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Saturday - March 27, 2010

Game 23: Texas at Texas Tech

Here's hoping tonight's game is an improvement over last night's! Like yesterday, I'll be listening to the KVET radio broadcast and recapping things as the game goes along. This report is based on said broadcast...Keith Moreland and Craig Way on the air again. The wind is blowing again...but from a different direction tonight. 'Sounds like it's blowing out to center and right-center. Coach Garrido said the equipment manager bought some clear glasses that'll help protect the players' eyes from the dust if it kicks up again.

The play-by-play:

• 1st inning, Texas
• Bobby Doran (rhp) on the mound for Tech.
• Cohl Walla (cf) grounded out to ss.
• Brandon Loy (ss) fell behind but worked the count full, fouled a pitch off his foot, and then flew out to cf (in the gap). Keith said it would normally have been a pop-up to 2b but was blown 300 feet deep. Heh.
• Cameron Rupp (c) grounded out to ss.
• 1st inning, Texas Tech
• Cole Green (rhp) on the mound for Texas.
• Jamodrick McGruder (2b) tried to bunt for a single but could not beat the throw from the catcher to 1b. Nice play by Rupp!
• Joey Kenworthy (ss) singled through the right side.
• Michael Reed (lf) doubled to the lf/cf gap, scoring Kenworthy. Sigh...
• Barrett Barnes (rf) doubled down the lf line, scoring Reed. Double sigh...
• Scott LeJeune (dh) flew out to lf (1st pitch).
• Jeremy Mayo (1b) grounded out to ss (0-2 count, I think).
• Texas down 0-2. Damn.
• 2nd inning, Texas
• Kevin Keyes (rf) drew a 5-pitch walk.
• Jonathan Walsh (lf) struck out swinging (1-2 count).
• Kevin Lusson (3b) struck out swinging (0-2 count).
• Russell Moldenhauer (dh) singled off the mound and into cf, moving Keyes to 2b.
• Tant Shepherd (1b) struck out looking (full count). Craig said the ball looked low and outside.
• Texas strands 2.
• Texas down 0-2.
• 2nd inning, Texas Tech
• Kevin Whitehead (c) flew out to rf.
• Taylor Ashby (cf) struck out looking (2-2 count).
• Keith commented that the home plate ump tends to start out with a large strike zone that gets smaller as the game goes along.
• Nick Popescu (3b) singled a blooper down the lf line. He tried to stretch the single into a double but was thrown out by Walsh in lf (7-4?). Nice.
• Entertainingly, GameTracker reported that "Popescu singled to left field, popped up to 2b"...no idea what that means! Heh.
• Texas down 0-2.
• 3rd inning, Texas
• Jordan Etier (2b) worked the count full, fought off a couple of pitches, and then drew a walk.
• Walla squared to bunt and bunted through the first pitch, strike one. He squared on the 2nd pitch and popped it foul, strike two. Pitch out on the third pitch...runner staying put at 1b, though. Fourth pitch: foul ball. Fifth pitch: ball bounced across the plate. Etier stole 2b on the pitch. Another foul ball. Walla then tripled off the wall in cf, scoring Etier!
• Loy grounded out to 2b, scoring Walla. Game tied. Yes!
• GameTracker failed to note Walla scoring from 3b. I'm thinking the scorer doesn't know how to use the software.
• Rupp struck out swinging (1-2 count, I think).
• And, Walla disappeared off 3b on GameTracker...mystery score!
• Keyes doubled off the wall in lf.
• Walsh struck out swinging (1-2 count).
• Game tied 2-2.
• 3rd inning, Texas Tech
• McGruder singled up the middle.
• Kenworthy squared to bunt and was hit by a pitch. Sigh...
• Reed squared to bunt on the first pitch: ball. Second pitch was a ball (radio guys did not say if he squared again but I think he did). Which prompted a visit to the mound by Skip Johnson. Squared again: called strike. Sac bunt (2-3, c fielded and only had play to 1b as 3b moved down line to field as the ball went down the 3b line) to move runners to 2b and 3b.
• Barnes popped out to 2b in shallow rf.
• LeJeune grounded out to 1b (3-1, p covered bag). Green fell behind 3-0 but then threw a strike and then had 2 or 3 balls fouled off before throwing the ground-out pitch.
• Game tied 2-2. Whew.
• 4th inning, Texas
• Lusson grounded out to ss.
• Moldenhauer doubled off the wall in lf. Craig Way sure did think it was gonna clear the fence. Heh.
• Shepherd doubled down the rf, scoring Moldenhauer! Texas ahead for the first time this series!
• Etier singled up the middle, scoring Shepherd!
• Walla grounded out to 3b, moving Etier to 2b. Etier was running with the pitch...no chance at a play at 2b.
• Loy lined a single into cf, scoring Etier!
• Loy was caught stealing (2-4?) on the first pitch to Rupp. Tech had thrown a pitch-out, anticipating the sb attempt.
• Texas up 5-2!
• 4th inning, Texas Tech
• Mayo flew out to cf (1st pitch).
• Whitehead grounded out to 2b.
• Ashby popped out to c in foul territory. Yes!
• Texas up 5-2.
• 5th inning, Texas
• Rupp singled up the middle.
• Keyes reached on a 5-4 fielder's choice...relay throw to 1b late so no dp. Whew.
• Walsh struck out swinging (2-2 count).
• Lusson flew out to rf at the warning track.
• Texas up 5-2.
• 5th inning, Texas Tech
• Popescu flew out to cf just shy of the warning track.
• Keith Moreland commented that the wind had really died down by this time to a normal wind...instead of the strong driving wind from earlier in the afternoon.
• McGruder struck out swinging (3 pitches).
• Kenworthy homered. Radio guys did not say to which field.
• Reed saw three balls in a row to start things off. Rupp went out to the mound to talk to Green. Next pitch: strike. Fifth pitch: ball 4.
• Barnes flew out to rf. First pitch. Whew.
• Texas up 5-3.
• 6th inning, Texas
• Moldenhauer flew out to lf (toward the lf/cf gap).
• Shepherd doubled down the lf line.
• Etier doubled down the rf line, scoring Shepherd. The ball got past the right fielder, allowing Etier to reach 3b. Officially scored as a triple.
• Visit to the mound. No pitching change.
• Walla struck out looking (1-2 count).
• Loy grounded out to ss.
• Texas up 6-3.
• 6th inning, Texas Tech
• LeJeune struck out swinging. The wild pitch got away from Rupp, though, and LeJeune made it to 1b safely. Bah.
• Radio guys pointed out that Chance Ruffin was up in the bullpen.
• Mayo very nicely hit into a 6-4-3 double play!
• Whitehead lined a single into lf.
• Ashby flew out to rf.
• Texas up 6-3.
• 7th inning, Texas
• Texas Tech sent Brett Bruening (rhp) to the mound, replacing Doran.
• Rupp struck out looking (1-2 count).
• Keyes grounded out to ss...nice play by the shortstop deep in the hole.
• Walsh grounded out to 2b.
• Texas up 6-3.
• 7th inning, Texas Tech
• Popescu flew out to cf (in the lf/cf gap).
• Moreland commented that earlier in the game, that ball would've been off the wall.
• McGruder grounded out to 2b.
• Kenworthy drew a 4-pitch walk.
• Visit to the mound. No pitching change.
• Reed hit a ball deep in the hole at ss. Infield single. Loy threw wide of 2b, trying to get the runner from 1b. Etier could not stop the ball. Kenworthy advanced to 3b and Reed moved up to 2b on the error.
• Texas sent Chance Ruffin (rhp) to the mound, replacing Green.
• Barnes flew out to rf. Whew.
• Texas up 6-3.
• 8th inning, Texas
• Lusson homered over the rf fence!
• Moldenhauer flew out to cf just shy of the warning track.
• Shepherd grounded out to ss.
• Etier flew out to cf.
• Texas up 7-3.
• 8th inning, Texas Tech
• LeJeune struck out looking (full count).
• Mayo hit a bloop double into shallow lf. Walsh dove for the ball but was unable to make the catch.
• Mayo moved to 3b on a wild pitch with Whitehead at the plate.
• Whitehead struck out swinging (!) after fighting off a couple of pitches (full count).
• Ashby flew out to lf in front of the warning track. Whew.
• Texas up 7-3.
• 9th inning, Texas
• Moreland and Way talked about carrying the football scrimmage next Sunday on KVET again and I realized that it would not be preempting the baseball game since the Horns are playing Th-Fr-Sa next week. Good deal.
• Walla doubled off the wall in lf after fighting off about 42 pitches. Or so it seemed. He probably saw 6 or 7 pitches.
• Loy grounded out to 2b (nice play by 2b), moving Walla to 3b.
• Rupp reached on a fielder's choice. Kenworthy tried to throw Walla out at home but could not make the play. E6. Run scores.
• Keyes reached on a 5-4 fielder's choice.
• Texas sent Kyle Lusson in to pinch-run for Keyes.
• Walsh flew out to lf.
• Texas up 8-3.
• 9th inning, Texas Tech
• Walla moved to lf, Kyle Lusson stayed in the game in rf, and Connor Rowe entered the game in cf (replacing Walsh in the lineup).
• Popescu drew a full-count walk.
• McGruder was hit by a pitch (1-2 count), putting runners at 1b and 2b. Ouch.
• Kenworthy popped up to ss behind 3b in shallow lf.
• Reed reached on a 4-6 fielder's choice. Popescu moved up to 3b on the play.
• With Barnes at the plate, Reed moved up to 2b...no throw. Not sure if he got credited with a sb or if it was considered defensive indifference.
• Visit to the mound by Skip Johnson with 2-1 count to Barnes.
• Barnes went on to draw a 5-pitch (I think) walk to load the bases.
• LeJeune struck out swinging (1-2 count).
• Texas wins 8-3!!

Cole Green gets the win, moving his record to 5-0. And, Chance Ruffin gets his 6th save of the year. All the extra-base hits made for a very happy listener at this end. 'Wish I could've seen a few of those hits. Here's hoping the bats stay lively tomorrow!

The line:

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Texas	0	0	2	3	0	1	0	1	1	8	12	1
Texas Tech	2	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	3	9	1

Oh, my! That bottom of the 9th was a little more interesting than I like. It makes you wonder if Chance Ruffin doesn't have a bit of an evil streak, doesn't it? Or is he just trying to get our blood pumping a bit? Heh.

The hitters did a great job tonight. 'Hope they continue their winning ways on TV (FSN) tomorrow at noon. Hook 'em!

Posted by Joanna at 8:33 PM