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Saturday - April 26, 2008

Game 42: Texas at Kansas State

The Horns fell behind quickly in the first game of the KSU series. Then caught up and passed the Wildcats. Then, added a couple of insurance runs. Good thing as KSU staged a rally in the bottom of the ninth and nearly ruined everything!

I was very tired last night after a long and stressful week at work so didn't try to keep score as I listened to the game. I actually didn't get home 'til the bottom of the 1st. I listened but did not keep detailed notes. I caught most of the important stuff, though.

The Horns played with the line-up a bit: (1) dh Michael Torres, (2) cf Jordan Danks, (3) rf Kyle Russell, (4) 1b Brandon Belt, (5) lf Russell Moldenhauer, (6) 3b Preston Clark, (7) c Cameron Rupp, (8) ss David Hernandez, and (9) 2b Travis Tucker.

Chance Ruffin got the start...and win. But he had a very shaky start. It went like this: fly out, hit batter, walk, hit batter (!!), strikeout, hit batter (!!!), walk (!!), fly out. Two earned runs without a single hit. Wow. Skip Johnson went out to talk to Chance at some point. Craig Way (working with Bill Little instead of Keith Moreland) commented at some point that he was rather impressed that Chance kept trying to get that breaking pitch over and kept hitting batters rather than just give up on it. Or something like that.

Texas tried to answer in the 2nd (after going in order in the 1st). Russell Moldenhauer reached on a 1-out single and moved to 2b when Preston Clark was hit by a pitch. Hmmm. 2 to go? Cameron Rupp hit into the 24th or 25th double play of the year turned by KSU. Bad luck.

King hit a solo homerun for the Wildcats in the 3rd. And, the Horns got a rally going in the 4th. Kyle Russell led things off with a solo homerun. Brandon Belt singled up the middle and moved to 2b when Russell Moldenhauer drew a walk. Preston Clark advanced the runners with a sac bunt down the 3b line. Cameron Rupp doubled the runners home. David Hernandez singled to cf. Cameron had to hold up to see if the center fielder would catch the ball so only advanced to 3b. Travis Tucker reached on a fielder's choice (Cameron scored). Michael Torres singled and Jordan Danks then hit into a fielder's choice to end the scoring. Texas ahead 4-3.

Chance hit another batter in the 4th and a fifth batter in the 7th. After hitting that batter and giving up a single in the 7th, Keith Shinaberry went to the mound for the Horns. Keith did his usual: got a double play. It was an unusual double play, though: Tenbrink lined to the ss who tossed to 2b to catch the runner from 2b off the bag.

Travis Tucker manufactured a run in the 8th. He reached on a 2-out single. He then stole 2b. A bad throw from the catcher let him reach 3b on the play. And, then he then scored on a wild pitch. Heh!

The Wildcats threatened in the bottom of the 8th. Brandon Workman went to the mound for Texas. Bloxom singled and moved to 2b when King walked. Both advanced on a sac bunt by Biery. Texas then did the shift we've gotten used to. Pat McCrory went in at 3b, Preston Clark moved to 1b, and Brandon Belt went to the mound. Brandon got the first batter he faced to pop out to 2b and the next struck out looking. Whew.

Texas scored another in the 9th on a solo shot by Jordan Danks. Kyle Russell followed with a single. Brandon Belt struck out and Kyle Lusson (in lf for Russell Moldenhauer in the 8th) singled, moving Kyle to 2b. And, Preston Clark hit into another double play. Texas up 6-3.

In the bottom of the 9th (Brandon Belt still on the mound), Jurica walked and moved to 2b on a groundout to 1b. Scott reached on an infield single to ss; Jurica unable to advance to 3b on the play. Tenbrink flew out to rf; Jurica did tag up and advance to 3b this time. Bloxom then popped up to shallow cf. Sadly, Travis Tucker dropped the ball. On the error, Jurica scored and Scott moved to 3b. King singled to cf, scoring Scott and moving Bloxom to 3b. Yikes! Texas did the big switch-a-roo, moving Pat McCrory to the mound, Preston Clark back to 3b, and Brandon Belt back to 1b. Pat struck Biery out to end the game! Texas wins 6-5. Whew.

Posted by Joanna at 1:38 PM