Midweeks are synonymous with chaos, often being the playground for high-ranked teams to be upset on their home fields. But for Texas baseball, the first midweek game of the season was not one of those, with a 14-4 run-rule win over the Lamar Cardinals in seven innings.
However, the start of Tuesday night’s game was trending toward that kind of midweek surprise.
“I was really proud of the way our guys played,” head coach Jim Schlossnagle said. “That was a game that Coach (Augie) Garrido used to say, that two things you’re fighting all the time in baseball, our frustration and boredom, and that was a frustrating game.”
Sophomore pitcher Jason Flores started on the mound for Texas, getting caught in some trouble in the top of the second inning and allowing three earned runs on three hits. Texas would be down three to nothing and, for the third time in four games, would trail to start a ballgame.
Flores was quickly pulled in the middle of the second inning, only pitching in 1.2 innings after junior Ethan Walker relieved him and got the Longhorns out of the inning.
Getting to the bottom half of the inning, the Longhorns chipped into that deficit thanks to a solo home run from junior catcher Carson Tinney, his first in a Longhorn uniform, and an RBI-single from redshirt senior infielder Temo Becerra.
Tinney went on to record just a single hit throughout the Longhorns’ opening weekend of the season, as the catcher drew seven walks in three games before getting his first home run on Tuesday night. The junior also got his second home run later in the game while also drawing two more walks in the ballgame.
“It’s good to see Carson swing the bat,” Schlossnagle said. “I love him drawing the walks and controlling the strike zone, but at the end of the day, we want him swinging because … he can do a lot of damage.”
Heading into the fourth inning, Schlossnagle turned to one of his young arms in freshman pitcher Sam Cozart. The righty made his collegiate debut, and in his first outing was in control of the ballgame as he tossed four innings, finishing the game while giving up three hits and surrendering just one earned run while punching out four batters.
“Cozart did what he’s done every day since he’s been on campus,” Schlossnagle said. “Just throw strikes and throw multiple pitches for strikes, be in control of himself, he’s mature beyond his years.”
With the pitching under control, the Longhorns made great use of a big fifth inning. Texas squared the score and then broke the game wide open, scoring six runs in the inning thanks to RBI hits from five different players.
Now firmly in the driver’s seat, the Longhorns capped off the ballgame early in the seventh inning courtesy of a three-RBI triple from freshman outfielder Maddox Monsour, invoking the run-rule for the second time this season for Texas.
