Our apologies for not having a preview/open thread for Saturday's two game jaunt with Texas Southern. This was one of those times when life's little foibles overpowered the end of the Texas baseball regular season. Anyhow, it was quite the eventful day for both Texas baseball and the Big 12. Corey Knebel got his first career start and was masterful, throwing seven shutout innings giving up just one hit and one walk in a 3-0 victory. Mark Payton led off the game for Texas with a solo home run and it would be all the offense the Horns needed in the early game. Knebel's work was extremely encouraging and he may be the Friday starter for the foreseeable future. Texas is a team desperate for a true top of the rotation starter entering the postseason and Knebel could make the Horns a tough out in a regional.
The bats were a bit more lively in the late game. Dillon Peters got the start and threw a very solid four innings. Payton hit his second homer of the day in the second game, breaking a 1-1 tie with a 2nd inning grand slam. The Horns would eventually tally 12 runs in a much needed 12-3 victory.
In the rest of the conference, Oklahoma swept a doubleheader with Baylor, ending the Bears' incredible 18 game conference winning streak. It won't mean much in the grand scheme of things but Baylor has had an amazing regular season that nearly culminated in an impossible undefeated conference season. The Horns'll need to take two of three from Baylor next weekend to have any prayer of a second place conference finish.
Speaking of A&M, Saturday starter Ross Stripling threw a no-hitter against San Diego State yesterday. Stripling faced the minimum giving up just one walk while striking out seven and needing just 106 pitches. Congrats to Stripling for his accomplishment.
No midweek game this week again then the season's last series against Baylor next weekend. Your guess is as good as ours as to which Texas baseball team shows up.