Texas vs. Vandy Division Title Game-CWS

[NBHorn7]

Tonight the Horns go for the opportunity to play in the series for the National Championship.

This requires a fourth straight win in an elimination game and a second straight win over Vanderbilt in two days.

Texas is the visiting team and right hander Parker French will get the start for the Horns.

Vanderbilt will counter with it's ace right hander, Carson Fulmer.

There are reports that Texas made changes in the batting order for this game. That Carter is batting second and Hinojosa has moved to clean up. That Johnson has moved down to sixth and Barrera seventh.

Will have to see when the official lineup is posted.

Game is televised on ESPN at 7 pm.
Free audio lin on texassports.com game preview.

 

[NBHorn7]

 

[accuratehorn]

Big game! Go Horns!

Augie has shuffled the lineup for this game, or rather the batting order. Hope there are no snubbed feelings, and hope Parker French is on his best game tonight.

 

[NBHorn7]

Right hander and the ace of the staff takes the hill for Vandy as we get underway in this game for the right to play in the National Championship Game.

If Texas ever needed to find their offense it's tonight and could really help the pitching that has been nothing short of brilliant and they have had to be.

 

[NBHorn7]

Marlow steps in from the left side to face Fulmer as the game begins.

Fulmer brings the heat in the mid 90's and the bats will need rev it up a notch.

Marlow grounds to first for the first out of the game 3U.

Carter in his new role bats second with one away.
A slow roller goes to second for the second out.

Payton bats lefty with two down.
He K's swinging on the low slider and that retires the side in order.

Vandy comes to bat for the first time and hopefully French is on his game.

 

[johnnyg88]

Wonder if their coach will take pitches like yesterday to wear down French? Thornhill made it work, and hopefully, so will French. Hook'm baby.

 

[Texanne]

Jeez, Parker looks so tight, you couldn't pull a pin put of his *** with a tractor.

 

[NBHorn7]

Parker French, the right hander to the mound for the Horns.

Dansby Swanson, the talented second baseman leads off for Vandy.
A ground ball on a hop to short is one away.

Bryan Reynolds, plays left field and bats from the left side with one down.
The first full count of the night is reached and a liner to left is the first hit of the game for a single.

The shortstop is Vince Conde, batting righty with one away and one on.
A line shot up the middle into center is another single to put two on.

Zander Wiel, plays first and bats righty with two on and one down.
Another full count and this one in the first big situation of the game.
An inside pitch loads the bases and it's a full blown jam now.

The centerfielder is John Norwood, who bats right handed with one down and the bases loades.
After a ball, here comes Skip for the settle down speech.
He returns to the dugout.
He throws a pitch behind the batter and to the backstop.
The runner at third held as it's a 3-0 count.
He battles back to a full count and then a hard ground ball behind third is dove for and fielded by Gurwitz and he gets up and tags third for an out and an unadvised throw to first is fielded off the bag by Clemens to save an error.

Vandy leads 1-0.

Two on and two outs for lefty hitting Rhett Wiseman.
He walks on four pitches and French is really struggling with command.

Two outs and the bases loaded for lefty hitting DH, Nolan Rodgers.
Need the out here before it gets out of hand.
A ground ball to second retires the side and it could have been a lot worse.

Trailing is not what has been on the agenda in this three game winning streak. One time we need the bats to bail out the pitching maybe.

One played and 1-0 Vandy.

 

[johnnyg88]

38 Pitches in the first inning. That's a lot.

 

[accuratehorn]

Terrible start by Parker French. It's a miracle we are only behind 1-0. Parker threw 35 pitches, maybe Morgan Cooper should come in right now.

 

[Texanne]

Ump needs to be as generous with the strike done when we're pitching.

 

[NBHorn7]

Hinjosa leads off for Texas against Fulmer in the second.

He walks on four pitches for Texas's first base runner.

Shaw up with one on and lays down the bunt that gets C.J. to second with one away.

Johnson up and in his new postition in the order has a chance to tie the game.
He K's looking on the outside pitch and you hope that goes both ways tonight.

Barrera bats with two down and still a chance to tie it up.
A full count and he walks to put two on.

Somebody needs a clutch hit and it's Clemens turn for it now with two down and two on.
A fly ball to center retires the side and two are stranded.

Bottom of the second and Vandy leads 1-0.

 

[accuratehorn]

You have to be able to place those slightly out of the zone pitches to get those calls, but maybe Parker will settle down and start throwing enough strikes to get some generous strike zone calls.

 

[tejas77]

That 3rd strike on Johnson was NOT a strike! He also didn't give that call to Parker earlier. Be consistent blue, that's all we ask!

 

[accuratehorn]

Now we make a bad error to allow a base runner-we are looking like the Bad News Bears. Come to think of it, Augie does look a little like Walter Mattau.

 

[NBHorn7]

French out for the second and you hope that now maybe he will settle down after getting out of the first.

Karl Ellison, the catcher leads off for the Dores from the right side.
A liner to left fools Johnson in the tricky light and shadows, finally goes to a knee for the catch for one away.

Tyler Campbell, plays third and bats righty with one down.
A two hopper to Gurwitz and then loses the ball on the transfer for the throw and an error.

Top of the order is Swanson, with one on and one down.
Texas is playing tight as a tick so far.
A sharp contrast to the loosy goosy atmosphere of yesterday.
The runner goes and a hard grounder to Gurwitz he handles and has to go to first for the out.

Two down and one on for Reynolds and it's a good hitter in a situation that French needs to get out of the inning unscathed as Texas can't afford to fall to far behind.
A ground ball to short does retire the side.

Really needed that and after two Vandy leads 1-0.

 

[NBHorn7]

Fulmer back out for the third.

Gurwitz leads off for the Horns.
He slaps a soft liner off the back foot swing that falls in center for a single.

Marlow up at the top of the order and the bunt is down and again a runner is at second with one down.

Carter up with another chance for a Horn hitter to tie the game.
A ground ball to third won't do it and it's two away.

Payton up and they can pitch around him if they want.
A full count and I think they tried to pitch around him as Payton swung at two balls and the last was a fly ball to left tor retire the side.

I think Payton pressed there trying to drive in the run instead of taking the walk.

Bottom of the third and Vandy ahead 1-0.

 

[accuratehorn]

Morgan Cooper on the mound, French is gone. He never had good control, and we are fortunate indeed to only be trailing by one run. Big moment for Coop.

 

[Vol Horn 4 Life]

French with nearly 60 pitches in two innings may not last much longer if he doesnt find some control. The Longhorn bats need to cone around too.

 

[johnnyg88]

Wow, Too many errors guys. You can't do that.

 

[NBHorn7]

Morgan Cooper takes over now on the hill. The big right hander tires to keep it close and maybe we can scratch out some runs somehow.

Conde leads off for the Commodores and a ground to Gurwitz and it's shades of the Rice Regional as Gurwitz is letting ground balls eat him and it's another error.

Wiel bats right with one on and no outs.
A high foul pop is lost by Clemens and then found again in time for the catch for one down.

Norwood bats righty with one on and one down.
A bunt is laid down on the third base side and Gurwitz fields and the throw is not in time and it's an infield hit.

Two on and one down for Wiseman and Vandy applies the pressure every innning.
Another high pop up goes to shallow center and squeezed by Hinojosa for two down.

Two on and two down for Rodgers from the left side.
The runners go and Barrera thows it high and wide and into left field and the error scores another run.

Three errors and now it's 2-0 Vandy

Cooper K's Rodgers to retire the side, but another big run scores, after three innings a 2-0 Vandy lead looks pretty big.

 

[accuratehorn]

Morgan Cooper throws lights out, but two bad errors give Vandy a run. Already three errors by the Horns in this game.
I only bought one six-pack of O'Dell's 90 Shilling for this game. May not be enough.

 

[accuratehorn]

OK, what does tthat hand sign mean, that they always do after a base-hit, the two curled over index fingers, looks something like two G's?
Anyone know?

 

[johnnyg88]

Alright Barrera, now is the time!

 

[johnnyg88]

Yea baby...great hit Kacy!!! 2 runs score.

 

[NBHorn7]

Fulmer pitches the fourth for Vanderbilt.

Hinojosa leads off and drives one by the third baseman down the line for a double.

I like that kind of small ball.

Shaw bats with a man at second.
He squibs one out in front of the plate and the catcher I don't think knows how fast Shaw is and he beats the throw for an infield hit.

Runners on the corners for Johnson.
The count runs full and maybe Shaw goes here.
No K please!
He walks to load the bases

Barrera up and here is his chance for much redemption.
The pitching coach is out.
Got to have something here and really you need to at least tie the game this inning.
He K's swinging and on the same pitch out of the zone twice.

Clemens bats with one away and the bases loaded.
Clemens with the big hit and how do you like him now?

Shaw's speed makes it a two run rbi and it's tied 2-2.

Gurwitz bats and he can give Texas the lead and make up for his errors.
A slow roller to first is two down as the runners move up to second and third.

Marlow up with two on and two down.
Fulmer's slider doesn't seem to be as effective against the lefty hitters.
A fly ball to left retires the side.

Texas ties it up at 2-2 to the bottom of the fourth.

 

[NBHorn7]

It's called the shark, old fogey.
It's what the cool kids do now.

Now get off my lawn!

 

[tejas77]

Clemens needed that hit, he was due. Good over the shoulder catch by Marlow there!

 

[Vol Horn 4 Life]

Hell of a 4th!

Lets go Horns!!!

 

[NBHorn7]

Cooper out for the fourth.

Ellison leads off and chops one to Gurwitz for one away.

Campbell bats with one down righty.
A flair to shallow right is run down by Marlow for two away.

Swanson bats at the top of the order with two down.
He grounds a single up the middle for a single.
He will most likely be going.

Reynolds bats with two down and one on.
A fly ball to left retires the side.

Four played and tied at 2-2.