Tate Shaw lifts No. 13 Texas baseball to three-game sweep of Xavier

By Steve Lansdale

AUSTIN, Texas — Redshirt senior first baseman Tate Shaw drove in two runs with a double in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the No. 13 Texas baseball team a 6-5 victory over Xavier at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.

The win completed a three-game sweep by the Longhorns (20-11 overall, and 3-3 against Big 12 teams) over Xavier, which fell to 9-18. The series included[s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)] three Texas victories by identical 6-5 scores, although Friday’s season opener did take 12 innings to determine a winner.

UT jumped out to an early lead Sunday, scoring three times in the first inning. Right fielder Austin Todd started the scoring when his RBI groundout drove in center fielder Duke Ellis with the game’s first run. Catcher Caston Peter then drew a bases-loaded walk to drive in left fielder Eric Kennedy from third base, after which Shaw picked up the first of his three RBI in the game by scoring designated hitter Zach Zubia with a bases-loaded walk of his own.

The Musketeers closed to within a run with single runs scored in the third and sixth innings, but UT stretched the margin out to 4-2 when second baseman Lance Ford smacked a run-scoring single up the middle in the seventh inning, driving in Todd to make it 4-2.

Xavier got two runs in the eighth and one in the ninth to take the lead, but Ford staved off a potential loss with a two-out single up the middle. Replacement catcher Michael McCann then walked to set up Shaw for his game-ending heroics.

Freshman pitcher Coy Cobb got the start and turned in perhaps his best performance of his young college career, scattering five hits and striking out a career-high eight Xavier hitters while allowing just one earned run in seven innings. Three Texas relievers finished off the game for the Longhorns, with Cole Quintanilla picking up the final four outs to get the win, pushing his season record over the .500 mark at 2-1.

The Longhorns will stay at home this week, hosting Texas A&M at 6:30 Tuesday at Disch-Falk Field in sold-out game that will be broadcast on FS1.
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