The first three innings for Texas started like any other game. The Longhorns couldn’t piece together any hits and left runners stranded on base. West Virginia right-handed pitcher Dan Dierdorff seemed to be settling into a rhythm and it looked like Texas would be in for another offensive struggle.
But something clicked in the Longhorn dugout in the fourth inning when the Texas batters got hot and scored five runs in the inning. Then another five runs in the fifth inning. The Longhorn’s mindset seem to change and they were able to calm their critics and nerves.
“It’s not so much about the hitting, it’s about the tension,” coach Augie Garrido said. “Today we busted through that in the fourth inning, then it set up the rest of the game.”
Texas was nothing short of dominant in their 12-0 victory over the West Virginia Mountaineers in front of 6,747 fans at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Saturday evening.
Texas was clicking on all cylinders…[s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)] and showed their offensive prowess, while their pitchers worked to shut out the Mountaineers.
Seventeen members of the 1983 Texas National Championship team were honored before the game and received a loud cheer and standing ovation from the crowd. Notable people on the team were head coach Cliff Gustafson, Roger Clemens, Bill Bates, and Jeff Hearron. Perhaps coach Garrido should invite the 1983 team for every Texas baseball game after an offensive explosion like Saturday.
Dillon Peters was fantastic once again, giving up zero runs on four hits, struck out six and walked three over 8.0 innings pitched. Peters has only given up one run in his last three starts and lowered his ERA to 1.80 this season.
“I’m getting more and more comfortable with my routine,” Peters said. “It’s carrying over and I’m going to keep doing what I’ve been doing and try to ride this as long as I can.”
The fourth inning started with a Madison Carter leadoff double down the right field line. Carter was playing third base in place of Eric Weiss, who missed Saturday’s game after being hit in the face with a pitch in Friday’s 1-0 loss to West Virginia.
C.J Hinojosa followed it up with a single to left. With runners on first and third, Mark Payton doubled to deep right to score Texas’ first run of the game. The Longhorns kept the offense going when Ty Marlow singled up the middle off Dierdorff’s foot, which allowed two more runs to score.
With the score 3-0, Alex Silver and Jacob Felts both grounded out before Collin Shaw hit a two-out double down the right field line to score a runner from second—making it 4-0 Texas.
Brooks Marlow garnered a base hit to left to score Shaw from second—5-0. An error by the West Virginia third baseman allowed Weston Hall to reach first before a groundout by Carter ended the 5-run inning.
The Longhorns picked up where they left off in the fifth inning with another 5-run inning. Hinojosa leadoff with a double down the left field line and the next batter, Mark Payton walked. Ty Marlow followed with a double off the centerfield wall and scored the two runners—7-0 Texas.
The Mountaineers bought in Ryan Hostrander in relief of Dierdorff, but the Texas bats continued to connect. Alex Silver walked before Jacob Felts hit a 3-run shot to left field barely over the wall. “It might have been wind-aided,” Felts said jokingly. Felt’s homerun marked the 2nd of his career and his first this season. The Longhorns were up 10-0 at the end the fifth inning and received a standing ovation from the Texas crowd.
The Longhorns added two more runs in the sixth and seventh innings to complete the strong offensive showing.
Ty Marlow and Jacob Felts led the Texas offense with four RBIs each. Mark Payton also had a great game, hitting 3 for 4 at the plate and picking up the 11th triple of his career in the bottom of the second inning.
West Virginia’s Dan Dierdorff (2-5) recorded the loss after giving up eight runs on nine hits and a walk and struck out one over 4.0 innings pitched.
Dillon Peters (4-2) picked up the win after Travis Duke came in, in relief in the ninth inning. Duke pitched one inning and allowed no hits and threw 11 of his 18 pitches for strikes.
The Longhorns return to action at noon on Sunday for the final game versus West Virginia in the three-game home series.
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