Texas takes down OU 8-4, will play Kansas tonight at 7:30

Texas Longhorns baseball (35-20) took down the Oklahoma Sooners (34-21) 8-4 in its first game of the Big 12 tournament.

The ‘Horns will now advance to play the seven-seeded Kansas Jayhawks in the winner’s bracket at 7:30 CST.

Did you go to bed last night when the Fox College Sports stream went out, or maybe when the time passed midnight? If you’re a logical person, the answer is likely yes.

But thankfully for you, I write to you this morning bleary eyed and full of baseball knowledge, for I stayed awake long enough (on the east coast, no less) to fill you in on what you missed:

- Two Kacy Clemens homers — one two run bomb to make the score 2-0, and another two run blast in his next at bat to make it 5-0.

- Three David Hamilton doubles — The freshman’s average below .200 for much of the season, but has emerged in conference play as a solid batter. He now has a .230 average (.254 in conference play).

- Zane Gurwitz had three hits of his own. The senior, who dealt with injury and a (probably related to said injury) slump this season has come on strong this month. Since May 5, Gurwitz is hitting 16-for-34 (.471 average).

- Morgan Cooper pitching in relief in the eighth inning. When Texas’ ace starter came out of the bullpen in the eighth, the collective response of Longhorn fans was simply “huh?” Coop, however, got two strikeouts in his one full inning and held the Sooners scoreless to halt any Oklahoma momentum. The best part is, Cooper should still be good to start later in the week.

- Oh yeah, and OU coach Pete Hughes got tossed in the eighth for arguing balls and strikes.

* * *

Despite taking down three-seeded Oklahoma, the Longhorns can not afford to take seven-seeded Kansas lightly tonight. The Jayhawks (30-26) are coming off of a 7-3 victory over No.6 nationally ranked TCU and are fighting for a spot in the NCAA tournament.

Furthermore, Kansas beat Texas in two of three games this season in Lawrence.

It should be a good one tonight. Expect Nolan Kingham to take the hill for the ‘Horns. Hook ‘Em!