For a moment, it looked like the Longhorn batters had finally broken free from their slump.
With Saturday’s game tied at one apiece in the bottom of the sixth, Texas struck for three runs on three hits — its first three-run inning since March 24 — to eventually win the game, 4–1.
That momentum changed Sunday, as the Longhorns struggled to find the key hit. Despite tallying 11 hits, the team left 10 runners on base, allowing Oklahoma to take a 3–2 win and the series.
“The difference in the game were RBI hits,” head coach Augie Garrido said. “They had one more than we did.”
Texas also struggled Friday, only scoring two runs in 12 innings. The team left the winning run on second in the 10th, dropping the 3–2 decision.
Still, players performed well Saturday. With one out and a runner on first, freshman third baseman Bret Boswell tripled to right-center field to give Texas the lead. Sophomore catcher Tres Barrera, who came into the at-bat in a slump, singled to left to bring in Boswell. Three batters later, sophomore center fielder Zane Gurwitz, also in a slump of his own, came through with an RBI single to center.
“Everyone did they’re part today, and hopefully, it sparks something,” Boswell said after Saturday’s game.
The hope that the inning would spark the Texas offense fell through in the rubber match of the series. After Oklahoma took a 1–0 lead in the top of the second, Texas quickly loaded the bases and tied the game on a sacrifice fly by junior designated hitter C.J Hinojosa. However, even after re-loading the bases with one out, the Longhorns couldn’t take the lead.
Texas came within inches of tying the game in the bottom of the eighth. With one out and a runner on base, Hinojosa drilled a ball down the left-field line, but the ball hooked just foul at the last second for a loud strike.
Cantu, who threw out three runners over the series, said missing those key hits was frustrating but that they need to stay composed.
“Baseball is a frustrating game,” Cantu said. “So it’s just how you react to it and just got to keep rolling.”
The series loss drops Texas to a .500 record in Big 12 action and fifth in the conference standings. The Longhorns also missed an opportunity to gain on conference favorites Oklahoma State and TCU. Both teams dropped their respective
series this weekend as well.
“The separation is because of these other games and the losses that have piled up on us, and now it makes this loss seem bigger than it would be had we won more of the other games,” Garrido said.
The Longhorns will face Sam Houston State on Tuesday night before resuming Big 12 play with a three-game series at Kansas beginning Friday.
