Posted June 3rd, 2009 by Brian
Filed under: Baseball, World Series
Times and television have been set for this weekend’s CWS Super Regional for Texas and TCU. Game 1 will take place Saturday, June 6th at 5pm on ESPNU. Sunday’s game 2 will be at 2pm on ESPN. If necessary, the two teams will play in one of two time slots on Monday, either noon or 6pm on either ESPN or ESPN2. Tune in to 40 Acres Sports for all your [tag]College World Series[/tag] coverage.
Posted June 3rd, 2009 by Brian
Filed under: Baseball, World Series
SI NFL expert Peter King was apparently up watching with us as Texas and Boston College played a 25-inning marathon Saturday night. He devoted an entire page of his weekly Monday Morning Quarterback column to Texas pitcher [tag]Austin Wood[/tag], heaping high praise on him and providing some really good quotes from Austin and Coach [tag]Augie Garrido[/tag].
Stat of the Week/Hero of the Week
[…] “In my 41 years of coaching,” said Texas coach Augie Garrido, “the effort by Austin Wood was the best pitching performance I have ever seen.” […]
When he walked off the field, just after midnight, everyone in the stadium rose and cheered. The Longhorn bench emptied and met him with cheers and high-fives and hugs in front of the dugout. The BC dugout cheered.
“The coolest feeling I ever had on a baseball field,” Wood said. “I can’t lie. I wanted to soak in every second of it. The BC kids, what class. That was incredible. I just wanted to make sure I enjoyed the best moment I’ve ever had in baseball. But I wasn’t satisfied. Not at all. We had to win this game.”
Austin Dicharry, the reliever, got two quick outs to send the game to the 21st. and Texas won it in the 25th, finally, on a Travis Tucker RBI single to right — after Tucker had gone one-for-11 up to that point.
Wood heard what Garrido said about him, about how it was the greatest pitching performance he’d seen in 41 years. “Now that is pretty cool,” Wood said. “I can’t lie — that’s some unbelievable praise.”
There may have been higher praise. “But I have to tell you what was the most incredible thing after the game. The president of the university came to me after the game, and this is a direct quote. He told me, ‘That’s probably the best athletic performance ever at the University of Texas.’ I mean, wow. Earl Campbell, Vince Young.”
Now there came the physical toll. “As soon as I started icing it,” he said, “I knew it was going to hurt. And it did. It does. But boy, is it worth it. I was on Cloud 9 all night. I couldn’t fall asleep. I got to bed around 4:30, I guess.”
“Did you sleep OK?” I asked.
“About four hours,” Wood said. “But I’ll tell you this: Fell asleep smiling, woke up smiling.”
And that is why we love sports.
Posted May 31st, 2009 by Brian
Filed under: Baseball, World Series
The Texas baseball team provided us with two straight nights of heartstopping baseball and again on Sunday night they pulled out the victory. This time it only took 9 innings, but the Longhorns had to come back from 4 runs down in the bottom of the 9th inning to beat [tag]Army[/tag] and close out the Austin Regional.
Down 10-6 to start the half inning Texas rallied to tie it at 10 off a nearly gamewinning walk-off grand slam [tag]Brandon Loy[/tag]. A few batters later with the game still tied, [tag]Preston Clark[/tag] only need to put the ball in play to win but instead put the ball over the left field wall. Clark’s walk-off slam gave the Longhorns the 14-10 and ended the regional tournament with the hosts on top.
There are no dates or times available yet, but next up Texas will host the TCU Horned Frogs in Austin for the best-of-three Super Regional.
Check out our live game tweets from @40acressports below:
- #UT wins Austin Regional with come from behind 14-10 win over Army, with 8 runs in the bottom of the 9th. Hook ’em!
- WOOOHOO AGAIN!! Walk-off grand slam comes just a few batters later!! Clark over the LF wall for the #UT win!!
- Ball 4 to Belt & the bases are loaded. Winning run now just 90 feet away with Preston Clark hitting. #UT just needs decent fly ball to win.
- Walk puts runners on 1st and 2nd for Brandon Belt. #UT just needs one more hit.
- RT @CedGolden: One good “Belt” and this game is over. #UT
- Bases loaded double by Brandon Loy deep off left centerfield wall ties the ball game at 10-10!! #UT was 5 feet from gamewinning slam.
- WOOOOHOOOO! #UT
- RBI groundout and then a 4 pitch walk means #UT has bases loaded now and winning run at the plate in Brandon Loy. Army leads 10-7.
- Slow chopper isn’t handled by Army shortstop. Bases loaded and still no outs for #UT. Tying run coming to plate in David Hernandez.
- First two runners reach for #UT in bottom of the 9th. No outs, Texas pinch hitting.
- Double play ends the top of the 9th. #UT has three outs to pick up 4 runs and extend this game for 16 more innings.
- Back to back for Army. A DEEEEEEP homer over centerfield wall stretches lead a little more. Now it’s Army 10, #UT 6
- Army matches #UT homer with a 2 run shot of their own in the top of the 8th. Lead back to 3 for Army.
- Grounder to 3rd ends the inning. #UT gets the 2 runs from Keyes homer but squanders chance for more. Texas trails Army 7-6 going to 8th
- If you’re bunting with 2 strikes with the intent to sacrifice give yourself up. Stay in the freaking box and get the bunt down. #UT
- Kevin Keyes hits a long home run to cut the Army lead to 1 run. Score now 7-6, still no outs in the bottom of the 7th for #UT.
- Triple followed by single up the middle gets Army another run. #UT now trails 7-4
- Ahhhhhhh! Belt hits a deep one to right but Army RF catches it slamming into the wall for the final out of the 6th inning. #UT trails 6-4
- Bases load and 2 outs again for #UT. Let’s hope they can capitalize this time and Brandon Belt comes through.
- RT @SI_PeterKing: Writing Monday Morning Quarterback. You’ll be surprised about the big star of this week’s MMQB: Austin Wood. #UT
- Not baseball: #CU speedy WR Josh Smith announces he’s transferring due to lack of rap career options in Colorado: http://tr.im/mZGr
- @CedGolden Not a good secondary lead by Rowe cost him 3rd base. He should have been at 3rd easily. (IMO)
- Balk nullifies a #UT sac bunt and gives the Horns a runner on 2nd and no outs.
- Cameron Rupp strikes out with bases loaded to end the 5th inning. #UT
- Cameron Rupp up with the bases loaded and 2 outs in the bottom of the 5th. ANother great chance for #UT.
- Brandon Belt singles in Michael Torres to make the score 6-4 in favor of Army. Clark now up for #UT.
- Longhorns are hitting the ball pretty well tonight. Deep double by Cameron Rupp gives #UT runners on 2nd & 3rd with 1 out.
- RT @aTrubow: Workman gets the strikeout to end the inning. #ut trailing 6-3 at the end of the inning. Offense needs to show up.
- Amazing catch by Army centerfielder running directly backwards and catching the ball just short of the warning track. Incredible play. #UT
- Slow rolling fielder’s choice nets Army another run in the top of the 3rd. Army now leads #UT 4-3.
- Fantastic at bat by Army with half a dozen foul balls before drawing a bases loaded walk form Jungmann. #UT now tied at 3.
- #UT pitcher Taylor Jungmann struggling in the 3rd. 2 hits and now a walk to load the bases with only 1 out.
- Longhorns get two runs on an infield single by Travis Tucker. Runners were going with 3-2 count & 2 outs. After 2 innings, #UT now leads 3-2
- Army pitcher is struggling to throw strikes. Loads bases with a walk and now 3-0 on Travis Tucker. #UT
- If you’re at your computer, #UT baseball game is again being streamed live by CBS/NCAA at http://tr.im/mZjM
- #UT on the scoreboard for the first time tonight. Preston Clark with solid single up the middle to score Belt. #UT now trailing 2-1
- Looping double down the LF line by Brandon Belt to leadoff the bottom of the 2nd inning for #UT against Army.
- RT @aTrubow: Jungmann with a wild pitch and Army takes a 2-0 lead in the first inning. #ut
Posted May 31st, 2009 by Brian
Filed under: Baseball, Feature, World Series
Austin Woods was dominant and durable in relief.
The game lasted over 7 hours and ended after 1 am, but in the end the Longhorns came out on top of [tag]Boston College[/tag] and have moved to 2-0 in their CWS Regional bracket. Next up for Texas will be a game tomorrow at 6pm against the winner of the BC/Army match-up. Texas will have two chances to win one game to advance on to the Super Regionals next weekend.
The heroes of the game on both sides were the relief pitchers. Until the winning run in the 25th inning, Texas had gone 23 straight scoreless innings and BC finished up with 18 scoreless in a row. For Texas, [tag]Austin Wood[/tag] came into the game in relief of [tag]Chance Ruffin[/tag] and proceeded to put on a historic pitching display. Wood threw 12+ innings of hitless, scoreless baseball before finally leaving 160+ pitches later in the 20th inning after giving up his first hit of the night. It was an incredible performance from both teams. (more …)
Posted May 30th, 2009 by Brian
Filed under: Baseball, Feature, World Series
Travis Tucker attempts to slide into home against Army. (Statesman.com)
Behind 7 strong innings from starter [tag]Cole Green[/tag], the Texas baseball teamed open up 2009 College World Series play with a 3-1 win over [tag]Army[/tag] Friday at Disch-Falk. The Horns never put a crooked number on the scoreboard but thanks to Green’s pitching the 3 runs were enough for the victory.
The win is a great start for the Horns in the double-elimination Austin Regionals. They will take on Boston College at 6 pm today, and if they can win again they’ll have two chances to advance to the Super Regionals starting Sunday night.
Related Links
Posted May 25th, 2009 by Mike
Filed under: Baseball, Feature, World Series
The Texas baseball team holds the Big 12 Tourney trophy. (TexasSports.com)
The Memorial Day weekend got even better on Monday when ESPN announced that The University of Texas baseball team will be the number 1 seed in the upcoming 64 team College Baseball Tournament. The Longhorns will be joined by Texas State, Army, and Boston College in their opening regional bracket. The likely match-up in the super regional is TCU. If not TCU, it could be Texas A&M.
The number 1 seed ensures Texas won’t have to leave Austin to play a baseball game unless they make it to the College World Series in Omaha. A trip I’m sure they’d be eager to make.
Texas got the weekend started by winning three straight games in Oklahoma City to capture the Big 12 tournament championship. The team got off to a bumpy start in the tournament with an opening game loss to Baylor. But wins over [tag]Kansas[/tag] and [tag]Kansas State[/tag] followed by a championship game win over Pool B winner [tag]Missouri[/tag] gave Texas their fourth tournament championship. The Longhorns win the tournament for the second straight year.
Not going to be posting as thoroughly as during the Baylor game because I’m working on about a thousand things (including a redesign of this site), but I’ll be updating with my thoughts on the game as they happen.
FYI, the game is on ESPN again or you can follow it online at NCAASports.com.
First inning
Great start to the game for the Longhorns. Really hitting the ball well. Close play at the plate and a great slide by Nick Peoples really got the bats going. Couldn’t really tell on the replay if Will Crouch ran through a stop sign or not but he was thrown out by a mile. With the way they were knocking the ball and the hot Chance Wheeless coming up it was definitely a bad decision by somebody.
Astros’ first round pick Brian Bogusevic has started off rusty again, he got shelled by Rice in the Super Regionals last weekend. I think if I was 6’3″ and left-handed, I could’ve made it to the Majors blind folded.
Texas again leads 2 – 0 after the first.
I’ll be live blogging Texas’ first game of the College World Series. Updates on the game as well as my thoughts on how things are going. The game is on ESPN TV or you can follow along online at NCAASports.com.
The Omaha song this year sucks. Back Home to Omaha was catchy and had good lyrics, this year’s version blows.
Top 1st
People leads off with a solid base hit. Stubbs moves him over with a sacrifice bunt. Runner in scoring position with only one out, good start. The Horns have lost to Baylor four times already this year and it’s important they start off well.
Home run Seth Johnston. That was a monster shot. Baylor’s pitcher, McCormick, left a meat ball right over the middle and he crushed it. Texas is up two quickly and easily.
Walk to Round Rock’s Chance Wheeless. I bet he weighs 30 more pounds than he did as a senior in high school, he was a skinny sucker. Runner on first and one out. Texas needs to jump on the Bears now before they get settled in.
2 outs. McCormick just about broke his leg but he got the curve ball across to strike out Crouch. Carson Kainer up to bad. Grounds out to second to end the inning.
After half an inning, the Horns are up two. Good to get a fast start but they’ve got to keep the momentum. The games Texas lost in the CWS last year were almost all full of wasted chances by the Horns. Texas must play good fundamental baseball and take advantage of their scoring opportunities.
Bottom 1st
Adrian Alaniz on the mound for Texas. Been solid all year long. Throw strikes and take advantage of this lead.
Infield hit for Baylor’s Griffin. Maroul should have let that one by. No way he throws out a speedy runner on a play like that, a third baseman is supposed to get every ball he can but in that case he’s got to let Johnston get it and see if he can make a play.
Baylor plays a little small ball like Texas did and sacrifices the runner to second. Ford grounds out and the runner advances to third.
Pretty generous outside corner from the ump, both pitchers should pound it in there over and over again if he’s going to call that all night. Maroul ran about a mile and almost made a good play on a foul pop, lots of area in foul ground here.
I don’t know where Peoples was playing Dillon, but he had to run forever to catch a soft fly ball down the right field line. Barely got there in time but made the catch and Baylor strands a runner at third.
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