Baseball gets swept by West Virginia

By Steve Lansdale

AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas baseball team will host Texas State at 6 p.m. Tuesday as the Longhorns try to rebound from a tough trip to Morgantown, W.Va., where they were swept in a three-game series against West Virginia in which the Mountaineers scored more than 11 runs per game.

In Friday’s series opener, center fielder Zane Gurwitz hit his fourth home run of the season for the Longhorns, [s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level1)]but the UT offense was able to muster just four other hits, while WVU pounded out 15 against Texas pitching in an 11-2 Mountaineer win. Designated hitter Travis Jones, catcher Tres Barrera, right fielder Patrick Mathis and left fielder Tyler Rand each had a hit — all singles — for Texas.

Four West Virginia runs in the bottom of the third erased a 1-0 Texas lead and proved to be all the offense the Mountaineers would need. Morgan Cooper started and took the loss for the Longhorns, dropping his season record to 2-4. He surrendered seven hits and four earned runs in five innings.

Beau Ridgeway, Travis Duke and Blake Wellman each pitched one inning in relief for the Longhorns. Ridgeway allowed one hit and an unearned run, Duke gave up three hits and three earned runs and Wellmann allowed four hits and three earned runs.

The Texas offense picked up Saturday, as the Longhorns managed hits — including two each by Jones, Kacy Clemens and Kody Clemens. But the Mountaineers took advantage of generous Longhorn pitchers who allowed 13 hits — including five for extra bases — and a pair of errors by Kody Clemens to pull away for a 14-7 victory.

Barrera hit his fifth home run of the season for the ’Horns, who also got a double and a triple from Jones, Kacy Clemens, Mathis and Kody Clemens each added a double of their own, and Kody Clemens drove in a team-high three runs. But again, the Longhorns were unable to contain the Mountaineer bats.

Texas starter Ty Culbreth lasted four-and-one-third innings, allowing seven runs — six of which were earned — on nine hits while striking out six and walking one. Of the five pitchers who took the mound in relief — Eric Dunbar, Nick Kennedy, Nolan Kingham, Chase Shugart and Jake McKenzie — McKenzie was the only one who emerged without surrendering at least one run.

The Longhorns tried to salvage a win from the series Sunday but stumbled out of the gate as the Mountaineers jumped out to a 7-1 lead after two innings and held on for a 9-5 win to complete the sweep.

With the loss in its final regular-season road game, Texas fell to 21-27 overall and 9-12 against Big 12 opponents. West Virginia improved to 27-19 overall and 11-9 against Big 12 opposition.

Mathis led the UT offense with four hits in five at-bats, although he scored just one run and failed to drive in any. Gurwitz hit his second home run of the series, and he and Mathis each had a double.

After falling in a six-run hole in the first two innings, the Longhorns ralled with three in the third to close the gap to a manageable margin of 7-4. Each team added a run in the fourth, but WVU sealed the outcome with its final run in the sixth inning.

The outcome was determined on the mound. Texas starter Kyle Johnston scuffled through one-and-two-thirds innings, giving up seven runs (six earned) on four hits and five walks. The bullpen had better luck: Connor Mays allowed a pair of runs on six hits over four-and-one-third innings, before Ridgeway silenced the WVU bats, allowing no hits and no runs over the final two innings.

Tuesday’s game against Texas State, as well as the final three games of the season against Baylor, which will be held Thursday through Saturday at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, will be broadcast on the Longhorn Network.

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