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The Longhorns picked up a much needed win on opening day for the first time since 2015 as the Longhorns beat the Ragin’ Cajuns 3-0 behind a strong start from Nolan Kingham, and a great night at the plate for Masen Hibbeler in his Longhorn debut.
Final line for Kingham: 8 IP, 3 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, 10 K
Right off the bat it looked like the Texas offense was going to pick up right where it left off after stranding two runners in the first after a leadoff first pitch triple by David Hamilton. The team ultimately struggled as a whole with runners in scoring position but three runs were plenty for Kingham who displayed dominant stuff after settling in.
UL-Lafayette starter Jack Burk looked sharp and really battled against Kingham for most of the night.
Key Takeaways
David Hamilton looked more comfortable at the plate and he showed his potential hitting in the leadoff spot. Really good to see him making contact and putting the ball in play.
Masen Hibbeler can flat out hit. I wouldn’t be surprised if he leads the team in hitting this year.
Nolan Kingham solidified his title as the ace of this staff.
There is still room for improvement at the plate with runners in scoring position but the offense should only get better as the season moves forward. I feel good about what Pierce can do with this lineup. All things considered it was a successful night for the Longhorns.
Game 2 is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday as Chase Shugart takes the mound for Texas.