The timely hitting that eluded Texas hitters on Saturday appeared just in the nick of time on Sunday to enable a 5-2 win and series victory over Baylor. Cole Green was mostly brilliant on Sunday (6 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 9 K) but left the game after the 6th with Texas tied at two. Tant Shepherd had the series' biggest hit, a two run double in the bottom of the 7th to give Texas its first lead of the game and Corey Knebel shut the door with two perfect innings for his eighth save on the year. Sam Stafford took the win by getting a strikeout to end the 7th.
The win was critical for Texas as it keeps the Horns atop the Big XII leaderboard with Texas A&M. With Oklahoma dropping a road series against Kansas State, it's beginning to look like the Big XII race will come down to one of Texas, Aggy and Okie State, with the latter having tough series's against Oklahoma and Aggy the next two weekends.
Perhaps the weekend's biggest moment, and undoubtedly the weekend's most heartwarming moment, came in the 6th when freshman 3B Alex Silvers singled through the left side to drive home Tant Shepherd to tie the game at 2. Silvers, fresh off his bout with cancer, picked up his first career RBI with the hit. With Silvers a natural third baseman, Texas is free to play fellow freshman Erich Weiss in the outfield. With Walla hopefully returning from his ankle bruise relatively soon, Texas could field a far more potent outfield with Weiss, Walla and Payton. Augie could also sub in the hot hand of Montalbano or Walsh wherever it is needed, further improving the dynamics of the Texas offense.
The Horns get a very solid Dallas Baptist squad on Tuesday night before Texas Tech comes to visit next weekend. Don't look now but Texas pitchers have remained very good while the Texas offense is coming to life. The Horns are averaging 7.1 runs per game over the last two weeks. An improving offense, four really good starting pitchers and a shutdown closer could make Texas a very tough out come June, although offensive inconsistency and a questionable bullpen could also be their undoing.