Texas has spent the past few days in a very unfamiliar territory. After dropping their season opening series to New Mexico, the Longhorns owned a losing record for the first time since the start of the 2007 season.
Dallas Baptist kicked off the scoring when SS Travis Meiners drew a leadoff walk and came around to score on a bases loaded groundout by C Logan Moro, giving the Patriots a 1-0 lead in the second frame.
Texas threatened in the bottom of the inning, loading the bases via a pair of walks and a hit batter, but SS Brandon Loy struck out on a full count, ending the Longhorn threat.
Texas again loaded the bases in the bottom of the third, but this time did it with no outs. RF Kevin Keyes tied the game up with a fielder’s choice RBI to third base. DBU starting pitcher Chris Haney gave Texas their first lead in 13 innings, balking in Texas C Cameron Rupp, and moving Keyes to third with two outs. After a Kevin Lusson HBP and stolen base, Kevin’s older brother Kyle singled to shortstop, scoring Keyes and putting Texas up 3-1. Jordan Etier brought the younger of the Lusson’s home on an RBI single, his first of the season, to increase the Texas lead to three runs.
Haney lasted only one batter into the next inning, walking 1B Tant Shepherd before giving way to relief pitcher Jared Stafford. Stafford allowed a pair of doubles to Rupp and Keyes, the second one scoring Shepherd and Rupp, sandwiched around a line out by DH Russell Moldenhauer. With the 6-1 deficit, it was obvious that Dallas Baptist was over overmatched by the highly ranked Longhorns.
The Patriots were down, but not out. The Longhorns conceded a run in the fifth inning on a bases loaded grounder to Shepherd at first, cutting into the five-run lead Texas built in the fourth.
Texas got the run back in the next inning after a Kyle Lusson came around to score on a Brandon Loy single, following a leadoff double.
RHP Cole Green (1-0) picked up the win with a solid five innings, allowing a pair of runs on five hits, after being demoted from last year’s weekend rotation to the weekday. RHP Stayton Thomas and LHP Andrew McKirahan followed up with a combined three innings of no-hit baseball before giving way to closer Chance Ruffin. Ruffin mowed down the Patriots in the final inning to finish the game, and move the #8 Longhorns out of a losing record to 2-2.
Haney (0-1) was saddled with the loss in his first appearance of the season, moving Dallas Baptist to 3-1 on the young season.
Rupp and Kyle Lusson led the Longhorns with a pair of hits each, while DBU spread five hits over five batters.
