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Horns Take on Rice @ 6 PM

Let's talk Taylor Jungmann. He leads the nation in ERA at 1.10 in 41 IP. He pitched 4.1 scoreless innings against OU on Sunday, ensuring a series sweep and a Big XII lead. Opponents are hitting .170 against him. In other words, he's been all we could've hoped for as a freshman, and it's no surprise that thanks to his pitching Texas has only lost once on Sunday.

Tonight it'll be a big matchup against Rice at UFCUDFF. Texas has done a lot this year to make up ground on a national seed come June and a win against Rice would be a huge resume booster. A top-8 national seed would ensure the Horns only play at home or their home away from home in Omaha. Starters are TBA but we're guessing it may be Austin Dicharry. Expect short outings and don't be shocked if some of the starters pitch in this potentially important midweek game.

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A little shot at the blogosphere from the anonymous texassports scribe
The Longhorns were written off as dead in the blogosphere after getting swept in a three-game series at Kansas.

Not sure that happened on this website, though there was certainly legitimate cause for concern at that point considering the consistently horrible at-bats the team was taking.
As far as the pitchers tonight, it would seem like Augie would break out all the stops to get a resume-boosting win against rival Rice, but that apparently will not be so:

So guys like Austin Dicharry and Taylor Jungmann have pitched more recently. So they’re not going to pitch (against Rice). We’re not conceding. It’s a big game.

With that in mind, it will be interesting to see to whom Augie gives the start.

Link for the Augie quote.

I saw the blogosphere thing

But decided against commenting. We said the following after the KU series:

The good news is that, this early in the season, a conference sweep is much easier to recover from that one further down the road. The other good news is that the series wasn’t at home—getting swept at home by Kansas could be called a disaster. Don’t get us wrong—a four-game losing streak is never awesome. But the fact that all four have come away from the friendly confines of UFCUDFF gives Texas an opportunity to regroup upon their return to Austin.

Considering we’re a pretty big part of what is a pretty small college baseball blogosphere, it’s not really clear where the writing off occurred.

My guess...

would be the “blogosphere” they’re mentioning includes people who comment on the Statesmen blog or other online news sources, like the AP or The Daily Texan or ESPN or whatever. And I would guess a lot of those comments were extremely negative and reactionary, as those forums have a tendency of being.

I'm guessing Statesman

Since none of the others really cover college baseball

Probably right.

The point is “blogosphere” is probably just some angry dudes posting comments online.

For some perspective on that 0-3 at Kansas

Horns went 0-3 at Rice in 1972 (I might be a year off) and ended up fourth or fifth at CWS . . . they opened the 1985 season 4-5 in SWC play to Baylor’s 10-2; Texas won out, beat the Bears by 2 games in SWC race, and lost in CWS final to Miami.

Craig Way's show

He does his gameday shows from the Disch, and he said Cole Green will start tonight. He said that he will likely go only 3 or 4 innings. Andrew McKirahan, Kendal Carillo, and Stayton Thomas were the “likely” relievers he mentioned. Said the same thing Augie said about not using Dicharry or Jungmann, and Way also thinks Austin Wood will not be used tonight. Still, I have to think plans will change if it becomes necessary. Texas needs this game. It would be a little different if we had beaten them the first time, but since we didn’t, this is almost a must-win in terms of national seeding.

My internet sucks, so updates would be great
I won't be able to post consistently...

But Rice went 1-2-3 in the top of the first, Cole with a K.

Leadoff walk for Tucker.
Torres walks, Tucker to 2nd. That's 8 straight balls.
And...suck.

Belt flies out, Rice doubles off Tucker at 2nd. Great baserunning there.

Sounds like a hit and run
Tant strikes out to end the inning.

0-0 after 1.

HBP, single, runners on the corners, no outs.
Hmm...okay, I don't understand gametracker anymore.
According to gametracker, there were runners on the corners...

and then a K, so one out. Then a “double play,” except the runner on first advanced to third, and I guess the runner on third scored, but it didn’t say that. And then a single, scoring the runner on third, and then yet another out. So…2-0 Rice, I guess.

Okay, they changed the play by play now. heh
That was quick!

Keyes with a leadoff double, then Rupp grounds out, and Clark doubles to score Keyes. 2-1 Rice.

4-1 Rice

Not going well at all

Leadoff double down the first base line.
First pitch bunt attempt popped up to Carillo. One down.
Ball up the middle bounces off Carillo's glove

playable by Loy, but he commits his first throwing error by pulling Belt off the bag, runners on first and third, one out.

Ground out to third scores the run, 5-2 Rice, two out.

Runner off on the play, Torres looked home, then almost waited too long, as the play at first was close.

Can of corn to right field ends inning.
Clark misses a home run by about three feet, hits the wall in left center for a double.
Pitching change after a walk to Loy. No outs, first and second.
Lefty bringing some heat for Rice.
Rowe pops out to second.
Damn! This game doesn't sound like the Horns are doin' too well...
FYI for those who want to watch online

ONLINE VIDEO FEED

Also available through texassports.com
Thanks man, better than college football show on espn
Looked promising for a minute, but then Tucker just grounded into a double play.

Longhorns can’t do anything with runners on first and second and no one out.

Oy

We were probably due for a game like this, too bad it’s against Rice

Yeah I don't like losing to Rice

leftover feelings from 2003 no doubt. I guess I just feel like Texas shouldn’t lose to Rice in athletics.

Not that it's over...

but this is the type of game to induce early-season flashbacks, though any talk of regression is certainly reactionary.

Pitchers need to come through

and the Longhorns need to string together some base hits.

First pitch fly out ends Carillo's night.

Lefty McKirahan on in relief.

Great play by Travis Tucker on a bouncer up the middle, great play by Belt at first

with the sweep tag for the second out.

1-2 pinch hit double to left field.
Liner into the gap for a two-out triple, scores another run.

McKirahan leaving pitches up in the zone when ahead. Can’t do that.

Ahead again, this time 0-2, keep the ball down!
McKirahan with a sliding play on a weakly hit ball.

Nice job, gets the out and ends the inning. Time to get the bats going as the Longhorns enter the bottom of the fifth, with the potential to face some Rice weekend starters, as the Owls don’t play a weekend series this week.

High one-hopper to the pitcher, Torres makes the first out.
Belt works a walk on a full count. Seven walks now for Rice, Longhorns need to take advantage.
Deep drive by Shepherd to dead center, second and third, Belt couldn't score.
Pitching change, Jordan Rogers in, their closer.
Throws cut fastball, curveball, slider, and a good change.
Hell yeah!

Way to work that count Keyes!

love to see that from him
Keyes takes a 3-2 walk -- great, patient at-bat.

Ball got away, Belt scored, Shepherd moves to third. Moldy pinch hitting for Rupp.

6-3 Rice on a wild pitch on a full count
Another wild pitch, Shepherd scores, 6-4. Wow!

Longhorns back in the game.

Thought this guy was a badass?
Rogers having some trouble here, 2-0 count to Moldy.
Finally throws a strike.
Did he throw a strike?
Yup.
haha, my feed was a lil' bit behind yours, just figured it out
Moldenhauer flies out to left, continues struggles.
Two down, Keyes on second.
Clark has been hot, with two doubles on the evening.
Keyes thrown out stealing third. I don't know about that play.
Agreed

Never make the 3rd out at 3rd

Clark has been swinging the bat well.
Alright alright, it's not over... Horns can do this!
The Seastrunk warming up in the bullpen related to Lache by any chance?
Dunno. Not a real common name.

Single, picked off at first, then ground out to first. Two down for Stayton Thomas, entering the game.

Thomas picks up the strike out. 6-4 Rice, middle 6th.
Hanging around

As many chances as we’ve blown, still in it

Aided by the eight Rice walks.
Strike out for Loy, single by Rowe, two outs for Travis Tucker.
Little flare to center ends inning.
Attempted bunt by three hitter played easily by Thomas.

Then hits batter, ground out to third advances runner to second.

What happened to the runner on first?
Torres bobbles grounder to third, but recovers in time to throw out runner and end inning.
Poor swing by Torres on first pitch, weak grounder to third.

This is what the Longhorns were doing when they weren’t playing well. Need to do something this inning with the heart of the order coming up.

My video must be really behind
just close it out and reopen it, b/c mine has been behind also
Ahh thanks. That did it.
Belt takes a walk, ninth of the game for the 'Horns.

Nice at-bat by Belt as he fouled off some pitcher’s pitches.

Nice catch in center
Great diving catch by the Rice center fielder on a line shot by Tant Shepherd.

Bad luck for the Longhorn left fielder. Moreland attributed the center fielder being there to his consistently shallow positioning.

Keyes flies out on first pitch, inning over.

Couple poor at-bats there by the Longhorns. Augie needs to get them to re-focus in the eighth.

nice play at first on the sliding throw
That was horrible!
I'm out y'all, but still holding out hope for a Longhorn come back!

Hook ’em!

Thanks

Keep the faith :)

They are playin' the music for the Chicago Bulls intro....there's definitely still hope!
the old Chicago Bulls of course, when MJ played
The Bulls still play basketball?
Ruffin coming in...

1 out runners at corners. Hopefully Ruffin can get us out of this jam!

Nice Chance! Ends the inning on a strikeout
Walk, walk, sac bunt

2nd and 3rd, one out, 7-4 Rice bot 7

Rowe pops out

He’s been disastrous tonight

Huge opportunity wasted there...to the 9th we go
Story of the night
Tucker grounds out

7-4 through 8

Bottom of the 9th...now or never

7-4 Rice

damn

part of me wants meet rice in the cws for revenge while the other part is worried that we will stick our head right back up our ass for that game

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