Cameron Rupp blasted a three-run double in the bottom of the third to propel the No. 9 Longhorns to a Big 12 win.
The Big 12 saw the weather cause only three of the five series open play on March 27th. The rest of the teams will open up play on Saturday (weather permitting).
#9 Texas 9 Texas Tech 5
AUSTIN, Texas — After going eight consecutive games without a four-run inning, the No. 9 Texas Longhorns scored five in the third inning and four in the seventh en route to a 9-5 win over the Texas Tech Red Raiders in Big 12 baseball action at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday evening.
Texas (16-6, 3-4 Big 12) snapped a three-game conference losing skid and improved to 13-1 at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
Texas Tech (10-16, 3-4 Big 12) drew first blood in the top of the third inning. The seal was broken when Jeremy Mayo curled a wind-aided home run around the rightfield foul pole to start the inning. Joey Kenworthy kept the rally alive with a one-out single and a stolen base. With two outs, Chris Richburg capped the scoring with a single to centerfield to plate Kenworthy, giving the Red Raiders a 2-0 advantage.
The Longhorns responded with a five-run uprising in the bottom half of the third. Travis Tucker singled to centerfield, Michael Torres singled to short and Brandon Belt laid down a bunt single to load the bases. Kevin Keyes put Texas on the scoreboard with a groundout to shortstop, driving in Tucker. Preston Clark walked to reload the bases and Cameron Rupp cleared the paths with a three-run double to the wall in left centerfield. The final run of the frame came when Brandon Loy pushed Rupp across with a sacrifice fly to rightfield to stake the Longhorns to a 5-2 lead.
Kansas State 7 at #11 Baylor 1
WACO, Texas – For the first time since 1966, Kansas State was victorious in Waco, Texas, as the Wildcats topped the eighth-ranked Bears, 7-1, Friday night at Baylor Ballpark. With the win, Kansas State improved to 21-5 on the year and 2-2 in Big 12 play. Baylor fell to 15-6 overall and 3-4 in conference play.
K-State, which was able to chalk up its first win at Baylor in 19 tries in since the inception of the Big 12, was able to do so thanks in part to the best outing of junior right-hander A.J. Morris’ career. Morris tossed his first career complete game, allowing just one unearned run on six hits with two walks and 10 strikeouts. It was the second outing in a row that Morris tallied double-digit strikeouts, while it was the third time in his last four appearances he topped the 100-pitch mark as the threw 122 against the Bears.
Morris improved to 7-0 on the year and is two wins away from tying the single-season school record. En route to his seventh victory, Morris lowered his ERA to a league-best 0.39 as he has allowed just two earned runs in 46.1 innings pitched.
The right-hander benefited from great defensive plays as the Cats got out of the fourth inning with a double play, while left fielder Nick Martini made a pair of running catches in the seventh and right fielder Jordan Cruz dove and came up with a ball in the eighth.
Kansas State Recap
Baylor Recap
#13 Texas A&M 3 Kansas 0
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Brooks Raley struck out a career-high 12 batters over seven shutout innings to lead No. 11 Texas A&M to a 3-0 win over Kansas on a windy Friday evening before 3,409 fans at Olsen Field.
Raley (5-0) scattered three hits on the evening and walked two. Of the 27 batters he faced, just three reached second base.
The Aggies won their third in a row and improved to 16-9 and 4-3 in Big 12 play, while KU saw a five-game win streak snapped and fell to 15-8 and 3-1.
With a 2-for-3 effort at the plate, Raley was also one of three A&M hitters to tally at least two hits on the night. Kevin Gonzalez led the game with a 3-for-4 effort that included a pair of doubles, while Kyle Colligan went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
A&M struck first with an unearned run off Kansas starter Shaeffer Hall in the third. After Randall Thorpe began the inning with a single. One out later, Raley poked a base hit through the left side. As Thorpe went to third, Raley took a wide turn at second and drew a throw to first from KU left fielder Nick Faunce, which sailed wide of the bag and up against the camera well. Thorpe trotted home easily on the error to give the Aggies a 1-0 lead.
