Already having dropped the first two games of the season, the Longhorns tried to finish the series with a win in order to avoid the sweep. However, the Longhorns dropped game three 2-1 to finish the series 0-3 on the road against Stanford (0-2, 2-7, 1-2).
“We played hard. We played a good game. They made some great defensive plays to keep us from getting the momentum,” Texas head coach Augie Garrido said.
Stanford (9-2) struck first in the series finale, scoring one run in the bottom of the first off of starting pitcher Nathan Thornhill. The Longhorns (6-5) tied it up in the third when Alex Silver scored on a bases-loaded groundout by Erich Weiss. Both teams were held scoreless until Stanford had a walk-off RBI double with one out in the bottom of the ninth to secure the sweep and give closer Corey Knebel his first loss of the season.
This marks the second straight season Stanford swept Texas. Last season, the Cardinal swept the Longhorns in Palo Alto and outscored them, 28-5. This year, the Longhorns were outscored, 11-3.
The Cardinal blanked the Longhorns, 2-0 in the series opener. Starting pitcher Parker French earned the loss after giving up two runs in the bottom of the first inning. French gave up two runs on six hits while Mark Appel tossed a complete-game shutout for Stanford, allowing only three hits.
In Saturday’s game, the Longhorns kept the game scoreless until starting pitcher Dillon Peters gave up one run apiece in the fourth and fifth innings. The Texas bullpen was not able to stop the Stanford offense and gave up another run in the sixth before surrendering four runs in the seventh. On offense, the Longhorns trailed by seven runs in the top of the ninth and were able to put two across, but were not able to produce a comeback and fell to the Cardinal, 7-2.
Weiss had a two-run single in the ninth to plate Weston Hall and Madison Carter for the Longhorns only two scores. He drove in all three of the Longhorns’ runs this weekend.
Up next for the Longhorns is the University of Texas-Pan American on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. in Austin, Texas. The Broncos (2-6) are coming off a loss at the University of Texas at San Antonio last Tuesday.
Published on March 4, 2013 as "Stanford sweeps Texas again".
