Texas Baseball’s Bats Come Out Against Bobcats
A Texas baseball team that struggled to score runs against Oklahoma over the weekend scored runs at will as they cruised to a 12-5 win over Texas State on Tuesday evening. The 12 runs and 16 hits represented the most the Horns have had in a game in either category this season.
“It’s a step forward, it’s a step in confidence building,” coach Augie Garrido said. “It reveals the capabilities and talents of the players, but it has to come from a mentality filled with confidence. The offensive players did a great job at using that confidence tonight.”
The Longhorns (18-13, 3-6 Big 12) had three players with three or more hits, two players with three RBI, and two players with two RBI. Though he usually pitches from the bullpen, first baseman and junior-transfer Ty Marlow had the biggest impact at the plate with three RBI’s on two hits, including a second inning solo-home run in just second game to hit for the Horns.
“He’s very aggressive, very confident, and very talented,” Garrido said. “And that’s why we put him in the line-up.”
Marlow’s brother Brooks Marlow accomplished a similar feat when he hit two home runs in his first game as a Longhorn in spring of 2012.
“It’s the Marlow brothers syndrome, ” Mark Payton said. “First hit’s got to be a home run. We’re happy to have him in the line-up and he’s going to do those things for us.”
Payton, the junior known by his teammates as “Gamer” went four-for-four at the plate, scored three runs and batted in two. Freshman CJ Hinojosa went three-for-four at the plate, scored two runs, and had three RBI.
The Longhorns scored in each of the first five innings, with the biggest bushel of runs coming when they batted through the order and scored four runs in the fourth inning.
The Bobcats (12-20) put individual runs on the board in the first, third, fifth, eighth and ninth. The credit for the loss went to Lucas Humpal who pitched three innings, allowed seven hits, and five earned runs.
Defensively the Horns had more double plays than they have had in any game this year with five. Travis Duke earned the win throwing 3.1 innings of one hit ball and no earned runs.
The team hopes to carry the momentum as it continues Big 12 conference play on Friday at Kansas at 6 p.m. CT.
“It’s going to be a big series for us to get back in the race,” Payton said. “We know we can do this, and we’re excited for the opportunities that are ahead of us.”
Notes: Texas has won 18 games in a row against Texas State, and when the teams last met on March 26 the Horns won 5-3.
