No. 2 Texas Baseball plays powerball en route to 10-3 win over Arizona State
AUSTIN, Texas — The No. 2 Texas baseball team's bats remained hot Saturday night against Arizona State with 10 runs and 12 hits in a 10-3 win over Arizona State in the NCAA Austin Regional before an announced crowd of 6,981 at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. It was to much for the Sun Devils, who mustered just three runs and five hits.
Texas improved its record to 44-15, while ASU fell to 33-21. The Longhorns will face eithe Arizona State again or Fairfield at 8 p.m. Sunday in a game that can be seen on ESPNU.
Texas starter Ty Madden got the win to improve to 7-4 and Tanner Witt earned the save, his fifth; Arizona State's Justin Fall fell to 7-3 after allowing three earned runs, three hits and five walks, while striking out two, in just 2-1/3 innings. Madden pitched six innings with 106 pitches and gave up only one run and three hits, while striking out seven.
After a two-hour delay, Texas and Arizona State were scoreless until the bottom of the third inning when Texas came alive to score three runs. Center fielder Mike Antico walked and stole second base, first baseman Zach Zubia and designated hitter Ivan Melendez both got on base to load the bases with only one out. Third baseman Cam Williams was hit by a pitch, allowing Antico to score and runners to move up. Right fielder Douglas Hodo III walked, bringing home Zubia from third. Fall then threw a wild pitch that advanced the runners and brought Melendez home and put UT ahead, 3-0.
The fourth inning, Madden struck out first two batters, and Arizona State right fielder Ethan Long flied out to right. Zubia hit a monster smash home run to center field that hit the top of the fence, scoring Antico and giving Texas 5-0 lead.
Arizona State scored its first run in the top of the fifth inning making the score 5-1, Texas. ASU went scoreless in the sixth, leaving one on base. Texas scored when shortstop Trey Faltine singled to center field, allowing Hodo to advance and Williams to score.
Then left fielder Eric Kennedy drove in two more in the sixth to give Texas an 8-1 lead.
Arizona State got two runs in the top of the seventh on a homer to left center by first baseman Nate Baez, a shot that also brought home third baseman Hunter Haas.
Catcher Silas Ardoin singled up the middle in the bottom of the eighth to score Hodo and Williams giving Texas a 10-3 lead.
