss). Texas down 0-2.
• 5th inning: Brandon Workman went to the mound at the start of the inning. Kansas stranded Allman (who reached on a 1-out single) at 1b in the top. With 2 out, Michael Torres reached on a full-count walk and moved to 3b on a single to rf. Travis Tucker grounded into a 6-4 fielder's choice to end the threat.
• 6th inning: In the top, Morrison singled but was caught stealing on the 2nd pitch to Afenir, who went on to fly out to rf. Southers struck out to end the top. Texas tied things up in the bottom when Brandon Belt hit a 2-out 2-run homerun over the lf fence. It was pretty. Kyle Russell struck out to end the inning. Game tied 2-2.
• 7th inning: Kansas did the opposite of rolling over and playing dead in the face of adversity. Or, maybe they just took advantage of opportunities presented to them. Thompson flew out to rf. Faunce walked. Robby Price walked. Texas sent Marcus Tackett to the mound. Allman singled to cf to load the bases. Land walked in a run. Ouch. Ryne Price (yes, him again) doubled to cf, scoring 2. Morrison was intentionally walked, loading the bases. Texas sent Stayton Thomas to the mound. Afenir hit a sac fly to lf. Southers struck out. In the bottom of the inning, Kansas sent Esquibel to the mound. David Hernandez led things off with a single up the middle but was erased on a line-drive double play to ss by Michael Torres. Sigh. Jordan Danks flew out to cf at the warning track. Texas down 2-6.
• 8th inning: Thompson started things off with a single to cf (1st pitch). Faunce reached on a bunt between the mound and 1b (1st pitch). Robby Price reached on a bunt down the 3b line (1st pitch). Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. Allman grounded into a 6-4-3 double play (2nd pitch, Thompson scored). Land finally took a few pitches and ended up going down on a called third strike (full count). In the bottom of the inning, the Horns went down in order (ground out to ss, ground out to 3b, ground out to 2b). Ugly. Horns down 2-7.
• 9th inning: In the top of the inning, the Jayhawks went down in order. It rather shocked us all. Oh, and Austin Wood pitched that final inning for Texas. That surprised us a bit. He did only pitch a couple on Friday, though. In the bottom of the inning, Russell Moldenhauer (pinch-hitting for Tant Shepherd) doubled to rf. Connor Rowe went to 2b as a pinch runner. Brandon Belt flew out to lf. Kyle Russell walked for the 2nd time in the game (giving him 18 walks on the year to go with his 17 strikeouts; he leads the team in both categories). David Hernandez struck out. And, Michael Torres ended the game with a fly out to the warning track in cf.

The final line, direct from the scoreboard:

I'm not really sure what to say about today's game. Obviously, it was very disappointing. Nothing seemed to go right for the Horns today. On the offensive side of things, they just couldn't seem to hit the ball much at all. The Kansas starter (Freeman) really did seem to have them off-balance. They hit so many soft grounders to ss, it wasn't funny. When they did make good contact, it was right at someone. The best descriptor, I suppose, came from my mom who kept saying they looked flat. Indeed they did.

Ah well...a few pictures...

Casey Whitmer on the mound:

Preston Clark motoring into 3b in the 1st inning:

Cameron Rupp, after hitting a double in the 1st:

Cole Green on the mound:

Brandon Workman on the mound, showing off his high kick:

Brandon Belt cruising the basepads between 2b and 3b after his 6th-inning homerun:

Kyle Russell made a nice running catch of a foul ball near the fence for the first out of the 7th:

Too bad the Horns didn't get another out in the inning 'til the 8th batter got to the plate, eh?

Marcus Tackett on the mound:

Stayton Thomas on the mound:

Austin Woods on the mound:

Russell Moldenhauer rounding 1b after his double in the 9th:

The newly renovated UFCU Disch-Falk Field now hosts "kids running the bases" after Sunday games. It's fun to watch. The most fun, of course, is watching the smallest of the little kids. They frequently don't understand what's going on. They're just happy to be running. Here are some of the little ones that ran today:

That last little girl was knocked down when she rounded 3b and was dusting herself off. The age limit is 14 and the bigger kids tend to overtake the smaller ones. And, sometimes, there's a bump or two as they round corners.

Posted by Joanna at 11:35 PM