Photo Courtesy of Donald Boyles
This is exactly how I thought this series would play out. Missouri was much better than their record indicated as Nick Tepesch kept the Longhorn hitters off balance for his eight innings of work. But in the bottom of the 9th, Texas plated 3 runs to win the game and the series.
Nick Tepesch looked good on the mound today even though he had a 6.35 era up until this point in time. I went back to take a look at his starts and the one start that jumped out at me was the one against Arizona State. He was masterful in that game and I had a feeling that this was the pitcher Texas was going to see today. Texas was able to scratch across a run in the bottom of the 2nd against Tepesch but that was it. He did a masterful job of mixing up his pitches and the Longhorn hitters did not know what he was going to throw.
In the 9th inning, Tepesch came back out for the complete game but he hit Tant Shepherd with a pitch. Head Coach Tim Jamieson went out to argue the call as he believed that Shepherd did not try to get out of the way. After that the chess match was on between Head Coach Augie Garrido and Tim Jamieson. Missouri brought in closer Scooter Hicks and then Augie countered with a pinch hitter in Kevin Keyes who then drilled a deep fly ball to LCF just short of the 405 sign. The sacrifice fly scored Connor Rowe who had come in to pinch run for Tant Shepherd. Freshman Jordan Etier then went in to pinch run for Keyes and Preston Clark pinch hit for David Hernandez. Clark then worked a walk that put the runners on at 1st and 2nd and no outs with the score at 3-2 in favor of Missouri. Freshman Morgan Mickan went in to pinch run for Clark and Brandon Loy stepped up to the plate. Loy laid down a beautiful bunt to move the runners to 2nd and 3rd. Jamieson then brought in Bard Buehler to pitch and Travis Tucker came to the plate. Tucker went deep in the count hit a blooper over Thigpen’s head at 2nd base to tie the score at 3. With runners at 1st and 3rd and 1 out, Michael Torres stepped to the plate looking for a deep fly ball to win the game. Instead, Torres lined one right to the Missouri shortstop Liberto, and instead of holding onto the ball he threw the ball wide to try to get the base runner off of first allowing the winning run to score from second base.
Augie Garrido On winning in the ninth inning
I’ve like the attitude and the character of this team all along and I’ve said that a lot. I think that they have a spirit that’s about winning, picking each other up and teamwork, so I’m not making it up. I think what happened here showed that today. I think we used almost every player on the roster, or very close to that. They all came in and did a good job with their role and what they had to offer to help us win the game. It was a very dramatic, dynamic and exciting finish.
Texas is back in action on Tuesday night as they head to Houston to take on the Rice Owls. Meanwhile Missouri will welcome in Southern Illinois of Edwardsville. on Wednesday.
