No. 11 Texas surges late for 7-4 win over UT Arlington

A four-run eighth inning for the Horns broke a 3-3 tie and propelled the home team to its 15th straight victory.

The winning streak for the No. 11 Texas Longhorns continued on Tuesday at UFCU Disch-Falk Field with a 7-3 win over the UT Arlington Mavericks keyed by a four-run eighth inning that featured a two-run triple by sophomore second baseman Ethan Mendoza and the second RBI base hit for freshman designated hitter Adrian Rodriguez.

The big inning from the Longhorns broke open a 3-3 tie — heading into the decisive eighth inning, the narrative for the game was that Texas had plenty of opportunities, but couldn’t capitalize with key base hits. stranding nine baserunners through the first seven innings by leaving the bases loaded in the fourth and sixth innings.

Texas notched the game’s first run thanks to a two-out rally keyed by a single by sophomore third baseman Casey Borba and a double by sophomore center fielder Will Gasparino down the third-base line that scored Rodriguez.

UT Arlington responded in the top of the third inning against Texas starter Drew Rerick. The big freshman right-hander allowed two soft singles to start the frame before hurting his own cause with a balk that advanced both baserunners. Initially responding with a four-pitch strikeout, Rerick allowed the tying run on a groundout to first base, giving way to freshman right-hander Jason Flores, the starter in the first two midweek games. Flores struck out the first batter he faced on a full count to end the inning.

A strikeout looking to end the fourth inning was evidence of Flores’ stuff, freezing the batter on a 94 mile-per-hour fastball with some sink and arm-side run, the kind of big-time pitch that makes the Naaman Forest product one of the most high-upside arms on the staff.

In the following inning, Flores got some key defensive help from senior first baseman Kimble Schuessler. After hitting the leadoff batter, Flores allowed a single, setting up a bunt attempt for the Mavericks. With Schuessler charging down the first-base line, the former catcher came across the mound to field the bunt towards the left side, fielding it and gunning down the runner at third.

Flores responded to the defensive assistance, inducing two groundouts to end the inning with two runners left on base.

Texas was working deep into counts, it just wasn’t producing the big hit. Prior to the missed opportunity for the Mavericks in the fifth inning, the Longhorns had loaded the bases in the fourth thanks to a one-out double by Schuessler, a two-out walk by third baseman Casey Borba, and a walk by Gasparino.

Sophomore catcher Oliver Service, starting his first game at catcher for Texas, grounded out weakly to shortstop on an 0-1 pitch, not the kind of at bat that head coach Jim Schlossnagle demands.

In the sixth, UTA tied the game with two runs against Texas sophomore right-hander Hudson Hamilton. A four-pitch leadoff walk was a poor start to Hamilton’s outing, exacerbated by giving up a one-out double and single.

The critical eighth inning broke the game open for the Longhorns.

Gasparino came up with an 0-2 single up the middle on a nice piece of hitting to start the inning, junior catcher Rylan Galvan drew a full-count walk as a pinch hitter, and Mendoza came up with the game’s biggest hit, slicing a ball down the right-field line in what is becoming his trademark inside-out approach, letting pitches ride and then driving the ball to the opposite field with improved strength and feel for the barrel.

On Tuesday’s game-changing hit, that approach paid off on a 1-2 pitch left up and out over the plate.

Texas added two more runs on a sacrifice fly by junior shortstop Jalin Flores and a single up the middle by Rodriguez, beating an infield that was drawn in out of desperation.

In the ninth, freshman left-hander Bryce Navarre gave up a run after a one-out single and a walk and a single with two outs that scored a run and forced Schlossnagle to bring in sophomore right-hander Thomas Burns, one of the team’s emerging stoppers.

Burns induced a flyout to center field that ended the game, secured Navarre’s first win in college, and counted as the Arizona State transfer’s second save.

Texas opens SEC play in Starkville against Mississippi State on Friday.