No. 3 Texas closes regular season with 9-1 win over Oklahoma

The Horns broke the game open with eight runs in the final three innings to take the series.

With the series on the line at L. Dale Mitchell Park in Norman, the No. 3 Texas Longhorns hit two late home runs after a two-hour weather delay in a 9-1 win over the Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday.

The home runs were part of an eight-run surge in the final three innings for the Longhorns, keyed by a two-run home run by sophomore third baseman Casey Borba in the eighth and a three-run home run by senior first baseman Kimble Schuessler in the ninth.

In an echo of Thursday’s win by Texas, the Horns weren’t able to get to the Witherspoon on the mound as Malachi got off to a strong start before tiring late in his outing. Texas scored an unearned run in the third inning on a throwing error by the Oklahoma catcher on a steal by sophomore second baseman Ethan Mendoza, but didn’t put up a crooked number until the seventh.

Witherspoon hit Schuessler to lead off the inning and threw a wild pitch after an infield single by sophomore left fielder Tommy Farmer that allowed both runners to advance and then score on an fielder’s choice by Borba. A walked ended Witherspoon’s outing before junior catcher Rylan Galvan was hit by a pitch, scoring a run, and freshman designated hitter Adrian Rodriguez drove in another on an infield single prior to the weather delay.

Oklahoma ultimately escaped the bases-loaded jam by striking out junior shortstop Jalin Flores.

In the eighth, Borba drove an 0-2 pitch out to left field, a moonshot at 40 degrees that came off the bat at 100 miles per hour.

In the ninth, Schuessler hit a line drive with a 106 mph exit velocity just high enough to clear the left-center fence.

Texas only used two pitchers on the day as redshirt junior left-hander Luke Harrison was excellent, giving up one run in 6.0 innings on two hits with five strikeouts and one walk. In relief, sophomore right-hander Thomas Burns went 3.0 hitless innings with six strikeouts.

Up next is the SEC Tournament with the Horns earning the No. 1 seed after clinching the regular-season conference title on Thursday.