Oh yeah...

Kenn Kasparek threw a no-hitter or something...

:)

Augustin and Abrams testing NBA waters...might be too cold for one of them.

Both DJ Augustin and AJ Abrams are declaring for the NBA draft, but won't hire agents. They can still withdraw their names by June 16th, unless they sign an agent.

I think this is a great move for DJ, because, honestly, why the hell not? 19.8 ppg in the Big 12 and the winner of the Bob Cousy Award...sounds good to me. He has great moves, can shoot, and has very good court awareness. I predict 1st round and a better rookie season than Acie Law.

AJ, on the other hand should withdraw his name. He just seems too spotty to be NBA calibur. His only real tool is his 3-point shooting. He isn't good at making his own shots, defense, or shooting inside the arc. That spells NBDL all the way.

Tech falling faster than Britney Spears

6 conference games in a row, and 7 of the last 8. Texas Tech just isn't getting it done. I'm not sure if the team has quit on themselves, or if they are in a team-wide slump, but it hasn't been pretty at all lately. I'll let the box scores and 1 hitter speak for themselves, rather than writing a rant. It seems that Kansas has our number this year.

Kansas bats power Jayhawks past Tech, 9-5

Jayhawks crush Red Raiders, 9-1 (1 hit, but 7 walks, and only 1 run)

Kansas "complets" weekend sweep. (no typo on my part.)

Texas managed to steal a game from the Missouri Tigers today, and didn't give up double digit runs doing it! Of course, in the 3 game series, the Longhorns were outscored 46-23. On a positive note, Kyle Russell hit 2 more home runs, bringing his yearly total to 7, up from 2 weeks ago. his batting average has also jumped to around .250, its highest since week 2. One thing troubling me about the Longhorns is their ERA, which is above 5.00. I don't think Texas has had a staff ERA this high since around 2001. Very troubling, especially if they want to get past the Regionals for the first time since the 2005 Championship.

How to ruin an ERA, Longhorn style.

Aaron Crow gave up 9 runs in 5 innings, after going 42+ straight scoreless innings. He also picked up his 8th win.

Texas jumped out to an early 9-3 lead, before Missouri went on a 28-3 run to close out the game. Highlighting the offensive plague was Jacob Priday, who collected 4 home runs and 9 RBIs. Missouri hitters collected a total of 7 home runs off the Texas staff, trumping Kyle Russell's pair.

Let me be the first to say, "What the &*$&!" The 31 runs allowed in a single game is a new record for the Longhorns, breaking the previous high of 26 that Texas Tech collected in 1995.

4 of the 7 pitchers in orange each gave up 6 runs in a combined 5.2 innings pitched. The "good pitchers" only allowed 8 runs in their 2.1 innings.

I don't have much more to say, I'm in that much shock.

Tech lost too, but the only surrendered 9 runs.

Tech swept by Nebraska, Texas beats OU twice

This is gonna be quick. I was unable to follow or see any games this weekend due to a funeral, but here is a quick rundown.

Nebraska swept Texas Tech in 3 games to stay atop the Bog 12 leaderboards. The Huskers beat Tech by scores of 6-2, 5-2 and 5-3. While the sweep is nothing to enjoy, the fact that the Raiders did not get blown out, or give up tons of runs are both positives to take away from the weekend. Nebraska's pitching staff was dominant, or Tech's bats became anemic and strikeout riddled during the road series. I'm not sure which choice fits the hole better, but that was the best synopsis from my quick boxscore review.

Texas managed to win their series against the Sooners, taking the Friday and Sunday games, while surrendering the Saturday contest. Kyle Russell may have jumped out of his slump, hitting 2 home runs over the weekend, including a grandslam. For the Longhorns' sake, lets hope this is his way of informing his fans that his .209 average and 1 home run are a thing of the past.

Tech plays a series this week againts New Mexico, battling tonight and Wednesday night, while the Longhorns face off against their I-35 rivals from San Marcos. UT vs. Texas State is scheduled for a 6:00 first pitch.

I have some pictures from Coach Hays' 1500 win that I will upload as soon as I remember to get my camera. I was awarded as the fan of the game, recieving Rudy's BBQ "Sause" and a $10 gift card. That makes 2 prize winnings for me, and 1 that was actually worth something.

A-mazing

So I'm here to gladly eat my crow. Texas Tech, in dramatic fashion, beat the Missouri Tigers in two of the three games this weekend. Both wins for the Raiders came in the bottom of the 9th inning, a 3-2 win Saturday and a 15-11 win on Sunday.

Friday's game was a heartbreaker. Missouri's Aaron Crow did what Aaron Crow do. He shut out the Raiders for 8 innings, helping Missouri to a 1-0 win. Tech's starting pitcher, Nathan Karns, had his best outing of the season, giving up one run in the 1st inning and walking only a single batter, well below his season average.

Saturday's game would start off the same. Missouri scored one in the 1st, but was answered by the Raiders with a single score of their own. The game continued at 1-1, seeing great pitching from Tech's AJ Ramos and Missouri's Ian Berger, until a bases loaded, full count walk gave Missouri a 2-1 lead. It was a strike, by the way. Tech seemed destined to lose another 1 run game, until the 9th inning decided to be all drama-like. Monk Kreder's 1-out walk, followed by consecutive singles from Jason Seefeld and Doug Thennis tied the game at 2. With runners on 1st and 2nd, Tech LF Taylor Ashby ripped a single up the middle, making way for Jason Seefeld to score the winning run, albeit on a horrible slide that sidelined him for Sunday's game.

Sunday would be a goose of a different feather. Missouri's 4 run 1st inning paved the way for a 7-4 lead heading into the bottom of the 7th. Tech pieced together a 3-run rally to knot the game at 7. Missouri, being the #2 team in the nation, picked the 8th inning to score another 4 runs in an attempt to spit in the face of their hosting opponent. The Red Raiders would have none of their tomfoolery. A 2-run 8th inning kept Tech within reach of making my sunburn worthwhile. Tech reliever Zach Stewart held the Tigers in check in the 9th, bringing up the meat of Tech's lineup for the final at bat. A walk, single and a sacrifice bunt gave Tech runners on 2nd and 3rd with only 1 out. 2B Willie Rueda ripped a triple into left center to tie the game at 11. With the winning run on 3rd, and only 1 out, Missouri opted to load the bases, hoping for a double play to end the threat. Instead, Doug Thennis lifted a would be game-winning sacrifice fly into the gusting wind and over the left field wall for a walk-off grand slam. It was very dramatic. Tech won 15-11.

So, this weekend was huge. Not only does Tech finally put it together, but they avoid losing their 3rd straight conference series to open the year. Winning 2 of 3 against the best pitching staff in the nation also helps. The confidence from both the wins could be what the Raiders needed to turn their hard luck around into soft luck, assuming soft luck is the good kind that wins games.

Video of Thennis Grand Slam

On another note, Texas won their game against Nebraska, salvaging a win to put them at 5-4 in conference play. Their basketball team decided not to win, losing to Memphis by more than I care to write down. Stupid Memphis, with their free throws and make-out parties.

On a sad note, the starting QB for the Hub City Bulls, a semi-pro team that plays in Lubbock, suffered a broken neck on the first play from scrimmage in Saturday's game against the opponent (I honestly never knew who they were playing). I haven't heard any updates on his condition, but it did not look good at all. Prayers are with him and his family. The Bulls won 21-16 to go to 2-0.

My worlds collide today

So today kicks off the annual baseball series between Texas Tech and the University of Texas. I am always at a loss whenever this day arrives. I'm a student of one school, and a lifelong fan of the other. Either way, I win, but I also lose. Usually though, I'm obliged to root for the Red Raiders, since I'm paying them.

So here we go. #13 in the Nation vs. #7 in the Big 12. I wonder how this will turn out. From an unbiased standpoint, I will have to say that the Longhorns will take 2 of the 3 games. The inconsistent pitching that has been plaguing the Tech starters will haunt them against the able-hitting Longhorns.

Tech's best hope is a to play mistake-free baseball. This means no base running blunders, no errors and no free passes. If all of those fall into place, Tech can easily overcome the Longhorns and win the series. The best chance for Tech is Saturday, when Chad Bettis takes the mound. Bettis is a perfect 3-0 in 4 starts with a 3.25 ERA. He stiffled the Aggie offense on Sunday to help avoid a sweep in College Station, and could easily do the same in Lubbock.

For the Longhorns to win, they will have to play their brand of baseball. Dan Law Field is perfectly designed for Augieball. A decent bunt on astroturf is an amazing bunt on fieldturf. Jordan Danks, Travis Tucker and Michael Torres could be the three best weapons for Texas this week. A leadoff single can easily turn into a runner on 2nd with 1 out, a scenario that has always been positive for the 5-time National Champs.

Catching up with 2006-2007 Texas recruits

After coming off their 6th National Championship in school history, Texas signed arguably one of their best classes ever, inking 16 players. Baseball America ranked the class as the 3rd best in the nation. Everything looked golden for the 2006 Longhorns, until the draft.

Of the 16 players, only 9 made it onto campus. Of those original 9, only 4 remain Longhorns in 2008. One member of the 2006 class, Brandon Belt, is now a Longhorn after spending his freshman season at San Jacinto College in Houston.

Here's the class breakdown, with an update for each player that I could track down:

Brandon Belt - University of Texas (San Jacinto College)
Belt opted to spend his freshman season at San Jacinto College after being drafted in the 11th round by the Boston Red Sox. Belt went 7-2 with a 2.82 ERA on the mound, and hit .421 with 57 RBIs and a team leading 9 home runs. Belt is now the starting 1B for Texas, after transferring between the 2007 and 2008 seasons.
Michael Demperio - University of Georgia (University of Texas)
Demperio was one of the 9 Longhorns who made it to campus. After recovering from the removal of a brain tumor prior to the 2007 season, Demperio appeared in 33 games for the Longhorns, starting 11 in the infield. He hit .156 with 4 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. After the season, Demperio elected to return back to his home state and play for the Georgia Bulldogs. He is currently their starting 2B, hitting .182 with 2 stolen bases.
Carmine Giardina - University of Central Florida
Giardina was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 28th round of the MLB draft. Instead of signing with the Red Sox or attending Texas, he opted to stay closer to home and enroll at University of Central Florida. Giardina made 8 appearances for the Knights in 2007, starting 4 contests. He accrued a record of 1-2 with a 4.97 ERA. He struck out 28 batters in his 25.1 innings. 2008 has not started well for Carmine. In his only appearance to date, he managed only 1/3 of an inning, giving up 2 runs for a 54.00 ERA.
Taylor Hammack - University of Houston (San Jacinto College)
Hammack's name was on the long list of pitchers who spurned Texas after pitching coach Tom Holiday left for the head gig at North Carolina State. After being drafted in the 46th round by the Houston Astros, Hammack enrolled at San Jacinto College. As a pitcher, Hammack pitched 16 innings, striking out 13 batters, with a 6.19 ERA. He had more success at the plate, hitting .301 with 4 home runs and 41 RBIs. After his freshman year, Hammack signed with the University of Houston, and now enjoys a starting role for the Cougars. Hammack has made 1 start this season, giving up only 1 run in 4 innings, striking out 6 batters. Hammack is scheduled to start against the Longhorns on Sunday in the Minute Maid Classic.
Nathan Karns - Texas Tech University (NC State)
Karns followed his recruiter, Tom Holiday, to North Carolina State, after being a 10th round pick of the Houston Astros. With the Wolfpack, Karns was 3-2 with a .267 ERA. He started 8 of the 9 games in which he pitched. Karns decided to transfer to Texas Tech University in the fall, with the arrival of former Oregon State pitching coach Dan Spencer in Lubbock. Karns has started one game for the Red Raiders, striking out 7 batters. In 4 innings, he has given up 3 runs, giving him a 6.75 ERA. Karns is slated to start on Saturday against Tennessee in the Minute Maid Classic.
Marcus Lemon - Texas Rangers
Lemon, son of former Detroit Tiger Chet Lemon, was scheduled to take over in the infield for the Longhorns. Unfortunately, the Texas Rangers had the same idea when they drafted him in the 4th round. Lemon chose to sign with the Rangers, and spent 2006 season with the Rangers' rookie league team in Arizona. Lemon hit .310 in 28 games. In 2007, Marcus was moved up to Single A with the Clinton Lumberjacks. he finished the season hitting .261 in 128 games. Lemon scored 62 runs with the Lumberjacks.
Kyle Lusson - University of Texas
Lusson spent his freshman year as a backup outfielder for the Longhorns, playing 15 games with 4 starts. Lusson completed the season with a .240 batting average. So far in 2008, Lusson has made 1 start for the #3 Longhorns. Kyle has a .500 average in 2 at bats.
Pat McCrory - University of Texas (Navarro College)
McCrory wasn't supposed to come in until 2008, but decided to leave Navarro a year early and join the Longhorns. He began 2007 as the starting SS for the Longhorns, but was eventually moved to the bullpen in favor of Josh Prince. As a batter, he hit .067 in 12 games. On the mound, he collected 1 win in 19 appearances with a 3.65 ERA. So far in 2008, he has hit 1 double in 2 at bats, but hasn't seen action as a pitcher.
Russell Moldenhauer - University of Texas
Moldenhauer came to Texas after getting drafted in the 3rd round by the Angels of Anaheim. In his first season, he saw extensive playing time as the Longhorns' DH. He hit .278 with 6 home runs and 32 RBIs on the year. In 2008, Moldenhauer has seen the field as a DH and in LF. He is currently batting .235 with 5 RBIs and a triple.
Josh Prince - Tulane University (University of Texas)
Prince came to Texas as Dooley Prince's younger brother. It didn't take long for him to be known as simply Josh Prince. Josh took over the SS job midway through the season, and went on to hit .371 for the Longhorns. After the season, he decided to take his game closer to his Louisiana home, and transferred to Tulane University. Prince is the Green Wave's starting SS this year, and is currently batting at a .133 clip with 1 RBI.
James Russell - Chicago Cubs (University of Texas)
James Russell came to Texas from Navarro College with pitching coach Skip Johnson. In 2007, he claimed a role as the #2 starter behind Adrian Alaniz. Russell's 8 wins were good for third on the Longhorns' staff. He maintained a 3.86 ERA with 91 strikeouts in 109.2 innings. Russell was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 14th round of the June draft. He signed with the Cubs 2 months later. Russell pitched 3 games in the Cubs' system in 2007, giving up no runs and 3 hits in 9 innings.
Clint Stubbs - Louisiana Tech (University of Texas)
Clint Stubbs came in as another Longhorn sibling legacy. His older brother, Drew Stubbs, needs no writeup. Clint was expected to see time as a speedy outfielder, but couldn't manage to get any starts behind Jordan Danks. Stubbs played in 12 games collecting 2 hits in 8 at bats. After the season, he opted to transfer to Louisiana Tech, where he is currently batting .400 in 6 games, 2 starts, with the Bulldogs.
Jess Todd - St. Louis Cardinals (University of Arkansas)
Todd was supposed to be another Navarro pitcher in burnt orange, but ended up in Razorback cardinal. With Arkansas, Todd finished the year 2nd in wins and 1st in strikeouts. His 9-3 record in 93.1 innings with 128 strikeouts combined with his 2.89 ERA to earn him the honor of being the 82nd player taken in the MLB draft (2nd round). With the Cardinals Organization, Todd pitched in 16 games, 7 starts, collecting a 4-1 record for the Batavia Muckdogs. He struck out 69 batters in 58.1 innings for the Muckdogs.
Travis Tucker - University of Texas (McLennan Community College)
Travis Tucker started all 63 games for Texas in 2007, hitting .307 with 34 RBIs. In 2008, Tucker has moved to 3rd base, and continued his strong play. As the Longhorns' lead off hitter, Tucker is hitting .222 with 6 runs scored.
Jordan Walden - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (Grayson Community College)
Walden was supposed to be the gem of the 2006 class. As a senior who hit 99 mph on the radar, his draft stock flew up the charts. Many organizations figured that Walden may follow the lead of Jordan Danks and stick with his commitment, they were half right. Walden was taken in the 12th round by the Angels, but found his way to Grayson Community College to play for Viking head coach Dusty Hart. Walden was 9-2 for the Vikings in 11 starts, with a 1.85 ERA, earning NJCAA All-American honors. After the season, Walden took advantage of the MLB's draft and follow rule, signing with the Angels. Walden started 15 games for the Orem Owlz, going 1-1 with a 3.08 ERA.
Blake Williams - ?? (University of Texas)
Blake Williams made it to Texas as a freshman in 2007. He was redshirted by the staff, and never saw the mound. He isn't on the 2008 roster, and I cannot find anything about him transferring or quitting.

Former players update

Longhorns
Michael Demperio hit a double in the first inning off Atlanta Braves' starter Charlie Morton in an exhibition with the MLB team on Wednesday. Demperio finished the day 1-3 with a double and strikeout. On the season for Georgia, Demperio is batting .182 through 3 games against highly ranked Arizona. He has started all 3 games at 2B, stolen 2 bases and been perfect in the field on 9 chances.

Josh Prince is batting .133 in 5 games for the Tulane Green Wave. Prince has been perfect at SS, not commiting and error in his 17 attempts.

Clint Stubbs has started 2 games and appeared in all 6 for the Bulldogs of Louisiana Tech. He is batting .400 in 10 at bats with 3 runs, 2 RBIs and a double.

Red Raiders
Geoff Byrns has started 3 of 4 games for the St. Mary's Gaels. He has a .400 average with 2 doubles, a triple and a home run. The Gael's are 3-1 since Geoff joined the squad.

Collin Auten has yet to appear in any of the 4 games TCU has played. Auten registered 5 saves in 21 appearances for the Red Raiders in 2007.

Texas rolls to 5-0 with win over UTPA

Dominant.

That is how this Texas pitching staff has looked against much weaker competition. Today, a freshman and 2 transfers combined for a 3 hit shutout in 7 innings. They allowed 4 base runners in total while striking out 10. Albeit against a lower level of competition than they will face this weekend in Houston, Texas has cruised to easy victories because of this entire staff.

With a 1.88 ERA after 5 games, it appears that they have what it takes to make a long run towards Omaha in 2008. The production is coming from almost everyone who has been on the mound. 7 of the 12 pitchers used have yet to give up an earned run, and opponents are batting only .201 with a .239 slugging %. 52 strikeouts to only 11 walks in 43 innings are great numbers, and they've only yielded 6 extra base hits, all doubles.

With the new start date and condensed schedule that teams are facing this season, the team with the deepest and most dominant staff will have the best chance at winning the championship. Currently, only Oklahoma State has a better staff ERA in the Big 12, with a 1.25, but they have walked more and struck out less in fewer innings. Look for these pitchers to keep the Longhorns' opponents from succeeding.

The hitting hasn't been shabby either. Texas is tops in the Big 12 with a .333 average and 48 runs scored. An OBP of .460 has helped Texas immensely, giving them more opportunities to score their runs. They are also 11-11 in sacrifice hits, doing exactly what Augie asks of each batter to help the team.

Back to today's game. Chance Ruffin, Casey Whitmer and Marcus Tackett gave no mercy to the Bronco hitters, while Brandon Belt and Russell Moldenhauer had timely extra base hits that helped the run production. Belt's 2 ground rule doubles gave him 5 for the season, 2 better than any batter in the Big 12. Texas is now 5-0, ranked #3 and plays Tennessee at 7 pm (time schedule to change due to games before it) at Minute Maid Park on Friday.

Box Score

DJ Augustin named to Academic All-American First Team

For the second time in school history, Texas has an Academic All-American in basketball. DJ Augustin was picked by ESPN The Magazine as a first team selection on this year's squad. To even be a nominee for the award, you have to be a starter or significant bench player, have a career GPA of 3.20 and be a sophomore or higher. Augustin easily fit all 3 categories, thanks to his 3.64 GPA (4.0 in the Fall 07).

DJ is also the only player on the first team that I've heard of. The others hail from Drake, Belmont, Coastal Carolina and North Dakota State. Congrats to DJ.

TexasSports.com

Workman K's 11 in Texas victory

Brandon Workman did a hell of a job in his first start as a Longhorn. The freshman from Bowie, Texas pitched 6 innings and struck out 11 UTPA batters, earning his first victory in the 10-3 Texas win.

For the first time all season, Texas actually trailed an opponent. They gave up the first run on a slow roller up the 3rd base line. Travis Tucker opted to not field the ball in the hopes that it would roll foul, but it stayed fair and the runner on 3rd scored, giving UTPA a 1-0 lead. Texas tied the game, but UTPA scored another run, taking a 2-1 lead this time. Texas decided that that would just not work for them, and outscored the Broncs from that point on 9-1, thanks in most part to the lack of control by the Pan Am staff. Texas picked up 11 walks and 3 HBPs in the contest. 7 of the 14 batters ended up scoring, with 2 picking up RBIs for their effort.

Brandon Belt set a career high with 4 RBIs on the day. He also collected 2 of the 9 Longhorn hits. Travis Tucker was successful on 3 stolen base attempts out of 4. He stole 2nd in the first inning, but was subsequently thrown out trying to steal 3rd.

Texas and UTPA close out their 2 game stand today at 2:30 at Disch-Falk Field.

THE NEW POLLS ARE HERE!

The NCBWA poll came out today. It's the one that I use to track the Big 12 teams.

The Big 12 went from 3 teams among the top 25, to 4.

Texas jumped 3 spots from 6th to 3rd.

Missouri moved up one from 17th to 16th.

Baylor went from 26th to 22nd.

Oklahoma State is now 24th, moving up 5 spots.

Texas A&M dropped out of the top 25 to 29th. They were 20th before splitting their series with Northern Colorado in College Station.

Texas completes sweep of VCU

Texas successfully swept VCU this weekend in their 3 game set. Friday's game was pretty good for a team's first game. Some players started off slow, except Preston Clark, who collected 4 RBIs on the day. The middle infield duo of newcomers Michael Torres and David Hernandez proved to be worth something. They both managed to lay down sacrifice bunts twice, and had some great defensive plays. The pitching was excellent, with Austin Wood striking out 6 over 6 innings of work. Brandon Workman and Kyle Walker both provided adequate relief pitching, combining for 5 strikeouts in the final 3 innings. Texas won the game 6-2.

Saturday was all about Texas. They scored a season high 17 runs (harr!) on 15 hits. Torres helped the effort with 5 RBIs in his second game in burnt orange. Belt got his first 4 hits of the season, with 2 doubles. The pitching was great, save for a bad inning by Keith Shinaberry, but Chance Ruffin came in and closed out the game for the Longhorns, and recorded his first career save (Texas was only up 4 when he entered). Kyle Russell hit his first home run with a long shot off the scoreboard in left center. That won't be the last one Kyle hits, either.

Sunday saw the triumphant returns of Kenn Kasparek and Riley Boening from injuries that kept them out of 2007. They combined for 8 k's in 7 innings, both giving up an unearned run. Kyle Russell continued to add to his offensive numbers, putting up 3 RBIs, while Jordan Danks hit a double and triple. Preston Clark took the day to rest, giving freshman Cameron Rupp his first start at catcher. Kyle Lusson started for Kevin Keyes in LF, after Keyes left Saturday's contest following a knock to the head from a VCU fastball.

So Texas is sitting well at 3-0. They didn't show any real weakness this weekend and never trailed the Rams. The offense looked impressive, and the pitching staff seemed to do almost everything right. If they continue their level of play, they won't have anything to worry about come playoff time.

Tuesday's game against UT-Pan American is set for a 3:15 start. Wednesday's was said to be 3:15, but might have been moved back to its originally scheduled time.

Big 12, day 3

Texas Tech defeated Army, 16-2, in San Antonio.

• Roger Kieschnick was 4-6 with 6 RBIs. Kieschnick's 4 hits included 2 doubles, a triple and a home run.
• Fr. SP Chad Bettis made his first career start, lasting 6 innings and giving up 1 earned run.
• 1B Doug Thennis was 3-4 with 3 runs, 2 RBIs and 2 doubles.

Texas Tech dropped their 2nd game to Oral Roberts, 7-6. Oral Roberts scored 3 runs with 2 outs in the 7th inning.

• Roger Kieschnick hit his 2nd home run of the day with a solo shot in the 5th.
• Chris Richburg connected on his first home run of the season, a 2-run blast, in the 3rd inning.
• Nathan Karns pitched 4 innings, striking out 7 batters and allowing only 2 hits. He also gave up 3 runs and walked 4.
  

#6 Texas defeated VCU, 10-2, completing their weekend sweep of the Rams.

• 5 Longhorns made their debut today. Cameron Rupp started at C for Preston Clark while Tant Shepherd, Kawika Emsley-Pai, Stayton Thomas and Marcus Tackett all subbed in during the contest.
• RF Kyle Russell finished the day 2-4 with 2 runs and 3 RBIs
• CF Jordan Danks went 2-4 with 2 runs, 1 RBI, a double and a triple.
• SP Kenn Kasparek made his season debut, striking out 5 batters in 5 innings of work.

Baylor outlasted Purdue, 2-1, sweeping the Boilermakers in Waco.

• RP Nick Cassavechia earned his 2nd save of the year.
• LF Ben Booker went 2-4 witha run

#20 Texas A&M defeated Northern Colorado, 5-2, splitting their 4 game series.

• 3B Dane Carter hit a 2-run home run in the 8th inning for the Aggies, their 2nd of the weekend.
• SP Scott Migl lasted 6.1 innings, giving up 2 runs and striking out 5 batters, improving his record to 1-0
• RP Travis Starling picked up his first save of the season.
• 2B Blake Stouffer is still searching for his 1st hit of the season. He is currently 0-12.

Kansas lost their first game to Hawaii-Hilo, 4-3. In game 2, Kansas answered with a 16-4 victory over the Vulcans.

Oklahoma State swept Gonzaga in a double header, 3-1 and 10-3.

Nebraska fell to Stanford, 4-2, in Palo Alto.

#17 Missouri outlasted tournament host Stetson, 9-5, in DeLand, Florida.

• Missouri SP Kyle Gibson earned his first win, striking out 10 batters in his 6 innings of work.
  

Oklahoma's game with #19 UCLA was cancelled due to rain.

Kansas State's game against California was cancelled due to rain.

BIG 12 STANDINGS

TEAM	W	L	WIN %	STREAK	LAST 10
Oklahoma State	3	0	1.000	W4	4-0
Baylor	3	0	1.000	W3	3-0
#17 Missouri	3	0	1.000	W3	3-0
#6 Texas	3	0	1.000	W3	3-0
#20 Texas A&M	2	2	.500	W1	2-2
Oklahoma	1	1	.500	W1	1-1
Kansas	2	3	.400	W1	2-3
Nebraska	1	2	.333	L1	1-2
Texas Tech	1	2	.333	L1	1-2
Kansas State	0	2	0.000	L2	0-2

Big 12, Day 2

Texas Tech lost to Louisiana-Lafayette 4-0 in San Antonio.

• Texas Tech was held to 1 hit for the game, a single by So. Taylor Ashby
• Jason Seefeld started the day as the Tech DH. Seefeld tore his ACL in fall practice, and wasn't expected back until later.
• SP AJ Ramos struck out 10 Cajuns over 6 innings, but picked up the loss.

#6 Texas defeated VCU 17-4.

• Jr. RF Kyle Russell hit his 1st home run of the season, and 39th of his career
• So. 1B Brandon Belt went 4-5 with 4 runs and 2 doubles
• So. 2B Michael Torres was 3-6 with 2 runs and 5 RBIs
• Fr. DH Kevin Keyes left the game in the 8th inning after being struck in the head by a fastball. It didn't appear to be a serious injury.
• Fr. SP Cole Green picked up the win in his first start of his career
• Fr. RP Chance Ruffin retired all 9 batters he faced, striking out 4, and earning the first save of his career.

#20 Texas A&M lost to Northern Colorado 3-1 in 7 innings of their first game of a double header.

• A&M SP Kyle Thebeau picked up the loss after throwing 5.1 innings and striking out 5. Thebeau gave up all 3 Northern Colorado runs.
• 1B Luke Anders finished the game 1 for 2 with a 3B and an RBI.
• Preseason All-American Blake Stouffer remains hitless through the first 2 games of the season. Stouffer is 0-4.

#20 Texas A&M was swept in a double header by Northern Colorado, losing the 2nd game 4-2.

• Blake Stouffer continued his season opening slump, going 0-4. He is now 0-8 in 3 games this season.
• Brian Ruggiano hit a solo home run for the Aggies, his first of the season
• SP Barret Loux struck out 9 batters in 5 innings during the first start of his career.
• RP Clayton Ehlert picked up the loss for A&M

#17 Missouri defeated Michigan State 14-9 at the Stetson Tournament in DeLand, Florida.

• Sr. DH Jacob Priday was 2-4 with 3 runs and 3 RBIs
• So. LF Aaron Senne was 1-3 with 3 runs, 1 RBI and a double.
• SP Rick Zagone struck out 7 batters over 4 innings of work
• Missouri's bullpen gave up 5 runs in 6 innings of work.

Oklahoma State defeated Gonzaga 12-2, improving their record to 2-0

• SS Jordy Mercer went 1-4 with 3 RBIs and 1 run
• 3B Matt Hague, a transfer from Washington, went 2-5 with 3 RBIs, 1 run and a 3B.
• LF Neil Medchill went 3-4, scoring 3 runs and batting in 2 more.
• SP Tyler Lyons picked up his first win, going 5 innings for the Cowboys

Kansas lost to Hawaii-Hilo 4-3, in Kona, Hawaii.

• CF Nick Faunce led the Jayhawks with 2 hits. He finished the game 2-3 with 2 runs.
• 1B Preston Land went 1-3 with 2 RBIs.

Hawaii-Hilo completed their sweep of Kansas today with a 12-4 victory.

• SS Erik Morrison was 2-5 in game 2, with 1 run
• CF Casey Larson was 1-4 with 2 RBIs
• RP Thomas Marcin struck out 3 batters in 2.1 innings of work.

Kansas State lost to Santa Clara 9-2 in the first game of a double header, the second game was postponed due to inclement weather. The game has yet to be rescheduled.

• Evan LeBlanc and Gabe Alcantar both had 3 RBIs for Santa Clara.
• 3B Nate Tenbrink hit his 1st home run of the year for the Wildcats.

Oklahoma lost to #19 UCLA, 7-5, in the bottom of the 9th.

• UCLA's Gabe Cohen hit a walk-off 2-run home run off OU's Jake McCarter in the 9th inning.
• OU 2B Mike Gosse finished the game 1-5 with a 2-run home run
• OU C JT Wise went 2-4 with 2 runs

Oklahoma defeated #19 UCLA, 3-2, to split the double header.

Baylor defeated Purdue 11-10 on a Ben Booker fielder's choice in the bottom of the 11th.

• 3B Shaver Hansen finished the contest 3-5 with 3 runs and 4 RBIs, including a Grand Slam
• CF Paul Miles was 3-6 with 1 run and 1 RBI
• SP Shawn Tolleson lasted only 2.1 innings in his first appearance for Baylor. Tolleson redshirted in 2007 after Tommy John surgery.
• RP Nick Cassavechia, a pre season All-American, gave up 1 hit and struck out 2 in 2 innings of relief work.

Stanford and Nebraska were scoreless in the 3rd inning when inclement weather forced the game to be suspended. The game will be continued tomorrow.

BIG 12 STANDINGS:

TEAM	W	L	WIN %	STREAK	LAST 10
Baylor	2	0	1.000	W2	2-0
#17 Missouri	2	0	1.000	W2	2-0
Oklahoma State	2	0	1.000	W2	2-0
#6 Texas	2	0	1.000	W2	2-0
Nebraska	1	1	.500	W1	1-1
Oklahoma	1	1	.333	W1	1-1
Kansas	1	2	.333	L2	1-2
#20 Texas A&M	1	2	.333	L2	1-2
Texas Tech	0	1	0.000	L1	0-1
Kansas State	0	2	0.000	L2	0-2

FORMER LONGHORN/RED RAIDER UPDATES

Josh Prince led off and played SS for Tulane. He finished 0-4

Michael Demperio led off and played 2B for Georgia against Arizona. He was 2-3 with 2 walks and a strikeout. He was 2-2 on steals.

Clint Stubbs started in RF for Louisiana Tech. He was 0-2 with a sacrifice in the 13-1 victory over McNeese State.

Geoff Byrns walked in his appearance as a pinch hitter for St. Mary's against Towson.

Big 12, Day 1

Lots of games going on in the Big 12 today.


#6 Texas defeated Virginia Commonwealth 6-2.

• Junior SP Austin Wood struck out 6 in 6 innings
• Junior C Preston Clark collected 4 RBIs
• Freshman LF Kevin Keyes went 3-4 with a double

#17 Missouri defeats UConn 6-1

• Junior SP Aaron Crow struck out 7 and gave up 1 run in 6 innings.
• Senior CF Kurt Calvert went 3-4 with 3 RBIs
• Junior RF Ryan Lollis went 2-4

Oklahoma State beat Gonzaga, 6-1.

Kansas beat Hawaii-Hilo, 2-1.

Stanford beat Nebraska 17-4 in game 1 of their double header, while Nebraska took game 2 9-2.

California defeated Kansas State, 5-1.

• Cal SP Tyson Ross and RP Daniel Wolford combined to throw a one hitter.
• KSU RF Jordan Cruz lead off the game with a solo home run, Kansas State's only hit of the game.

Baylor outscored Purdue 2-1 in Waco, thanks to a 7th inning 2 run homer by Fr. 2B Landis Ware.

• Baylor 2B Raynor Campbell is sidelined 4-6 weeks after a successful surgery on his right thumb Wednesday morning. Campbell sustained the injury earlier in the week fielding ground balls. True freshman Landis Ware will fill in for him.
• Sr. CL Nick Cassavechia recorded his first save of the season, throwing a perfect session in the 9th.
• Sophomore SP Kendal Volz picked up the win after going 8 innings with 10 strikeouts

#20 Texas A&M outlasted Northern Colorado, 9-5, in College Station.

• Aggies Dane Carter, Jose Duran and Brian Ruggiano all collected 3 hits on the night
• A&M and Northern Colorado both struggled defensively, collecting 4 errors a piece
• Freshman RF Brooks Raley went 2-4 at the plate, collecting a run and an RBI, while also pitching a scoreless inning in relief for the Aggies

Oklahoma's contest against #19 UCLA has been postponed due to incliment weather

Texas Tech plays Louisiana-Lafayette at 10 am on Saturday.

BIG 12 STANDINGS:

TEAM	W	L	WIN %	STREAK	LAST 10
Baylor	1	0	1.000	W1	1-0
Kansas	1	0	1.000	W1	1-0
#17 Missouri	1	0	1.000	W1	1-0
Oklahoma State	1	0	1.000	W1	1-0
#6 Texas	1	0	1.000	W1	1-0
#20 Texas A&M	1	0	1.000	W1	1-0
Nebraska	1	1	.500	W1	1-1
Oklahoma	0	0	0.000	0	0-0
Texas Tech	0	0	0.000	0	0-0
Kansas State	0	1	0.000	L1	0-1

FORMER LONGHORNS/RED RAIDERS UPDATE:
Michael Demperio led off for Georgia and played 2B. He was 0-4 with 1 run and a HBP. He reached base on his first at bat after being hit by a pitch. He later scored on a SF.

Clint Stubbs was 0-1 with a run for Louisiana Tech. He reached base on an 8th inning fielder's choice and came around to score.

Josh Prince started at SS for Tulane. He was 2-4 with a run and an RBI for the Green Wave.

Geoff Byrns hit 2 doubles and scored a run as the starting DH for St. Mary's. Byrns was a perfect 2-2 at the plate

Here we go!!

VCU Starting Lineup

CF Matthew Leskiw
2B Richard Gonzalez
3B Chris Jackson
1B Jared Bolden
C Carlos Rodriquez
DH R.J. Schenk
LF Nathan Furry
RF Justin Wright
SS Joe Van Meter
SP Will Hirsch

Texas Starting Lineup

3B Travis Tucker
2B Michael Torres
CF Jordan Danks
RF Kyle Russell
C Preston Clark
DH Russell Moldenhauer
1B Brandon Belt
LF Kevin Keyes
SS David Hernandez
SP Austin Wood

..... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
VCU.. 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 8 1
Texas 1 0 2 1 0 0 2 0 X 6 8 1

WP: Austin Wood (1-0)
LP: Will Hirsch (0-1)

VCU (0-1)
PLAYER......AB R H RBI
Leskiw...... 2 0 0 0
..Cheatham.. 3 0 0 0
Gonzalez.... 2 0 1 0
Jackson..... 4 0 0 0
Bolden...... 4 1 0 0
Rodriguez... 4 0 1 0
Schenk...... 3 0 1 1
..Evans..... 1 0 0 0
Furry....... 4 1 2 0
Wright...... 3 0 1 0
..Santos.... 1 0 0 0
Van Meter... 4 0 2 1
TOTAL.......35 2 8 2

TEXAS (1-0)
PLAYER......AB R H RBI
Tucker...... 4 1 2 0
Torres...... 3 0 0 1
Danks....... 2 2 0 0
Russell..... 2 2 0 0
Clark....... 3 0 2 4
Moldenhauer. 3 0 0 0
Belt........ 4 0 0 0
Keyes....... 4 1 3 1
Hernandez... 2 0 1 0
TOTAL.......27 6 8 6

2B: Keyes (1) SB: Danks (1), Russell (1), Tucker (1) CS: Gonzalez (1)

Scouting the Texas outfield

Well, we are just 2 days from the first pitch, and the Statesman has released their preview of the Texas outfield. Kyle Russell in right, Jordan Danks in center and, wait for it, Kevin Keyes in left field. That's right, freshman Kevin Keyes beat out sophomore Russell Moldenhauer for the starting job. It appears that Moldenhauer isn't quite over an injury he sustained in the offseason. Moldenhauer, along with sophomore Kyle Lusson will be the top backups in the outfield.

So that gives the Longhorns lineup a change:
C Preston Clark (Cameron Rupp if Clark isn't ready to go)
1B Brandon Belt
2B Michael Torres
3B Travis Tucker
SS David Hernandez
RF Kyle Russell
CF Jordan Danks
LF Kevin Keyes
DH Russell Moldenhauer/Cameron Rupp (just a guess on my part)

Scouting the Texas infield

Austin American-Statesman

The gist of it revolves around having only one player returning in his original spot (C Preston Clark) as well as having 3 completely new faces starting for the Longhorns.