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Tuesday - April 12, 2011

Game 33: Dallas Baptist at Texas

'Got a late start on my game report tonight. I got home from the game and found "Dial M for Murder" on TCM so had to watch it even though I've seen it at least 10 times and have it on DVD. Sigh...

Then, I got further side-tracked reminiscing about my grandmother. We were talking on the phone a couple of weeks ago and I'd told her about whatever Texas game I'd watched earlier that day and, for some reason, I remembered when she'd played softball with her "Senior" group. She didn't remember having played and I assured her she had. She laughed at the idea. But, she ended up deciding it must've been true...that I wouldn't lie about such a thing. Although, I kinda think that deep-down she still didn't quite believe that she would do such a thing. Heh. And, when I got to my computer tonight, I found that my mom had posted a photo of my grandmother taking a big whiff:

On the back my grandmother had written: "I lost it. Ha!"

That really makes me smile. I'm guessing they played these games when I was in college...maybe? I dunno. But, likely about 30 years ago or so. She was 94 when she passed away last week. What an amazing lady.

Anyway. On to the business at hand...

Texas beat Dallas Baptist 3-1 tonight in a game that lasted just a little over two hours. The line:

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Dallas Baptist	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	4	0
Texas	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	-	3	7	1

That one run they gave up was unearned. More on that in a bit.

The starting line-ups:

Dallas Baptist		Texas
Landon Anderson (cf) Tyler Robbins (2b) Jason Krizan (rf) Ryan Behmanesh (1b) Joel Hutter (ss) Kenny Hatcher (3b) Chris Haney (dh) K.J. Alexander (c) Josh Wilson (lf)		Brandon Loy (ss) Paul Montalbano (cf) Tant Shepherd (1b) Erich Weiss (lf) Lucas Kephart (dh) Jordan Etier (2b) Alex Silver (3b) Kevin Lusson (c) Jonathan Walsh (rf)

The news of the evening was that there will be some changes to the weekend rotation for the Texas Tech series. Cole Green is moving back to the Saturday slot and Sam Stafford is scheduled to make the Sunday start this weekend. I wonder if that news had anything to do with Sam's not-so-great start this evening? Was he suffering from a bit of nerves...and maybe pushing just a little? Or was it the error right off the bat? Hmmm. Regardless, I hope the change goes well this weekend.

About that error...how 'bout I just get on with a full-on play-by-play? Okay. Here you go...

• 1st inning, Dallas Baptist
• Sam Stafford (LHP) on the mound for Texas.
• Anderson reached on an error by the pitcher and advanced to 2b. He hit a high-chopping come-backer to the mound. Stafford jumped up and knocked the ball down which rolled toward the back of the mound. He got after it and then threw off-line (toward home plate) to Shepherd covering the 1b bag. The ball and the runner arrived at the same time. The runner ran into Shepherd's arm as he was reaching for the ball and he was unable to catch it. It rolled down the line into foul territory and Anderson made it to 2b on the error. Not sure if Stafford would've made the out on a better throw. The timing was really close. But there you go...man on 2b, nobody out.
• Robbins flew out to rf. Anderson tagged up and advanced to 3b.
• Krizan doubled down the rf line and into the corner, scoring Robbins (unearned).
• Behmanesh struck out looking.
• Hutter lined out to lf.
• Texas down 0-1.
• 1st inning, Texas
• Jared Stafford (RHP) on the mound for DBU. Yep, both starting pitchers were named Stafford. I wonder how often that sort of thing happens? I don't know that I've ever seen it. But, then...I do tend to forget things.
• Loy grounded out to ss.
• Montalbano continued his hot-hitting ways and doubled into lf.
• Shepherd popped out to 2b.
• Weiss singled through the right side, scoring Montalbano.
• Kephart drew a 5-pitch walk, moving Weiss to 2b.
• Etier flew out to lf.
• Game tied 1-1.
• 2nd inning, Dallas Baptist
• Hatcher singled to rf. Walsh charged the softly hit fly ball and dove but could not quite get to the ball.
• Haney ground into a 3-6-3 double play. Sweet!
• Alexander drew a 5-pitch walk. Not so sweet.
• With Wilson at the plate, Alexander advanced to 2b on a wild pitch. The ball sailed over the catcher to the backstop. Oops.
• Insert visit to mound by Skip Johnson.
• Wilson eventually drew an 8-pitch walk.
• Anderson struck out swinging.
• Game tied 1-1.
• 2nd inning, Texas
• Silver lined a single into lf.
• Lusson, sadly, grounded into the second 3-6-3 double play in as many innings. Weird.
• Walsh hit a beauty of a double to the lf/cf gap.
• Alas, he was stranded at 2b when Loy lined out to ss. The shortstop made a really nice diving catch to rob Loy of a hit and RBI. Sad.
• Game tied 1-1.
• 3rd inning, Dallas Baptist
• Robbins grounded out to ss.
• Krizan lined out to 3b. I don't think Silver had to do anything more than raise his glove hand up a few inches to make the play. The ball was hit directly to him.
• Behmanesh drew a full-count walk.
• Hutter drew a 4-pitch walk.
• Texas sent Nathan Thornhill (RHP) to the mound, replacing Stafford. Stafford's final numbers: 2.2 innings, 14 batters, 1 run (unearned), 2 hits (1 double), 2 strikeouts, 4 walks, 61 pitches (32 for strikes).
• Hatcher lined out to cf.
• Game tied 1-1.
• 3rd inning, Texas
• Montalbano popped out to 1b right on the foul line.
• Shepherd grounded out to ss
• Weiss flew out to cf.
• Game tied 1-1.
• 4th inning, Dallas Baptist
• Haney flew out to lf.
• Alexander flew out to rf.
• Wilson lined a single just over Shepherd into rf.
• Anderson grounded out to 2b.
• Game tied 1-1.
• 4th inning, Texas
• Kephart was hit by a pitch (on his shin, I think).
• Etier moved Kephart to 2b on a 1-3 sac bunt.
• Silver grounded out to 2b, moving Kephart to 3b.
• Lusson doubled down the rf line, scoring Kephart!
• Walsh struck out looking (full count).
• Texas up 2-1.
• 5th inning, Dallas Baptist
• Robbins flew out to rf.
• Krizan struck out swinging (full count, 9 pitches).
• Behmanesh also struck out swinging.
• Texas up 2-1.
• 5th inning, Texas
• Loy drew a 5-pitch walk.
• Montalbano could not get the bunt down but then singled through the right side, moving Loy to 3b.
• Shepherd grounded into a 5-4-3 double play. Loy scored on the play. The second baseman thought about trying to get the out at home but then changed his mind and threw to 1b.
• Weiss popped out to 3b.
• Texas up 3-1.
• 6th inning, Dallas Baptist
• Texas sent Josh Urban (RHP) to the mound, replacing Thornhill. Thornhill's final numbers: 2.1 innings, 8 batters, 0 runs, 1 hit, 2 strikeouts, 41 pitches thrown (27 for strikes).
• Hutter flew out to cf.
• Hatcher struck out looking.
• Haney also struck out looking. Sweet.
• Texas up 3-1.
• 6th inning, Texas
• Dallas Baptist sent Brandon Williamson (RHP) to the mound, replacing Stafford.
• Kephart grounded out to the pitcher.
• Etier doubled to cf. I think Etier was destined for a single but he ran really hard and big turn at 1b. I think the center fielder spotted Etier and thought he could gun him down at 2b but bobbled the ball a bit and then had no chance at a play. Really nice hustle by Etier.
• Silver grounded out to ss, moving Etier to 3b. It was another nice play by the ss who dove and threw to 1b to get the out and rob Texas of another run. That's two on the day for Hutter.
• Lusson drew a full-count 8-pitch walk.
• Walsh flew out to lf. Nice play by the left fielder who had to run a long way into the gap to snag the ball.
• Texas up 3-1.
• 7th inning, Dallas Baptist
• [Yawn! I'm sleepy. But, I'm headed down the home stretch. The last couple of innings went quickly. Whew.]
• Alexander struck out looking.
• Wilson grounded out to 2b.
• Anderson flew out to rf.
• Texas up 3-1.
• 7th inning, Texas
• Loy struck out swinging.
• Montalbano flew out to rf.
• Shepherd grounded out to 3b.
• Texas up 3-1.
• 8th inning, Dallas Baptist
• Robbins grounded out to 3b. Silver had a bit of trouble fielding the ball but he stayed with it and gunned his throw to 1b to make the out.
• Krizan gounded out to 2b.
• Behmanesh struck out swinging.
• Texas up 3-1.
• 8th inning, Texas
• Shortest half inning of the game.
• Weiss grounded out to 1b (p covered the bag). Second pitch.
• Kephart popped out to 2b in very shallow rf. First pitch.
• Etier flew out to cf. 1st pitch.
• See? I told you. Four (!!!) pitches. You could've blinked and missed the bottom of the 8th.
• Texas up 3-1.
• 9th inning, Dallas Baptist
• Texas sent Corey Knebel (RHP) to the mound, replacing Urban who had a very good night. Urban's final numbers: 3 innings (3-up/3-down in each one), 9 batters, 4 strikeouts, 39 pitches (25 for strikes). Sweet.
• The Horns also sent Tim Maitland in defensively in lf, replacing Weiss.
• Hutter grounded out to 3b. First pitch.
• Hatcher singled up the middle. First pitch.
• Haney popped out to ss. Second pitch.
• Duncan McAlpine (pinch-hitting for Alexander) struck out swinging. Third pitch.
• Knebel's final numbers: 1 inning, 4 batters, 1 hit, 1 strikeout, 7 pitches (6 for strikes).
• Texas wins 3-1.

Thornhill earned his first career win as a Longhorn (yay!) and Knebel earned his 9th save of the year.

Texas Tech now comes to town this weekend. Hook 'em, Horns!

Posted by Joanna at 11:49 PM