Joanna's Longhorn Baseball Page: Game 3: Duke at Texas

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Monday - February 20, 2012

Game 3: Duke at Texas

Texas lost Game 3 of the Duke series 2-5. Full game report coming tonight. Getting back into the swing of doing game reports is not going well!

In the meantime, links to photos taken by other folks this weekend:

And...yep, those are throwback uniforms you see in the photos from Game 3. Honoring the 1949-50 National Championship teams. Cool.

UPDATE (posted Monday night). Wow. Doing these game reports really is gonna take some "getting used to"!

Texas did not fare well in Game 3 of their series against Duke, going down 2-5. John Curtiss got the start and took the loss. He had a nice 1-2-3 first inning but then gave up a run in the 2nd and two in the 3rd before giving way to Ricky Jacquez. Jacquez had a pretty solid debut, going 5 innings without giving up any runs. Texas scored 2 (on a 2-run shot by Kevin Lusson) in the bottom of the 8th to bring the Horns within 1 and Kirby Bellow was sent in to shut things down. Alas, nerves...jitters...who knows what?...got the better of the Horns and they had a terrible 9th inning. Bellow faced 3 without getting an out and gave up two runs. Dillon Peters then closed things out. He actually did something that never ever works. With runners at 2b and 3b and one out, the Horns intentionally walked the bases full. The next pitch was a picture-perfect double play ground ball to ss (6-4-3). I guess this is the stupid exception that proves the rule, eh? Sigh...

Final numbers (by my count) for the Texas pitchers:

Curtiss: 3 innings pitched, 4 hits (1 double, 3 singles), 3 runs (1 unearned), 1 walk, 4 strikeouts, 13 batters faced, 53 pitches (33 for strikes)
Jacquez: 5 innings, 4 hits (all singles), 0 runs, 2 walks, 1 hit batter, 1 wild pitch, 4 strikeouts, 20 batters faced, 73 pitches (48 for strikes)
Bellow: 0 innings, 1 hit (double), 2 runs (0 earned), 3 batters faced, 15 pitches (11 for strikes)
Peters: 1 inning, 1 walk (intentional), 4 batters faced, 7 pitches (3 for strikes)

And, the offense? Not really present. It's awfully hard to win games if you only score two runs. It's even harder when 9th innings like today's happen.

And on to the long and boring (and oftentimes perplexing and/or aggravating) details...

The lineups:

Duke		Texas
Matt Berezo (ss) Angelo LaBruna (2b) Will Piwnica-Worms (cf) Jordan Betts (3b) Jeff Kremer (dh) Mike Rosenfeld (c) Andy Perez (1b) Grant McCabe (rf) Anthony D'Alessandro (lf)		Mark Payton (rf) Tim Maitland (cf) Brooks Marlow (2b) Erich Weiss (3b) Landon Steinhagen (dh) Kevin Lusson (1b) Jacob Felts (c) Collin Shaw (lf) Christian Summers (ss)

The line:

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

Play by play:

1st inning, Duke

John Curtiss (rhp) on the mound for Texas.
Berezo popped out to lf.
As LaBruna was taking his warm-up swings at the plate, the homeplate umpire asked him for his bat and then proceded to shake it as though he could hear a rattling noise...or something along those lines. He then called in the other three umpires and they had a short discussion. Then, a chat with the Duke head coach. (I guess it was the head coach.) Then, LaBruna had to go into the dugout to get a new bat. No idea what the story on that situation was. It was weird, though. Anyway...
LaBruna struck out swinging.
Piwnica-Worms struck out looking.

1st inning, Texas

Robert Huber (rhp) on the mound for Duke.
Payton drew a 5 pitch walk.
Maitland was unable to get the bunt down and struck out swinging.
Marlow struck out swinging.
With Weiss at the plate, Payton stole 2b.
Weiss struck out swinging. Ouch.

2nd inning, Duke

Betts struck out swinging.
Kremer singled into cf.
Rosenfeld drew a full-count walk, moving Kremer to 2b.
Perez singled through the left side, scoring Kremer and moving Rosenfeld to 2b.
McCabe then flew out (on a soft sinking liner) to cf. Rosenfeld took off as soon as the ball left the bat, thinking the ball would fall in front of the Maitland in cf. Maitland charged hard, though, and caught the ball about the time that Rosenfeld was reaching 3b. He was out easily for an unusual 8-6 double play. It looked like Rosenfeld didn't even realize the ball had been caught until after he crossed home plate. Oops.
Texas down 0-1.

2nd inning, Texas

Steinhagen struck out swinging.
Lusson doubled over the right-fielder to the base of the wall. Nice hit.
Felts drew a 5-pitch walk.
Shaw lined out to cf.
Summers popped out to ss.
Texas down 0-1.

3rd inning, Duke

D'Alessandro reached on a single through the left side.
Berezo appeared to hit a single down the rf line, moving D'Alessandro to 3b. After the ball was back in the infield Berezo was awarded 2b by the umpires; they apparently called defensive interference called on the first baseman. The official scorer never did put an error on the board so I went back and checked the TexasSports.com report and they awarded Berezo a double on the play. I'm not sure how that works but...okay. I adjusted my scorebook accordingly.
The first pitch to LaBruna was a ball which prompted a visit to the mound by Skip Johnson.
With LaBruna still at the plate, D'Alessandro scored and Berezo moved to 3b on a passed ball.
LaBruna popped out to 2b on the next pitch.
Piwnica-Worms lined out to lf. Collin Shaw (making his Longhorn debut) ran hard to his right and made a beautiful diving catch to make the play. Alas, sac fly as Berezo was able to tag and score.
Betts struck out swinging. Felts dropped the ball and had to tag Betts to complete the out.
Texas down 0-3.

3rd inning, Texas

Payton grounded out to 1b (unassisted).
Maitland struck out looking
Marlow also struck out looking.
Texas down 0-3.

4th inning, Duke

Texas sent Ricky Jacquez (rhp), to the mound, replacing Curtiss.
Kremer was hit by a 1-1 pitch. Oops. Fun start for Freshman Jacquez!
With Rosenfeld at the plate, Kremer advanced to 2b on a wild pitch. Heh. Jitters.
Rosenfeld flew out to cf. Kremer fell asleep on the play or something and was caught way off the 2b bag. He hesitated and then decided to head back to 2b. Shaw threw the ball to Summers at ss who then chased Kremer down for another unusual double play (7-6 this time).
Perez grounded out to the pitcher.
Texas down 0-3.

4th inning, Texas

Weiss flew out to cf.
Steinhagen grounded out to ss.
Lusson popped out to the catcher behind the plate after just missing dropping one in down the rf line. He seemed to be pretty comfortable with his swing the whole game.
Texas down 0-3.

5th inning, Duke

McCabe reached on an infield single to ss. It could almost have been ruled an E6 as Summers took a long time gathering the ball before throwing to 1b.
D'Alessandro struck out looking.
With Berezo at the plate, McCabe stole 2b. That one looked to be on the pitcher...which prompted a visit to the mound by Skip Johnson.
Berezo struck out looking
LaBruna drew a full-count walk.
Piwnica-Worms popped out to 1b (foul).
Texas down 0-3.

5th inning, Texas

Felts flew out to lf.
Shaw grounded out to 1b (unassisted).
Summers drew a full-count walk.
Payton flew out to rf.
Texas down 0-3.

6th inning, Duke

Betts struck out swinging.
Kremer singled up the middle.
With Rosenfeld at the plate, Kremer was caught stealing (2-4). Nice.
Rosenfeld went on to draw a full-count walk.
Perez popped out to ss.
Texas down 0-3.

6th inning, Texas

Maitland lined out to lf.
Marlow reached on an infield single to ss (deep in the hole).
Weiss moved Marlow to 2b on a 1-3 sac bunt.
Steinhagen reached on an error (E6, ss booted the ball), moving Marlow to 3b.
Lusson popped out to 1b. Early in the at-bat, Tommy Harmon got in a pretty heated discussion with the 3b ump for not calling a balk on the pitcher who made the fake throw to 3b, real throw to 1b move.
Texas down 0-3.

7th inning, Duke

McCable popped out to lf down the line and foul.
D'Alessandro popped out to 2b.
Berezo grounded out to 2b.
Texas down 0-3.

7th inning, Texas

Duke sent Andrew Istler (rhp) to the mound, replacing Huber.
Felts grounded out to ss.
Shaw lined out to cf.
Summers struck out swinging at a wild pitch. The ball got away from the catcher and rolled all the way into the Texas dugout. Summers safe at 1b on the play.
Payton singled through the left side, moving Summers to 2b.
Sadly, Maitland struck out looking (2-2 count).
Texas down 0-3.

8th inning, Duke

LaBruna popped out to 1b.
Piwnica-Worms reached on a single through the left side.
Betts lined out to lf. Piwnica-Worms took off on the hit-and-run and was almost to 2b when the ball was caught but made it back to 1b without inducing a throw.
Kremer lined a ball off the pitcher that dribbled toward 3b for an infield single, moving Piwnica-Worms to 2b.
Rosenfeld struck out looking.
Texas down 0-3.

8th inning, Texas

Marlow lined out to cf.
Weiss reached on a single into rf.
Steinhagen flew out to rf. McCabe made a long run to snag the ball at the last second down the line. Sigh.
But then...BOOM! Lusson hit a home run over the rf fence! (Scoring Weiss.)
Felts grounded out to ss. The throw pulled the first baseman off the bag as he fell toward rf to make the catch. He seemed to just get his toe back on the bag before Felts got to 1b, though. Close play.
Texas down 2-3.

9th inning, Duke

Texas sent Kirby Bellow (lhp) to the mound, replacing Jacquez.
Perez doubled down the rf line...just fair.
McCabe hit a sac bunt to the pitcher who barehanded the ball and tried to get the lead runner at 3b. Alas, the throw was way too late. McCabe reached on the fielder's choice. Runners at the corners.
The first pitch to D'Alessandro was a ball which prompted a visit to the mound by Coach Johnson.
D'Alessandro reached on another poor fielder's choice. He hit a ball to the Summers at ss who tried to catch the runner from 3b at home. But his throw was off-target and pulled the catcher off the bag. E6. Perez scored and McCabe moved to 2b.
Texas sent Dillon Peters (lhp) to the mound, replacing Bellow.
Berezo hit a sac bunt down the 1b line. Lusson fielded the ball and, again, tried to catch the lead runner at 3b. Alas, he made yet another bad throw that sailed past 3b and headed toward the wall down between 3b and lf. Weiss went scrambling after the ball. McCabe scored while D'Alessandro moved up to 3b and Berezo made it to 2b. E3.
LaBruna grounded out to ss. The runners stayed at 2b and 3b. And, we got a Bronx cheer from the Longhorn faithful as the Horns made their first good defensive play of the inning.
Piwnica-Worms was intentionally walked to load the bases. I really do hate that play. Ugh.
Amazingly, Betts hit the first pitch he saw into a beautiful 6-4-3 double play. Yay.
Texas down 2-5.

9th inning, Texas

Duke sent Nick Piscotty (rhp) to the mound, replacing Istler.
Shaw fouled off several pitches and then flew out to lf.
Jonathan Walsh (pinch-hitting for Summers) struck out swinging.
Payton flew out to lf.
Texas loses 2-5.

This was not a pretty game. Especially that 9th inning. Ugh. Bill Little, in the postgame interview, got Coach Garrido to talk about teaching moments. Coach spent some time talking about the team pushing and trying too hard. Yikes. I hope they take the lesson to heart!

Next up: UT-Arlington on Tuesday. Hook 'em!

Posted by Joanna at 8:49 AM