Texas surges past New Orleans for 15-1 victory

Heading into the bottom of the sixth inning of Saturday’s game between the Texas Longhorns and the New Orleans Privateers, it looked like a potentially low-scoring affair like Friday’s 3-1 win by the Longhorns. But then Texas scored eight runs in the sixth inning and five runs in the seventh inning to blow the game open and secure a 15-1 win at UFCU Disch-Falk Field and secure the series.

Three of the 12 hits by the Longhorns were home runs as five players notched multi-hit games. Third baseman Peyton Powell hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning, followed by a grand slam by center fielder Eric Kennedy, his team-leading fifth of the season. Right fielder Dylan Campbell had opened the scoring for the Horns in the bottom of the first with a two-run home run lined into the visiting bullpen in left field. Freshman designated hitter Max Belyeu had his first collegiate multi-hit game as Texas went 5-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

New Orleans went 0-for-8 in those situations while producing only five hits in the game with Texas right-hander Travis Sthele pitching six innings of one-run baseball and striking out a career-high nine batters while only allowing two hits and zero walks.

The bullpen continued its string of strong performances, too — right-hander Cody Howard worked around two hits in his inning and left-hander Sam Walbridge struck out four and only allowed a single hit over the final two innings.

Texas goes for the sweep on Sunday at 1 p.m. Central on Longhorn Network with the starter to be announced.