By Steve Lansdale
AUSTIN, Texas — Junior catcher Michael Cantu had three hits, including his third home run of the season, and four pitchers combined to scatter just three hits as the University of Texas baseball team blasted Sam Houston State, 8-1, Tuesday at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
With the victory, UT improved its season record to 20-12, while Sam Houston State slipped to 20-9.
The Longhorns [s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)]plated five runs in the third inning, which was more than enough for the UT pitchers, led by starter Kyle Johnston, who allowed just one hit and a run, walked two and struck out four in five innings of work to pick up his second victory in three decisions, whole three relievers combined to allow just two hits over the final four innings. Texas head coach David Pierce said Johnston’s stellar performance was a result of some tweaking he has worked on with his delivery.
“The one thing with Kyle is he’s a very aggressive player, and he’s just got to control his front side and control his head,” Pierce said. “When he does that, he gets the ball out front, and that’s what he’s really trying to focus on. It’s more of a reach with his front side as opposed to a rigid front side. The ball really comes out of his hand when he can get that extension, and he really showed that tonight.”
Johnston agreed that the fine-tuning he has done with Pierce paid off on the mound Tuesday.
“I felt good,” he said. “The first three or four innings, really felt that drive working for me, just trying to keep the front side calm. I ran into trouble in the fifth — I was jerking the glove side … but just trying to stay back and use my legs in the end, and it all felt good.
Third baseman Ryan Reynolds stroked a one-out double in the bottom of the third and advanced to third base on a groundout by shortstop David Hamilton. Freshman outfielder Trace Bucey’s single drove in Reynolds with the game’s first run.
Outfielders Tate Shaw and Travis Jones doubled and walked, respectively, to load the bases. The Longhorns got what turned out to be the last run they would need when senior first baseman Kacy Clemens drove in two with a hit to right field. Back-to-back RBI singles by junior second baseman Bret Boswell and Cantu then drove in Jones and Clemens, giving UT five runs in the inning.
Pierce said he was particularly pleased with the Texas offense, considering the outburst came against SHSU starter Dakota Mills, who coughed up seven hits and five runs en route to his second loss in five decisions.
“I thought we had really good approaches against a pretty good arm who has thrown well all year for them on Tuesdays,” Pierce said. “We just had quality at-bats, we got pitches when we were ready for them, and then we were able to drive some runs in. The big inning with just two outs was the difference.”
Cantu’s sixth-inning home run was his third of the season, the fourth in his career his first ever at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
The Longhorns return to action this weekend with a three-game home series against No. 16 Oklahoma. The first game of the series will be at 7 p.m. Friday, and will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1.
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