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Last weekend was a great one for Texas' freshman, and should give fans hope that maybe, just maybe, the next couple of years will finally see the Longhorns match their elite pitching and defense with a lineup that can score some runs. After CJ Hinojosa's heroics on Saturday, two more freshmen picked up the torch to deliver the series sweep on Sunday.
Ben Johnson, an Austinite and freshman left fielder, went 4-4 from the leadoff spot. Those four hits totaled an unbelievable nine total bases--a dinger to start the game, two doubles, and a single. Not a bad day at the office for the young man. And another freshman, catcher Jeremy Montalbano, popped a homerun for his first college hit and tallied four RBI on the day. Stop shaking your computer and flicking the screen--that is not a mirage. The University of Texas Longhorn Baseball Team hit two homeruns. In one game. Hark, the herald angels sing (or something like that). Maybe they'll outdo the 1968 team's 12 homeruns this season after all.
Nathan Thornhill got the start for Texas, lasting just four innings before being yanked with no outs and two on in the fifth. But by the time the Gauchos put three on the board that inning, Texas had blown it open with a five-run fourth inning that made the rest of the contest something of a formality. The pitching isn't going to be perfect every day, so it's nice to see the Longhorns jump on another team's Sunday pitching and put up some big numbers. In the end, Texas put up 11 runs on 10 hits for a comfortable 11-6 win. More, please.
Tonight at 6:00 CDT on the Longhorn Network, the Longhorns welcome Oral Roberts to the Disch in the last non-conference tuneup before conference play starts this weekend with a home series against Tech. Chad Hollingsworth will take the hill, and he will hope to be sharp and make a case for more action on the weekends--and, if Thornhill has another couple of outings like Sunday's, his weekend rotation spot may become Hollingsworth's weekend rotation spot. This will be your open thread for Horns-Golden Eagles. Hook em!