No. 10 Texas crushes Baylor in 20-1 rout

A beleaguered No. 10 Texas Longhorns squad exorcised some recent demons with a 20-1 demolition of the Baylor Bears on Friday at UFCU Disch-Falk Field thanks to 20 hits and five home runs. It was the highest-scoring output for the Horns in 12 years.

Center fielder Douglas Hodo III hit a home run among three hits and three runs scored and two RBI, first baseman Ivan Melendez added a home run of his own, as did catcher Silas Ardoin, backup catcher Kimble Schuessler and third baseman Skyler Messinger. Shortstop Trey Faltine had a three-run double to start the scoring.

When Baylor starter Will Rigney only got through an inning and four batters faced, Texas took advantage with three runs in the second, three runs in the third, and seven runs in the fourth to blow out the Bears. For good measure, the Horns scored three more in the fifth, one in the sixth, and three in the seventh.

The early separation allowed left-hander Pete Hansen to throw 73 pitches over five innings before giving way to right-hander Zane Morehouse for three innings and right-hander Daniel Blair in the ninth for an inning. Morehouse scattered two hits with three strikeouts and Blair worked a 1-2-3 ninth to close out the Bears.

On Saturday, the Horns return to the Disch at 1 p.m. Central on Longhorn Network to take the series.