Texas to play for Big 12 baseball title after beating Oklahoma State

David Pierce would not serve on the NCAA’s choice committee. 

He is too busy as of late with teaching the Texas baseball crew anyhow. Nevertheless, Pierce was prepared to call Austin as a regional host web site for the NCAA Match on Saturday night time after his Longhorns earned a 9-2 win over Oklahoma State at Globe Life Subject.

That win superior Texas right into a matchup with rival Oklahoma within the championship sport on the Massive 12 Match. The Longhorns additionally improved their report to 42-18 and maintained a top-15 RPI.

“I believe we’re particular hosts, I actually do,” Pierce mentioned. “Résumé says it. We’re enjoying in the championship of the Massive 12. I undoubtedly assume we should always host.”

Extra:Sidelined in 2021, Texas pitcher Andre Duplantier II is working his means again on the mound

Pete Hansen and Lucas Gordon weren’t going to pitch within the semifinal showdown. Hansen had thrown 122 pitches in UT’s opener in Arlington on Wednesday whereas Gordon had a 108-pitch begin the next day.

However after the Cowboys pressured a decisive sport within the double-elimination competitors with an 8-1 win over UT on Saturday morning, Pierce mentioned that each different participant on his pitching workers was out there. 5 pitchers then made an look in opposition to the Cowboys.

Andre Duplantier II, Jared Southard and Luke Harrison obtained Texas by means of the sixth inning whereas every throwing between 37-40 pitches. Marcus Olivarez labored the subsequent two periods earlier than Tristan Stevens closed out a event sport for the third time this week.

In complete, Oklahoma State was held to 5 hits and two runs. The Cowboys have been averaging 7.3 runs and 10.1 hits per sport.

“The story of the sport for me is our bullpen,” Pierce mentioned. “We pieced it collectively and I am actually pleased with them as a result of they’ve had some hits this 12 months. Truthfully, they did their jobs and did an important job.”

Extra:Issues persist within the Longhorns bullpen as Texas is swept by Oklahoma State

Seven of the eight runs that have been scored over the primary three innings belonged to Texas. It’s unlikely that UT thought of that lead was secure, although. The Longhorns have been lower than a month faraway from a 10-8 loss to the Cowboys during which Texas squandered a seven-run benefit. Southard, Harrison and Oliveras all pitched in that debacle.

However on Saturday, the Longhorns fared a lot better. Oklahoma State mustered three hits, drew 5 walks and scored simply as soon as in opposition to the relievers who adopted Duplantier.

The closest that Oklahoma State obtained to forcing a sense of déjà vu was within the fourth body. With two outs in that inning, Harrison relieved Southard however instantly issued a bases-loading stroll. The freshman left-hander rebounded and obtained Oklahoma State energy hitter Jake Thompson to floor out.

“This bullpen has taken some hits all through the course of the 12 months however we simply maintain telling our workers to maintain believing in one another and to maintain going,” Stevens mentioned. “If there is a time to place all of it collectively, why not now heading into postseason.”

Offensively, Texas completed with 11 hits and 5 Longhorns drove in a run. In its earlier setback on Saturday, UT struggled offensively and was solely capable of drive in one of many seven leadoff hitters it obtained aboard.

“Everyone knows what needed to be accomplished and I assume as a crew, we understood that,” Texas shortstop Trey Faltine mentioned. “Going into the sport, we knew what was at stake and what was at stake for tomorrow. We simply got here out and performed our sport.”

Key play: After Texas loaded the bases with no outs within the third inning, Oklahoma State beginning pitcher Hueston Morrill hit a batter and earlier than reliever Kale Davis struck out two Longhorns. Faltine then blew the sport open with a three-run double that gave Texas a 6-1 benefit.

Oklahoma State coach Josh Holliday later referred to as that hit “a clutch double.” Faltine completed with three hits, 4 RBIs and two doubles.

Notable quantity: 2. Morrill dedicated two fielding errors within the first three innings. These errors led to 5 unearned runs.

Up subsequent: Texas and Oklahoma (36-20) will play for the Massive 12’s title at 5 p.m. on Sunday. This marks the fourth time that the Purple River rivals have meet at Globe Life Subject this season. Texas gained two of the three video games that it performed in early April in opposition to OU on the ballpark in Arlington.

The regional websites for the NCAA Match are set to be introduced at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday. That announcement will seemingly come throughout the OU-Texas sport.