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Sunday - May 23, 2010

Game 54: Texas at Missouri

Last regular season game of the year. Texas has played so well this year. It was clear at the start of the season that this team had a lot of potential but to see it actually take seed and come to life? Pretty special. Love these guys. Anyway...on to the business at hand.

Yes, it's another game report based on the radio broadcast with Craig Way and Bill Little handling the on-air duties. Jordan Weymouth is starting at 2b again with Loy out due to his shoulder injury. And, with a righty on the mound, Jonathan Walsh is back in lf and Russell Moldenhauer is handling the dh duties. And, Tommy Harmon is still away...Tommy Nicholson coaching 3b, Travis Tucker coaching 1b when the Horns are on offense.

The line...

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Texas	0	1	5	6	2	0	0	0	6	20	17	1
Missouri	0	0	0	0	0	2	6	0	3	11	11	2

And, here's how things played out...

• 1st inning, Texas
• Jeff Emens (rhp) on the mound for Missouri.
• Cohl Walla (cf) reached on an infield single (in the hole) to ss.
• Tant Shepherd (1b) flew out to cf in left-center.
• Kevin Keyes (rf) grounded out to 3b, moving Walla to 2b.
• Russell Moldenhauer (dh) struck out swinging (full count).
• 1st inning, Mizzou
• Brandon Workman (rhp) on the mound for Texas.
• Dane Opel (cf) popped out to 2b.
• Conner Mach (2b) reached on a single up the middle.
• Aaron Senne (1b) flew out to lf down the line.
• Brett Nicholas (c) flew out to cf at the warning track. Nice catch by Walla.
• 2nd inning, Texas
• Cameron Rupp (c) homered over the left-center wall. Over 400 feet, according to Craig Way!
• Kevin Lusson (3b) grounded out to 2b.
• Jonathan Walsh (lf) struck out looking.
• Jordan Etier (ss) grounded out to 3b.
• Texas up 1-0.
• 2nd inning, Mizzou
• Eric Garcia (ss) grounded out to 2b.
• Russell LaFleur (lf) struck out swinging.
• Garrison McLagan (dh) struck out swinging. Rupp couldn't hang onto the ball so had to throw down to 1b to complete the out.
• Texas up 1-0.
• 3rd inning, Texas
• Jordan Weymouth (2b) grounded out to 1b.
• Walla singled up the middle and stole 2b on the 3rd pitch to Shepherd.
• Shepherd doubled into the lf corner, scoring Walla.
• Keyes drew a 5-pitch walk and Shepherd moved up to 3b on a wild pitch.
• Moldenhauer grounded into a 4-6 fielder's choice, scoring Shepherd.
• Rupp singled into cf, moving Moldenhauer to 2b.
• Lusson homered over the rf fence!!!
• Walsh was hit by a 2-1 pitch on his foot.
• Etier struck out looking.
• Texas up 6-0.
• 3rd inning, Mizzou
• Jesse Santo (3b) reached on a sinking liner that got past Keyes who dove for the ball in rf.
• Skip made a visit to the mound after the count went 2-0 to the next batter.
• Blake Brown (rf) struck out swinging (3 strikes in a row after the visit to the mound.
• Opel reached on a pop-up single that fell behind the mound. None of the infielders could find the ball in the sun. I thin Santo moved up to 3b on the play but am not sure.
• Mach lined out to 3b. Lusson threw to 1b to catch Opel off the bag for a double play!
• Texas up 6-0.
• 4th inning, Texas
• Mizzou sent Phil McCormick (lhp) to the mound, replacing Emens.
• Weymouth singled up the middle.
• Walla singled off the third baseman into lf, moving Weymouth to 2b.
• Shepherd drew a 5-pitch walk to load the bases.
• Keyes reached on a 6-4 fielder's choice, scoring Weymouth and moving Walla to 3b.
• Keyes stole 2b on the 3rd pitch to Moldenhauer.
• Moldenhauer drew a full-count walk to re-load the bases.
• Rupp singled through the left side, scoring Walla and Keyes. The throw to the plate got away from the catcher and pitcher backing him up allowing Moldenhauer to move up to 3b and Rupp up to 2b. Apparently, the left fielder was charged with a throwing error. Apparently.
• Mizzou sent Jeff Scardino (lhp) to the mound, replacing McCormick.
• Lusson popped out to 2b behind the 2b bag.
• Walsh homered over the lf fence!
• That homerun ties the single-season team record of 69 set in 2007.
• Etier flew out to cf.
• Texas up 12-0. Wow.
• 4th inning, Mizzou
• Senne popped out to ss in shallow lf.
• Nicholas grounded out to 1b (unassisted).
• Garcia struck out looking!
• 1-2-3. I like it.
• Texas up 12-0.
• 5th inning, Texas
• Weymouth doubled to right-center.
• Walla flew out to left-center at the wall. Weymouth tagged and moved up to 3b.
• Shepherd hit a sac fly to the wall in rf, scoring Weymouth.
• Keyes walked on 4 pitches.
• Moldenhauer was hit on his shoulder, moving Keyes to 2b.
• Which prompted another pitching change. The Tigers sent Kevin Mahler (rhp) to the mound, replacing Scardino.
• Rupp doubled to right-center, scoring Keyes and moving Moldenhauer to 3b.
• Lusson grounded out to 2b.
• Shucks...Rupp (who was 4-for-4 with 3 runs scored and 4 batted in) fails to score.
• Texas up 14-0.
• 5th inning, Mizzou
• LaFleur struck out swinging. Fifth strikeout for Workman.
• McLagan popped out to 1b.
• Santo popped out to 3b.
• Another 1-2-3 inning. Like it.
• Texas up 14-0.
• 6th inning, Texas
• Mizzou sent Zack Hardoin (lhp) to the mound, replacing Mahler.
• Walsh grounded out to 3b.
• Etier struck out swinging. The catcher dropped the ball so had to throw down to 1b to complete the out. Poor Etier...only Texas batter who failed to score a run or even reach base. I'm sure none of the other players will say anything to him about that, though. Right? Riiiiight. Heh.
• Weymouth drew a 5-pitch walk.
• Walla popped out to 1b.
• Texas up 14-0.
• 6th inning, Mizzou
• Brown drew a 5-pitch walk. First walk of the day for Workman.
• Opel flew out to lf. Shepherd dropped a foul pop-up on the first pitch to Opel but was not charged with an error.
• Mach flew out to lf at the warning track.
• Senne homered over the rf fence.
• Nicholas grounded out to 3b.
• Texas up 14-2.
• 7th inning, Texas
• The Tigers sent Ryan Clubb (rhp) to the mound, replacing Hardoin.
• Shepherd grounded out to ss.
• Keyes reached on a throwing error by 3b.
• Moldenhauer reached on a 5-4 fielder's choice. Great stop by Santo at 3b to rob Moldenhauer of a hit.
• Rupp flew out to cf.
• Texas up 14-2.
• 7th inning, Mizzou
• Bill Little is making me a little crazy as he keeps saying that the game can be called after 7 innings if Texas is ahead by 10. Sigh...it will be called.
• Garcia homered (1st pitch) over the rf wall.
• LaFleur drew a 5-pitch walk.
• Sigh. Please no repeat of that game in Lubbock. End things now. Please.
• Texas sent Stayton Thomas (rhp) to the mound, replacing Workman.
• McLagan flew out to rf. Keyes stumbled and fell but made the catch. Whew.
• Santo drew a 4-pitch walk. Sigh.
• Brown hit a bloop single into rf, loading the bases. Sigh.
• Texas sent Andrew McKirahan (lhp) to the mound, replacing Thomas.
• Opel reached on a fielding error by 2b (Weymouth tried to rush his throw before he had the ball secured), scoring LaFleur (on the fc) and Santo on the error. Brown moved up to 3b.
• Shaking my head. I can't believe they've done it again.
• Mach struck out swinging.
• Opel moved up to 2b on the 2nd pitch to Senne. Defensive indifference or sb? Not sure.
• Senne hit a 3-run homer to rf. Really? Yep. Really. Sigh...
• Nicholas flew out to cf.
• Texas up 14-8.
• 8th inning, Texas
• Lusson flew out to rf.
• Walsh grounded out to 1b (unassisted).
• Etier struck out swinging.
• Texas up 14-8.
• 8th inning, Mizzou
• Garcia grounded out to ss.
• LaFleur drew a full-count walk.
• McLagan struck out swinging.
• Santo was hit on his foot (0-2 pitch), moving LaFleur to 2b.
• Brown struck out swinging.
• Texas up 14-8.
• 9th inning, Texas
• Weymouth reached on an infield single up the middle. It sounded like the ball went off both the ss and 2b. Huh? Anyway...
• Walsh homered over the fence in lf. Nice.
• Shepherd doubled to left-center.
• Keyes struck out swinging. The ball got away from the catcher so he had to throw down to 1b to complete the out. Shepherd moved up to 3b on the wild pitch.
• Missouri sent Tyler Clark (rhp) to the mound, replacing Clubb. Seventh pitcher of the day for the Tigers.
• Moldenhauer singled down the 1b line, scoring Shepherd.
• Rupp was hit on the arm by a pitch, moving Moldenhauer to 2b.
• Lusson hit his second 3-run homer of the day over the rf wall.
• Walsh struck out swinging. The catcher dropped the ball so had to throw down to 1b to complete the out.
• Etier (having made the 3rd out of an inning 4 times today) did it again, flying out to lf at the warning track. Wow. And, ouch. Poor guy.
• Texas up 20-8 and making me crazy.
• 9th inning, Mizzou
• Texas did their usual defensive shift. Walla moved to lf. Rowe went in at cf, taking Walsh's spot in the line-up. And, Kyle Lusson went into rf, replacing Keyes.
• Opel hit a bloop single into cf.
• Mach struck out looking.
• Senne singled off Shepherd's glove as he dove for the ball at 1b. Opel moved up to 3b.
• Nicholas hit a sac fly to rf, scoring Opel.
• Mizzou sent Ryan Ampleman in to pinch-run for Senne...giving the crowd a chance to give Senne a standing ovation.
• Garcia doubled off the wall in left-center, scoring Ampleman.
• LaFleur flared a single over ss into lf, scoring Garcia. Sigh...will this game never end?
• McLagan struck out swinging. Thanks be to God...as a very dear friend of mine would say.
• Texas wins 12-11.

Geesh. That was exhausting. 'Glad the Horns came away with the win, of course. They broke all sorts of regular-season records. Most homeruns by a Texas team in a season. Most Big 12 conference wins by any Big 12 team. And, more.

Some rather entertaining things happened offensively. Going down the line...

• Walla: 4-for-6, 3 singles, 1 homerun, 2 runs scored, 2 rbi
• Shepherd: 2-for-4, 2 doubles, 2 runs scored, 2 rbi, 1 sac fly, 1 walk
• Keyes: 0-for-4 (really!), 2 runs scored, 1 rbi, 2 walks, 1 strikeout, reached on an error
• Moldenhauer: 1-for-4, 1 single, 2 runs scored, 2 rbi, 1 walk, 1 hit by pitch, 1 strikeout
• Rupp: 4-for-5, 2 singles, 1 double, 1 homerun, 4 runs scored, 4 rbi, 1 hit by pitch
• Kevin Lusson: 2-for-6, 2 homeruns, 2 runs scored, 6 rbi
• Walsh: 1-for-5, 1 homerun, 1 run scored, 3 rbi, 1 hit by pitch, 2 strikeouts
• Etier: 0-for-6, 3 strikeouts, again I say: ouch
• Weymouth: 3-for-4, 2 singles, 1 double, 3 runs scored, 1 walk

Jordan Etier really did have a miserable time at the plate today but did a very good job at shortstop as he filled in for the injured Brandon Loy.

Now the Horns head off to Oklahoma City for the Big 12 tournament where they will obviously be the #1 seed. Their first game will be against Missouri. Game time not yet set. Hook 'em!

Posted by Joanna at 3:31 PM