It wasn’t a renewal of the rivalry for Texas and Stanford, but rather a renewal of the importance of the series between two legendary programs in college baseball. Matching up a pair of outstanding teams, as well as sophomore starting pitchers, the opening game was expected to be a low-scoring affair.
Texas starting pitcher Taylor Jungmann (2-0) was a star on the mound for the Longhorns on Friday. In his second start of the season, the sophomore struck out ten Cardinal batters en route to his second win of the season, including three in the first frame.
Texas picked up the first run of the game in the third inning on an RBI double off the bat of catcher Cameron Rupp, scoring Jordan Etier from second.
Stanford loaded the bases in the top of the fourth, but with two outs freshman Kenny Diekroeger watched strike three sail past him and into Rupp’s glove.
The most damage of the game would come in the fifth inning for the Longhorns. With one out and the bases loaded, RF Kevin Keyes put a Jordan Pries pitch into the stiff winds, floating the ball just over the glove of Stanford RF Kellen Kiilsgaard for a grand slam, giving Texas a 5-0 lead.
From that point on, Jungmann coupled with relievers Stayton Thomas and Andrew McKirahan to finish the 6-0 shutout in an important series for both ball clubs.
Jungmann finished the game with seven innings pitched, allowed no runs on four hits, walked four batters and struck out ten. Stanford starter Jordan Pries (1-1) picked up the loss, throwing 5.1 innings, allowing six runs on seven hits with four walks and no strikeouts.
Offensively, Texas was paced by Keyes’ four RBI day, and a two hit day from 2B Etier, while Stanford C Zach Jones had a pair of hits, including a double.
