WVU vs. Texas Game 2

[NBHorn7]

Mayes comes back out for the ninth and why not, he has shut down WVU and let Texas get back in the game.

Huth, the nine hole hitter bats right to lead off for the Mountaineers.
He grounds out 6-3 for one away.

Big hitter here as Munden brings back the top of the order with one down.
He is a very dangerous hitter and has five homers on the year.
The righty lead off man and he walks him.

Fox bats righty with one on and one down.
Munden can steal a base too, so need to keep him close.
He goes and Cantu's throw was in time and they say he missed the tag as Munden went by him.
Augie is out and he had some choice words and is tossed out of the game.
Hard to see if the tag was there and did he go out of the base lines to avoid the tag.
Tough play all around for Texas and Munden is in scoring position now.

Fox back in and he is hit by a pitch and again the ump says to stay right here as he turns into it and the WVU coach is out to argue now.
That would have set up the double play, but you just never know and Mayes maybe tiring now after the delay.

The UT trainer is called out now as Mayes has some kind of injury or cramp. Another replay of the call at second shows that it looks like Marlow did tag him. Mayes is ok and back on the hill.

Wow, this game has it all doesn't it.

Fox back in and the count is full and after fouling off multiple pitches he K's swinging on a tight low slider for two away and Munden stole third on the play.

Skip out and that is all for Mayes and what a job he did and the crowd let's him know it.

Pitching change.

 

[NBHorn7]

The new anointed Texas closer is lefty Ty Culbreth, who comes in to try and keep the game tied.

Cramer, the big lefty hitting first baseman is up with two gone and the lead run at third.
A fly ball to left and that does retire the side with no damage done.

What a game this has turned into and Texas can win it in the ninth now as we stay tied at 6-6.

 

[NBHorn7]

Ennis is still out there for WVU.

The top of the order is up for Texas.

Johnson of the the big pick off that may have kept this game from already being over leads off.
The right handed hitting left fielder steps in and swings through a fast ball for a K and one out.

Shaw bat from the left side and he had his first ever homer tonight for the first run for the Horns.
The count runs full and he is hit on the shin and the wining run is aboard.

Hinojosa up from the right side with one out and one on.
Shaw goes and a ground ball to third is a 5-3 second out as Shaw stands at second.

Barrera, who is in a slump bats righty with a chance to send everybody home with two gone.
A wild pitch goes back to the screen and Shaw goes to third.
Barrera back in and any hit wins it now.
He is beaned on the helmet by a fast ball and he goes down hurting.
He goes down to first and there are runners on the corners.

Cantu has a perfect night going with three hits and a walk.
Can the freshman finish of a perfect night and get the win for the Horns.
He steps in righty and not this time as he K's swinging on a low pitch and the 2-3 play records the out to end the inning.

We played ten last night and we are going to play at least ten now in this game.

Going to extras tied at 6-6.

 

[Htown77]

Damn, I was hoping we would win it in the 9th.

 

[NBHorn7]

Culbreth back out trying to hold the score at 6-6 pitches the tenth for the Horns.

Johnson leads off for the Mountaineers from the right side.
A one hopper back to Ty is a 1-3 out one.

Davis up righty with one down.
A line shot to left is a single.

Cascadden, who came in for Corso at second is up for the first time from the right side with on away.
A fly ball right at Shaw in right is two gone.

O'Brien bats from the left side bars with one on and two down.
He grounds one up the middle that is knocked down by Marlow, but there is no play for an infield hit.

Gurerrini bats from the right side with two on and two outs.
A shot down the line and Boswell lays out to knock it down and save a run as it loads the bases.

Huth, batting in the nine hole with the bases loaded and two down from the right side.
The count runs full and the biggest pitch of the game so far comes here as the runners go.
He walks and WVU takes the lead.

WVU leads 7-6.

Munden bats now with the bases loaded and two still out.
He could break it open with a hit here.
The dangerous right handed hitter steps in and a ground ball to short goes 6-3 to end the inning.

But WVU takes the lead and Texas bats in the bottom of the tenth now down 7-6.

 

[NBHorn7]

Ennis will pitch the tenth for WVU.

Marlow will lead off for the Horns from the left side.
A ground ball to second goes 4-3 for one down.

Boswell up from the left side with one gone.
He walks on four pitches to put the tying run aboard.

Macalla the DH, bats lefty with one on and one down.
The head coach is out to the mound and now goes back to the dugout.
A line shot to second and Boswell is caught off and the 4U-3 double play ends the game.

WVU wins it 7-6.

A tough and bad loss in so many ways and I need some time to think this one over and will be back to discuss it in a bit.

 

[NBHorn7]

What can you say it was a wild game with many bad mistakes made and some great plays too.
In the end it was the bad base running mistakes that cost Texas the win. Even after the bad start for Sawyer and falling behind 6-0, the Horns had every chance to win this game with some help from the shoddy fielding by WVU in the inning where Texas tied the game 6-6.

Mayes comes in and shuts down the Mountaineers in a great performance that could see him considered for a starting role in the future. You just can't say enough about the effort he gave.

The winning run scores when your new closer walks the nine hole hitter with the bases loaded after having a 1-2 count on him.

Texas really needs to remedy the base running as that is something you can fix. It's been going on for a long time now and it's just hard to understand.

It's an tougher loss because you used your closer now twice and he will be limited tomorrow you would think. You need a quality start from Hollingsworth now and need the bats to break out early and not dig yourself a hole like they did tonight. This a team you just have to win at least 2 out of three from at home. They haven't played a home game yet this season. The Horns better get focused after this loss and come out with some real purpose tomorrow. It's what champion caliber teams do and I will be back tomorrow to hopefully see it happen.

 

[STHAustin]

Mayes comes back out for the ninth and why not, he has shut down WVU and let Texas get back in the game.

Huth, the nine hole hitter bats right to lead off for the Mountaineers.
He grounds out 6-3 for one away.

Big hitter here as Munden brings back the top of the order with one down.
He is a very dangerous hitter and has five homers on the year.
The righty lead off man and he walks him.

Fox bats righty with one on and one down.
Munden can steal a base too, so need to keep him close.
He goes and Cantu's throw was in time and they say he missed the tag as Munden went by him.
Augie is out and he had some choice words and is tossed out of the game.
Hard to see if the tag was there and did he go out of the base lines to avoid the tag.
Tough play all around for Texas and Munden is in scoring position now.

Fox back in and he is hit by a pitch and again the ump says to stay right here as he turns into it and the WVU coach is out to argue now.
That would have set up the double play, but you just never know and Mayes maybe tiring now after the delay.

The UT trainer is called out now as Mayes has some kind of injury or cramp. Another replay of the call at second shows that it looks like Marlow did tag him. Mayes is ok and back on the hill.

Wow, this game has it all doesn't it.

Fox back in and the count is full and after fouling off multiple pitches he K's swinging on a tight low slider for two away and Munden stole third on the play.

Skip out and that is all for Mayes and what a job he did and the crowd let's him know it.

Pitching change.

I sit on the first base side, and Augie had a valid argument. He looked way out of the baseline to me.

 

[NBHorn7]

Another replay angle seemed to show that Marlow did make the tag, but WVU didn't score anyway, so it didn't hurt us.

A little factoid that says something about the base running. Twice this season Texas has had a runner picked off when trailing by five runs. In both cases the Horns went on to score in that inning. In both games Texas lost the game by one run. Those games are today and the 10-9 loss to Rice in the second game of the series. Also in both games Texas trailed 6-0 and should have won.

 

[orangeblack&gold]

Glad I wasn't there 2 c that in person. Sounds like a heart attack or a stroke opportunity missed.

 

[WilburWildCat]

Solid performance by Mayes. The whole team should feed off of his desire to win. You could see it in his face when he came off the field after being relieved. Hope some of the upperclassman took notice and find that desire some seem to have replaced with complacency. This team has what it takes to be really "Omaha" good.

 

[Brad Austin]

Some may disagree, but in games like this one where runs have dried up lately, my main instruction to a pitcher with bases loaded and a full count is whatever you do, throw a strike. Aim wherever you feel best in adding difficulty to hit, but make sure it's in the zone. If that ends up costing your accuracy a little and leaving an easier pitch to hit, so be it.

Even if it means you might surrender a 2-run single and put the game nearly out of reach. There's less than a 50% chance the guy will get a hit off the strike pitch. If you throw a ball, the chances are much higher he won't take a hack, and the run almost surely scores. Especially when you throw one high and outside from the time it leaves your hand. The batter didn't even have to guess much whether to take. We were clearly off our offensive game at that point. 1 run was nearly as devastating as allowing 2 off a single. Just make the batter hit the strike. His accuracy was good enough to do so if told to.

It was a valiant effort to roar back like we did, but still leaves a bad taste in the mouth to end on a walked in run. To me that's just as bad of a choice as Felix shooting with 9 seconds on the clock and leaving ISU 6 seconds to score again regardless if his shot went down. It's just bad business. Make the batter hit your extra innings, bases juiced strike, period. And hold the basketball for the last shot...either score or take your chances in OT, period. In both choices you may not win, but it's MUCH harder to lose.

 

[NBHorn7]

I played and have seen a lot of baseball in my time and every coach I had or knew said this. "There is no defense for ball four." I know Skip feels this way and has said so. He talks of how a pitcher with control is better than one with a 100 mph fast ball if he has little or no command over it.

Pounding the strike zone is a great philosophy and just look at the game today. The WVU starter Donato has only walked one batter this year and Hollingsworth pounds the zone too. Chad gets runners on all the time, but without the walks he gets out of it most of the time too. He did it last year when he made his late season heroics. I know about the theory of being effectively wild, but the percentages don't support that. You don't have to groove a perfect strike on every pitch, but being able to throw a strike when you have to is a big plus. One of the best at this at Texas was Kirk Dressendorfer, who could always throw a strike when he had too.

I would take pitcher's like Donato, Hollingsworth, or Dressendorfer anytime and I think Skip and most really good pitching coaches would too.