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Sunday - June 5, 2011

Game 60: Texas at Kent State (Austin Regional)

So...yeah. It turns out, Taylor Jungmann is human. Who knew? He suffered his first career loss at Disch-Falk Field as the Horns went down 5-7 to Kent State on Day 2 of the Austin Regional. When the field was announced, I cannot tell you how many people said the Austin Regional was gonna be a cake-walk for Texas. Oh...and watch out for Kent State. That's a very dangerous #3 seed. I kept wanting to ask which one it was. I mean, either it's a cake walk or it's not. Apparently? Not. Kent State gambled and saved their ace for Day 2 action. It payed off. Especially since Jungmann did not have a Jungmann-esque day on the mound.

The line:

The lineups:

Texas		Kent State
Tant Shepherd (1b) Mark Payton (rf) Brandon Loy (ss) Erich Weiss (lf) Jonathan Walsh (dh) Paul Montalbano (lf) Jacob Felts (c) Jordan Etier (2b) Cohl Walla (cf)		Evan Campbell (cf) Jimmy Rider (ss) Travis Shaw (3b) Ben Klafczynski (rf) David Lyon (c) T.J. Sutton (dh) George Roberts (1b) Joe Kock (lf) Derek Toadvine (2b)

Play by play:

• 1st inning, Texas
• Andrew Chafin (lhp) on the mound for Kent State.
• Shepherd struck out swinging.
• Payton struck out looking.
• Loy struck out swinging.
• Uh. Yeah. Chafin started the game by striking out the side. Ouch.
• 1st inning, Kent State
• Taylor Jungmann (rhp) on the mound for Texas.
• Campbell reached on an infield single to 3b. (Which could've easily been ruled an error as Weiss booted the high-bouncer on a short hop. It was a tough play but I've seen him make it a lot this year.)
• Rider moved Campbell to 2b on a 1-3 sac bunt down the 1b line.
• Shaw grounded out to 1b (unassisted), moving Campbell to 3b.
• Klafczynski lined a double into right-center, scoring Campbell. Nice hit.
• Lyon grounded out to the pitcher.
• 9 pitches (8 for strikes).
• Texas down 0-1.
• 2nd inning, Texas
• Weiss grounded out to 1b (unassisted).
• Walsh grounded out on a high-bouncer to 3b.
• Montalbano struck out looking.
• Texas down 0-1.
• 2nd inning, Kent State
• Sutton grounded out to 2b.
• Roberts lined a single into cf.
• Koch grounded out to ss, moving Roberts to 2b.
• With Toadvine at the plate, Roberts advanced to 3b on a passed ball (off Felts' glove to the backstop).
• Toadvine struck out looking.
• 18 pitches (12 for strikes).
• Texas down 0-1.
• 3rd inning, Texas
• Felts lined out to 2b.
• Etier popped out to 3b.
• Walla popped out to 2b in shallow cf.
• Yep...first 9 down in order for Texas.
• Texas down 0-1.
• 3rd inning, Kent State
• Campbell flew out to cf.
• Rider grounded out to ss. Nice play by Loy deep in the hole!
• Shaw reached on an infield single to ss. Loy booted the ball. Another play I've seen made a lot this year. Again, it could've been ruled an error.
• Klafczynski grounded out to ss.
• 12 pitches (8 for strikes).
• Texas down 0-1.
• 4th inning, Texas
• Shepherd lined a single into lf. Yes! Oh, and first pitch. Which I really appreciated.
• Payton moved Shepherd to 2b on a 1-4 sac bunt.
• Shepherd moved to 3b on a wild pitch with Loy at the plate.
• Loy drew a 5-pitch walk to put runners at the corners.
• Weiss hit a sac fly to deep cf, scoring Shepherd.
• With Walsh at the plate, Loy stole 2b.
• Walsh struck out swinging.
• Game tied 1-1.
• 4th inning, Kent State
• Lyon struck out swinging.
• Sutton struck out looking.
• Roberts flew out to cf.
• Nice...fist 1-2-3 inning for the Horns.
• 12 pitches (9 for strikes).
• Game tied 1-1.
• 5th inning, Texas
• Montalbano lined a single over the ss into left-center.
• Felts moved Montalbano to 2b on a 1-4 sac bunt.
• Etier reached on a soft liner past the ss into lf, moving Montalbano to 3b.
• Walla was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
• Which prompted a visit to the mound.
• Shepherd reached on a fielder's choice, scoring Montalbano and moving Etier to 3b. On the play, Shepherd hit a ground ball to 3b. The third baseman threw to 2b for the start of a 5-4-3 double play. But, the second baseman bobbled the ball and dropped it. Walla had run past 2b and the second baseman was able to round up the ball and tag him out before he could get back to the bag. Not sure why Walla was running through 2b instead of sliding. Huh? At any rate, no double play...run scored.
• Payton grounded out to the pitcher (high chopper).
• Texas up 2-1.
• 5th inning, Kent State
• Koch grounded out to ss.
• Toadvine bunted down the 1b line and was called out on runner's interference when he was hit by the throw from the pitcher to 1b. He was running inside the 1b line. The Kent State coach threw a fit and was eventually ejected from the game. Not sure what he was arguing so vehemently since the runner was clearly inside the line.
• Campbell grounded out to 2b.
• 3 pitches (3 for strikes). Yeah...really. Amazing. I didn't realize the 3-pitch thing until later. That argument kinda distracted us all from what was going on. Wonder if that was the intent?
• Texas up 2-1.
• 6th inning, Texas
• Loy struck out swinging.
• Weiss grounded out to 3b. Nice play by the third baseman on a high bouncer.
• Walsh grounded out to ss.
• The start of another 9 down in-a-row for Texas. Which actually ended up being 12 in-a-row but this was the start of three 1-2-3 innings.
• Texas up 2-1.
• 6th inning, Kent State
• Rider drew a 7-pitch full-count walk.
• Shaw singled up the middle, moving Rider to 2b.
• Coach Johnson made a visit to the mound.
• Klafczynski lined a single into lf, loading the bases.
• Lyon drove a 1-2 pitch into the Kent State bullpen. Grand slam.
• Side note: this was apparently the first time all season that a Texas pitcher gave up 3 hits in-a-row.
• Sutton flew out to rf...about 10 feet shy of where Lyon's ball fell. Wow. It looked like it was going to be 2 in-a-row.
• Roberts grounded out to the pitcher.
• Koch drew a 4-pitch walk.
• Toadvine reached on an infield single, moving Koch to 2b. The ball was a verrrrrryyyyy high bouncer that bounced way over Jungmann's head. By the time it came down, no play.
• Texas sent Andrew McKirahan (lhp) to the mound, replacing Jungmann.
• The runners advanced on a double-steal with Campbell at the plate.
• Campbell lined a single through the left side, scoring both runners. He moved up to 2b on the throw home.
• Rider flew out to lf.
• Jungmann's final numbers: 5.2 innings, 27 batters, 7 runs (all earned), 8 hits (1 hr, 1 2b), 3 strikeouts, 2 walks, 86 pitches (57 for strikes).
• 7 pitches (4 for strikes) for McKirahan.
• Texas down 2-7.
• 7th inning, Texas
• Montalbano grounded out 1-6-3. His ball went off the pitcher's glove and right at the ss.
• Felts grounded out to ss.
• Etier watched a couple of strikes, fought off a few pitches, worked the count full, and then struck out swinging. Nice at-bat. Sad results.
• Texas down 2-7.
• 7th inning, Kent State
• Shaw popped out to 2b in shallow rf. Etier made a phenomenal play on a soft liner to run back, dive, and make a catch on a ball that really should've been a bloop single. Defensive play of the game.
• Klafczynski doubled down the rf line. Oh man. Pretty hit. Too bad it was for the other guys.
• Lyon struck out swinging.
• Jason Bagoly was announced as a pinch-hitter for Sutton. Texas responded by sending Kendal Carrillo (rhp) to the mound, replacing McKirahan.
• Bagoly grounded out to 2b.
• McKirahan's final numbers: 1 inning, 5 batters, 2 hits (1 2b), 1 strikeout, 20 pitches (13 for strikes).
• 2 pitches (2 for strikes) for Carrillo.
• Texas down 2-7.
• 8th inning, Texas
• Walla grounded out to 2b.
• Shepherd struck out looking.
• Payton grounded out to 2b.
• Texas down 2-7.
• 8th inning, Kent State
• Roberts grounded out to 2b. Really nice charge and throw by Etier.
• Koch grounded out to 3b.
• Toadvine grounded out to the pitcher.
• Really nice 1-2-3 inning for Carrillo.
• Carrillo's final numbers: 1.1 innings, 4 batters, 12 pitches (9 for strikes).
• Texas down 2-7.
• 9th inning, Texas
• Where, it looks like maybe...just maybe...they can pull it off. But...nope, not quite.
• Loy flew out to rf.
• Weiss grounded out to 1b (p covered bag).
• Walsh reached on a bloop double down the rf line into no-man's land. Nice job of running the bases and beating out the throw.
• Insert visit to the mound.
• With Montalbano at the plate, Walsh moved up to 3b on a wild pitch...or maybe a passed ball?
• Montalbano ended up drawing a 4-pitch walk, putting runners at the corners.
• Kent State sent Justin Gill (rhp) to the mound, replacing Chafin. Interestingly, Gill is not the Kent State closer.
• Kevin Lusson (pinch-hitting for Felts) dumped the second pitch he saw into the Kent State bullpen!
• Lucas Kephart (pinch-hitting for Etier) drew a 7-pitch full-count walk.
• Texas sent Sam Stafford in to pinch-run for Kephart. Stafford was used as a pinch-runner several times early in the season but it had been awhile.
• Tim Maitland (pinch-hitting for Walla) lined a single into rf, moving Stafford to 3b. Nice.
• Kent State sent Kyle McMilen (rhp and closer) to the mound, replacing Gill.
• Shepherd, sadly, popped out to 2b in shallow rf. Game over.
• Texas loses 5-7.

At the time, the way the top of the 6th inning went for Texas struck me as being a very bad thing. I just didn't like it and commented to my seat-mate that I was not happy that Texas seemed content with that 2-1 lead. That, right there, is the thing about this team that seems to be wrong this year. This feeling is admittedly coming from very high up in the stands where I have no direct knowledge of what's going on with anyone on the team. I have sat through 95% of the innings played at Disch-Falk Field this year and have listened to or watched a good 80% of what's gone on while they've been on the road. There seems to be no fire and little (often no) sense of urgency on the offensive side of things. Too many times this year, the Horns didn't seem to come to life until it was too late. This game right here? Yet another example. (And, yeah..I know...good Kent State pitcher throwing a very good game. I saw it. All the credit to him. Still.)

Question: where are Stayton Thomas and Keifer Nuncio? I'm particularly puzzled by the fact that Thomas was left off the roster for the Regional. The Horns need arms as they try to win this thing from the wrong side of the bracket. Sigh. Maybe they're hurt? I dunno. It's just sad to me that Thomas, in his Senior season, isn't out there.

Here's hoping the fire was ignited in that 9th inning and the Horns pull off the hard-to-imagine and win this thing. It can be done. Since the NCAA switched to the current format, it's been done 18% of the time. The odds are not great. But, it can be done. Hook 'em, Horns!

Posted by Joanna at 10:23 AM