Just as the Tuesday storms in Austin rolled south towards San Marcos, Texas baseball was first to roll through the Bobcats, leaving Bobcat Ballpark with a 9-1 lead as play was suspended ahead of the ninth inning. The game was finished on Wednesday ahead of the second matchup of the midweek series.
The teams originally met back at the Astros College Classic in March, when Texas State outlasted a late offensive surge from Texas to win 11-10. The second matchup on Tuesday could not have been more different for the Longhorns.
Texas’ offense got started early thanks to a three-run home run from redshirt senior outfielder Porter Brown in the second inning. Brown’s homer, his seventh of the season, put the Longhorns up 3-0 early, and they never looked back.
Sophomore first baseman Jared Thomas led the Texas hitting for the rest of the night with two home runs of his own. In back-to-back innings, he hit a solo and three-run home runs to extend Texas’ lead to 9-1.
All three of Texas’ home runs were to center field. Texas was also able to capitalize on Texas State’s mistakes, with sophomore shortstop Jalin Flores stealing third base and home on a failed pick-off attempt.
Redshirt junior pitcher Chase Lummus started the game on the mound for Texas and held the Bobcats to just one hit in five innings. He gave up no runs, struck out three and walked two batters. He threw a total of 77 pitches and faced 19 batters.
After Lummus left the game, the rest of the Texas defense held strong. Redshirt junior pitcher Lebarron Johnson Jr. followed and had a less successful night on the mound. The usual Friday starter gave up four hits in two innings. He struck out three but gave up one run in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Texas State started to gain momentum but was not able to score more than one run.
Johnson threw for two innings before being replaced by sophomore pitcher Cade O’Hara. In one inning, O’Hara faced three batters, all of whom grounded out.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Texas State looked like it was staging a comeback. With a runner on second, Texas State junior infielder Aaron Lugo singled to right field, bringing junior catcher Ian Collier around third. Texas sophomore right fielder Max Belyeu spoiled those plans as he one-hopped his throw into the mitt of redshirt sophomore catcher Kimble Schuessler. Schuessler applied the tag and Collier was out at home, ending the inning.
This play from Belyeu was just a show of how Texas played all night: calm and dominant.
Back in Austin on Wednesday night, the teams finished the ninth inning. Texas added no runs as Belyeu singled but was left on base. O’Hara gave up two hits but struck out two in a row to end the game.
The teams have one game left in the midweek series and will play at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
