No. 1 Texas Baseball remains undefeated after win over No. 17 Tennessee, 7-2

HOUSTIN, Texas - Playing in the Shriner's Children's College Classic at Minute Maid Park, No. 1 Texas Baseball slugged past No. 17 Tennessee for a 7-2 win.

Starting pitcher left-hander #33 Pete Hansen pitched six inning, struck out five batters, allowed one (solo) homerun in the top of the fifth, walked one, threw 90 pitches while facing 23 batters. This was Hansen's second win of the season and has an ERA of 0.53.

Going into the bottom of the fifth with Tennessee up 1-0, Texas shortstop Trey Faltine hit a towering homerun to left field that evened the score. Faltine went 2-3 on the night with one homer, one run scored, and an RBI.

First baseman Ivan Melendez had another productive game with four at bats, a double, a triple, and two RBI. Melendez has 14 RBI this season, a slugging % of .611, on base % of .447, and increased his batting average to .278.

The sixth inning Texas scored three more runs when Eric Kennedy, then Melendez, doubled that drove in one run, another run scored on a walk then error by Tennessee. Texas third baseman Skyler Messinger capped Texas' runs with a single up the left side to drive in the third run giving him an RBI.

In the seventh, Texas bats came alive again. Douglass Hodo III started off with a single, scored on a Ivan Melendez triple. Silas Ardoin got an RBI on a sacrafice fly deep to center and Murphy Stehly got an RBI on a single up the middle to make the score 7-2.

Tennessee rallied in the eight putting two runners on base and no outs. Texas calls up sophomore #41 Aaron Nixon from the bullpen who cooled Tennessee bats throwing 32 pitches, four strike outs over the next two innings.

Texas plays LSU tonight at 7 p.m. in Houston, TX.