Texas vs. OSU Game 3

[NBHorn7]

Happy Easter to everyone. If ever a team and especially, the offense, needed to rise up. It would be the Longhorn Baseball team. Losers of six in a row now, the longest such skid, since 1956. They have already lost the series to OSU and today face the ace of the Cowboy staff. Freeman is that ace and he is 5-0, has a 1.32 era, and can bring it a 100 mph on the fast ball.

It's not time to push the panic button, it's time to jump up and down on it. The offense is just abysmal right now, it's been bad for years, but this with the new ball, is beyond belief. You get swept today and your out of the top 25. Your chances of winning the conference are in big trouble. Your just playing to get into a regional in Houston hopefully. The nightmare of going to College Station is also a real possibility, or maybe Fort Worth. You would be on one of the longest losing strings, in the history of Texas Baseball. This team is in real trouble and to say this a pivotal game is an understatement.

The game is again on ESPNU and the audio on Texassports.

Lineups coming.

 

[NBHorn7]

Texas lineup:

 

[NBHorn7]

OSU lineup:

 

[NBHorn7]

Michael Freeman, a very large lefty, gets the start for OSU today. He is the staff ace as mentioned, he can get the fastball into triple digits, and has been outstanding all season for the Cowboys.

Joe Baker, is at the top of the order, as Texas tries yet another lineup to get the offense going. So far it's just been shuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic. Something needs to change, but so far it's not been found.

Baker is at short today again and bats righty, to lead off against Freeman, as the game begins.
A slow chopper cut off by the third baseman goes 5-3 for the first out of the game.

Marlow bats lefty with one down.
He fishes for the slider outside for a swinging K and two away.

Johnson will step in righty, with two outs.
A ground ball to third again and again a 5-3 will this time retire the side.

Texas down in order and OSU comes to bat.

 

[NBHorn7]

Kacy Clemens will get the ball today for Texas. He really needs a quality start today, against a good hitting OSU team, if the Horns are to have much of chance for a win today, you would think.

Tim Arakawa, the second baseman leads off lefty, for the Cowboys.
He walks him on four pitches and not a good beginning.

Donnie Walton, plays short, bats also lefty, with a man.
Six straight balls now and now seven.
Finally a strike and then the runner goes and he is in there with a steal.
Full count to Walton and a ground ball that looked like Clemens would make the stab goes right over his glove and into center for a hit. It puts runners on the corners. Would have been two if Kacy makes the grab.

Green bats with two on, from the left side.
A big curve drops in nose to toes for called strike three and an important first out.

Connor Costello, plays right field, and bats right, with runners on the corners.
He chops a ball to third and Hinojosa goes to second for a 5-4 force, as the run scores.

OSU leads 1-0.

The first baseman, Dustin Williams, bats also lefty, with one on and two gone.
A fly ball to center will retire the side.

It's a very cool and nasty looking day in Stillwater and the Horns off to a bad start. OSU leads 1-0 after one.

 

[NBHorn7]

Freeman, who had no trouble in the first is back out for the second.

Barrera leads off, from the right side.
He lines a shot that is right at the first baseman, for one down.

Cantu bats right handed, with one down.
A grounder off the pitcher's foot, ricochets into left field by the shortstop, for a single and Texas's first hit.

Hinojosa bats righty with one on and one down.
He grounds to third and the 5-3 is two away as Cantu goes to second.

Shaw bats lefty, with one on and two away and a chance to tie the game.
He sends a deep fly ball to left and the left fielder has it on the track, to retire the side.

Bottom of two and OSU leads 1-0.

 

[NBHorn7]

Clemens back out for the second and you can't give many runs today and expect to win. He needs a quick inning.

The Cowboy center fielder is Hassel leads off, from the right side.
He golf a ball off the ground to right, for a single.

The DH, is righty hitter Ryan Sluder, with one on.
He fouls off two bunt attempts and then a high pop to shallow center is one away.

Bryan Case bats righty, with one on and one out.
A hit and run attempt is botched, as a high fast ball is swung on and missed. The throw was high and the runner's slide was short of the bag and Baker made the tag, as he fell on top of him. That was different, but effective for Texas, as the play goes 2-6 for the second out.

Case back in righty, with now two outs.
A two hopper to third is a 5-3 inning ending out.

Two played and OSU leads 1-0.

 

[NBHorn7]

The 6' 8" Freeman, returns to pitch the third for the Pokes.

Righty hitter, Michael McCann, the DH, leads off.
He K's swinging on a outside change up, for one down.

Gurwitz bats righty, with one away.
He walks on four pitches to reach.

Baker will bring back the top of the order, batting righty, with one on and one down.
A one hop liner to left is a single to put two on.

Marlow bats lefty, with one down and two aboard.
Another chance to score and you need to take advantage.
Second baseman goes to talk to the pitcher and it looked like Mutt and Jeff there. Google it youngsters.
The count runs full and a big pitch for Texas here.
He K's swinging on a low pitch, that was ball four.
The runners went and the double steal was successful.

Johnson up righty, with two men in scoring position and two gone.
Your best hitter is up and he can give you the lead, with a hit.
He lunges at a pitch outside and a liner to left that is dove for by the left fielder and he had it and then dropped it.
Break for Texas and they take the lead. They needed that. It looked like the ball would be caught. The left fielder couldn't decide whether to run through the ball or dive, I believe.

Texas leads 2-1, on the two rbi single.

Barrera bats righty, with one on and two outs.
Johnson should be on the move here.
Throws to first have OSU believing he will.
A fly ball to center ends the frame.

Texas takes the lead 2-1, to the bottom of three.

 

[NBHorn7]

Clemens has a lead to work with as he pitches the third.

The top of the order is up in Tim Arakawa, the second baseman for OSU.
He K's swinging on high heat for one down.

Walton bats lefty, with one down.
A liner goes under the glove of a diving Marlow for a single to right.

Green bats lefty, with one on and one down.
He grounds one again through on the right side for another single.

Costello bats righty, with two on and one away.
A ground ball to toward the hole on the left side is gathered by Hinojosa on a dive, the throw pulls Cantu off the bad and it's an infield hit, to load the bases.

Williams bats lefty, with the bases loaded and one down.
A liner off the first base off the ump down the right field line is called fair and two runs score. The ball looked foul and the umps are meeting. It is ruled fair. The ump looking like he was calling a foul ball and out comes Augie. Boy when it goes bad, even weird bad things happen too.

OSU leads 3-2.

Hassel bats righty, with runners on the corners, and one down.
Out comes Skip to try to settle Clemens down as he is getting hit and a weird play too.
A perfect squeeze bunt and another run scores on the suicide. The play goes 1-3 for two outs.

OSU leads 4-2.

Sluder bats righty, with two outs and still one on.
He can't check his swing on a pitch in the dirt, the tag by Barrera, ends the inning on the K.

Strange play and some hits too give OSU the lead now 4-2, after three.

 

[NBHorn7]

Freeman out for the fourth, for the Cowboys.

Cantu leads off, from the right side.
A ground ball to first is a 3-1 with the pitcher covering for one away.

Hinojosa bats righty, with one down.
He walks on four pitches to reach.
Freeman doesn't seem sharp today, Texas needs to take advantage.

Shaw bats lefty, with one on and one down.
Shaw K's on the high fast ball, for the second out.

McCann, bats righty, with two down and one on.
He K's swinging too on the low outside slider, to retire the side.

OSU leads 4-2, to the bottom of four.

 

[NBHorn7]

Clemens stays on for the fourth to pitch.

Case, the catcher leads off, from the right side.
He goes after a curve in the dirt, for a K, after the 2-3 put out.

Chappell bats in the nine hole, from the right side, with one out.
Not a good thing and out comes Skip and that is all for Clemens.

Pitching change.

 

[FWHORN]

Last year I held out on writing off the season and by the end that team found itself and found a way to be just a hair away from playing for a national championship. Just cant find a way to see this team doing something similar, this has all the feel of 2013 about it and its the third lost season in the last four. I think Augie wants to go about three more years and frankly he has earned them but seasons like this one are tough to accept and frankly have become much more common than last year.

 

[NBHorn7]

Left hander Jon Malmin, is the new Horn pitcher, trying to keep the game in reach.

Arakawa, the lead off hitter, bats lefty, with one on and one down.
A fly ball to right is two away.

Walton, the shortstop, bats righty, with one on and two gone.
A line single to left, is the third one of the day for him, to put two on.

Green bats lefty, with two on and two outs.
A liner to right is a single and another run, as Shaw's throw home is over Barrera.

OSU leads 5-2.

Skip out and another change.

 

[NBHorn7]

Augie wants 2000 wins to probably put the win record out of site. I don't think he would ever be fired. He will retire after the contract runs out is my guess.

 

[ElginHotSausage]

the bus driver has got to be changed.

 

[NBHorn7]

Connor Mayes, is the new pitcher for Texas.

Costello bats righty, with two one and two away.
He is hit by a pitch, to load the bases.

Williams, bats lefty, withe bases loaded, and two down.
Got to get him or this game is most likely over.
The count runs full and here is the game.
A fly ball to deep left and Johnson leaps and it's over his head and off the wall. He sort of misjudged it.
The double clears the bases.

OSU leads 8-2.

Hassle bats righty, with two outs and one on.
A fly ball to center ends the inning.

OSU puts this one away, as they lead 8-2 after four.

 

[NBHorn7]

Freeman, who looked beatable today, now has a big lead to work with, in the fifth.

Gurwitz, leads off righty.
A ground ball to short and a high throw, but the first baseman keeps a toe on the bag for one down.

Baker bats righty, with one down.
He grounds to short for two away.

Marlow bats lefty with two gone
He K's swinging to retire the side in order.

OSU leads the finale of the series 8-2, at the halfway point.

 

[NBHorn7]

Mayes keeps pitching in the fifth.

Sluder leads off, from the right side.
A fly ball to left is one down.

Case bats righty, with one away.
He pop up foul to Hinojosa by the left field line, for two gone.

Chappell up righty, with two away.
He lines a single by Hinojosa, for a two out runner.

Arakawa, bats lefty, at the top of the order, with one on and two away.
A fly ball to center will end the inning.

OSU leads 8-2 after five played.

 

[NBHorn7]

Freeman will stick around again in the sixth, to pitch for the Cowboys.

OSU must have got new game hats today, there is a lot of flat bill out there on the field. I hate flat bills on a baseball cap. Sorry I am old school.

Johnson leads off righty, for Texas.
He lines a ball to center, the center fielder totally misjudges it, it's over his head. It will be a triple though.

Barrera up righty, with one on.
He lines a ball on one hop to the second baseman.
They call it caught on the fly, it clearly wasn't.
Johnson had come in to score, but now is doubled off 4-5 for two away.

Cantu up righty, with two away.
He flies to right to end the inning.

Terrible call probably doesn't mean much, but it cost the Horns a run at least. So OSU leads 8-2, to the bottom of the sixth. I mean the guy threw to first, come on. He even knew he didn't catch it.

 

[NBHorn7]

Mayes still pitching for Texas.

Walton leads off for OSU, lefty.
A ground ball on a tough hop is handled by Baker, for the the 6-3 first out.

Green bats also lefty, with one down.
He flies to Johnson in left, for two away.

Costello bats right handed with two down.
Another grounder to short and this time Baker loses the handle on this short hop, it's an E-6.

Williams bats lefty, with two outs and one on.
A sharp grounder to Marlow, goes 4-3 to retire the side.

OSU leads 8-2 after six.

 

[NBHorn7]

Freeman will stay on to pitch the seventh, for OSU.

Hinojosa leads off, from the left side.
A ground ball to short is an easy first out.

Shaw bats lefty, with one down.
A one hop ball to short again goes 6-3 once more for two away.

Gurwitz bats righty, with two down.
A slow roller to second is a 4-3 that retire the side in order.

Texas goes in order. They stretch in Stillwater and wait to celebrate a sweep of the series.

 

[NBHorn7]

Mayes will stay on for the Horns, as the OSU seventh starts.

Hassel leads off for the Cowboys, batting righty.
A grounder up the middle is off Marlow's glove for a lead single.

Sluder bats righty, with one on.
A fly ball to left is one down.

Case, the catcher, bats right handed, with one gone and one on.
A fly ball to the gap in left center, is run down by Gurwitz, for the second out.

Chappell bats righty with one on and two away.
He flies out to Shaw in right to end the inning.

Seven played and OSU in command 8-2.

 

[NBHorn7]

Freeman is left in to pitch the eighth, for OSU.

Gurwitz leads off, from the right side.
A high pop to center and OSU almost botched the play among three players, but the second baseman finally makes a backhand stab, for one down.

Baker bats righty, with one gone.
He walks for a base runner.

Marlow bats lefty, with one on and one down.
He K's looking, for his fourth strike out of the game and two outs.

Johnson bats righty, with two gone.
He pops up to the shortstop to retire the side.

The Horns just withering on the vine now, as OSU leads 8-2, to the bottom of eight.

 

[NBHorn7]

Josh Sawyer, comes in to pitch the eighth for Texas.

The top of the order is Arakawa, batting lefty.
A liner to right is a lead single.

Walton bats righty, with one on.
He bunts for a 1-3 sac, to move the runner over, Cantu was off the bag on a wide throw, but who cares at this point.

Green bats lefty, with one down and one on.
A ground ball to third is a 5-3 out two.

Skip out and he wants a right hander, I guess to look at him again.

Pitching change.

 

[orangeblack&gold]

Hang in there NB.

 

[NBHorn7]

Andy McGuire will be that right hander for the Horns.

Costello bats right handed, with one on and one down.
He takes a fast ball right down the middle for a called strike three to retire the side.

The ninth comes kind of mercifully, as OSU leads 8-2.

 

[NBHorn7]

Freeman is done finally and a right hander is Trey Cobb, to close out the game for the Cowboys.

Barrera leads off right handed, for Texas.
He singles through the hole, on the left side to reach

Cantu bats righty, with one on.
He K's swinging for one down on a fast ball.

Hinojosa bats righty, with one on and one gone.
He lines a single over the second baseman's head and Barrera goes to third.

Shaw bats lefty, with two on and and one down.
He grounds a double play ball to short and the relay throw is over the first baseman's head. It's a 5-4 force and a run scores.

OSU leads 8-3.

McCann bats righty, with one on and two down.
A ground ball to third goes 5-3 and that's the ball game.

Texas scratches out a run on the mishandled double play attempt, but OSU wins 8-3, to sweep the series.

I want to hear what the coach has to say, before further comment.

 

[Htown77]

We are officially in trouble.

 

[NBHorn7]

The announcers said that the six game losing streak was the first in fourteen years. Greg Swindell said it was the first since 1956. No matter it's a seven game slide now.

Texas still can't hit much. When Clemens didn't go deep into the game, with a quality start, that was pretty much the game. The bullpen was taxed and OSU can really hit. They know how to hit, watching their at bats and the Horns at bats, is like daylight and dark in approach. The Horns strike out at an alarming rate, averaging 11 K's a game. They swing at so many bad pitches, you can't count them.

After the Cowboys went ahead 8-2, it was over, though there was still several innings to be played. This team looks to have no leaders on it. When Mark Payton left, it seems like more than his bat, went with him. He was a team leader. He led by example and vocally. I can't tell you who the leader of this team is. This team is in real trouble now, no other way to look at it.

I said to wait to see what happened in this series, before talking about Texas being in first place in the Big 12. Well we have our answer and that is in the middle of the pack now. This really does look like the 2013 season right now and that is with the new baseball. Something better change quickly is all I know to say.

 

[Brad Austin]

Blowing the 3-2 lead in the 9th on Friday will be the defining moment this season took an unrecoverable nosedive. It failed to break up the ugly losing streak and provide a new ray of hope to the players.

Even dropping the next 2 would've kept us in a healthy position (6-3) to still compete for the Big 12, as OSU would be 6-3 as well. Going 1-2 on the road against a top conference team is respectable and able to recover from going forward in conference. Instead, we got wiped out (5-4) and booted to 4th place mediocrity.

Not to mention we sit 2 fragile wins above .500. With a salty 22-12 OU team invading Austin on Friday, this hollow team could easily find themselves with an even 18-18 record after 36 games. Wow.

Forget an amazing season turn-around. Nevermind a sudden resurgence to compete for the conference title. Those are pipe dreams. The Horns must simply fight tooth and nail to secure a respectable enough record to make the postseason at all.