No. 24 Texas baseball digs early hole, falls to Louisiana, 8-6
By Steve Lansdale
LAFAYETTE, La. — Freshman outfielder Eric Kennedy hit his first college home run in the sixth inning, but it was not enough as the No. 24 Texas baseball team fell, 8-6, at Louisiana.
The loss precluded the Longhorns (2-1) from sweeping the first series of the season after they won the season opener, 3-1, in 19 innings Friday and picked up a 6-5 win Saturday.
Texas starter Coy Cobb lost his first collegiate start, allowing four hits, two walks and four runs (three of which were earned) in three-and-a-third innings. Five relievers scattered three hits the rest of the way, led by Matteo Bocchi, who struck out two in three scoreless innings. But the Longhorns found themselves in an 8-1 hole, thanks to a four-run outburst by the Louisiana offense in the fifth inning, before the offense came to life.
Texas scored the game’s final run in the top of the ninth to cut the deficit to 8-6 and loaded the bases, but was unable to get closer than the final two-run margin.
For the game, the Longhorns stranded 11 baserunners.
Despite the lopsided margin on the scoreboard, the Longhorns were only outhit, 7-6, getting single hits from Kennedy, Kamron Fields, Austin Todd, Ryan Reynolds, Michael McCann and Lance Ford.
The Longhorns will stay on the road, heading to Houston to face Rice at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Reckling Park.
