Texas sweeps No. 14 Texas Tech with back-to-back walk-off wins

After feasting on mediocre opponents, the Texas Longhorns closed out a 14-game homestand at UFCU Disch-Falk Field with an undefeated record after sweeping the No. 14 Texas Tech Red Raiders with the help of a walk-off run scored on a wild pitch on Saturday and a 407-foot, walk-off home run by catcher Garret Guillemette on Sunday.

Texas started the weekend with a 6-2 win on Friday behind 5.1 innings of strong pitching from left-hander Lucas Gordon, who allowed two runs on six hits with eight strikeouts. Right-hander Zane Morehouse came on to pitch 3.2 scoreless innings to pick up his third win of the season.

At the plate, the Horns made the most of their seven hits — four of them went for extra bases, including the sixth of the season for left fielder Porter Brown, who went 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored. Brown’s two-run shot in the sixth inning gave Texas a 3-2 onto which the Longhorns tacked some insurance runs thanks to a two-run double by second baseman Jack O’Dowd and a sacrifice fly by shortstop Mitchell Daly for the 6-2 win.

On Saturday, right-hander Travis Sthele only lasted 3.1 innings after working through multiple jams while battling control issues that led to four walks. The bullpen was able to keep the Longhorns in the game, however, as right-hander Lebarron Johnson Jr. pitched 2.2 scoreless innings and Morehouse came on in the ninth to help left-hander David Shaw out of trouble and secure his second victory of the weekend.

Catcher Rylan Galvan hit a solo home run in the bottom of the third inning, scored again in the fourth inning on an RBI double by Brown, plated two runs in the sixth inning on three hits, and added a fourth run in the eighth on an RBI single by right fielder Dylan Campbell before Brown doubled, advanced to third on a balk, and scored on a wild pitch for the 6-5 win.

Sunday featured more late-inning drama after Texas flashed some impressive power earlier in the game, getting home runs from third baseman Peyton Powell, who hit two, Galvan, and first baseman Jared Thomas. Powell finished 3-for-4 with four RBI.

But the bullpen struggled to close the game out after right-hander Charlie Hurley went 4.1 innings during which he worked around three walks and three hit batters to allow a single run on one hit. The five pitchers who came on in relief of Hurley each gave up a run, including four runs allowed in the eighth inning as the Red Raiders rallied to eventually tie the game in the top of the ninth.

Guillemette made left-hander Ace Whitehead the winner, however, with his third home run of the week to send Texas Tech back to Lubbock with a three-game losing streak.

Texas travels to College Station on Tuesday to face No. 21 Texas A&M, which was swept by No. 12 Tennessee over the weekend.