After blowing big leads in the first game of two SEC series to start conference play, the No. 2 Texas Longhorns looked sharp in a quick turnaround from a second straight embarrassing midweek loss in a 14-0 run-rule victory in the Red River Rivalry over the No. 8 Oklahoma Sooners at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Thursday, the largest shutout in series history.
With the primary focus of the burnt orange faithful on the Sweet 16 basketball matchup between the Longhorns and Boilermakers in San Jose, head coach
Jim Schlossnagle’s team made a big statement by scoring four runs in the first inning, three runs in the third inning, four runs in the fourth inning, and three runs in the fifth inning to run away from the Sooners.
Texas put together consistently competitive at bats in recording 17 hits, including six doubles, one triple, and one home run, and drawing seven walks while striking out just five times, driving Oklahoma right-hander LJ Mercurius from the game after two innings by tagging the breakout UNLV transfer for seven runs on 10 hits with three walks and a wild pitch.
Entering the game, Mercurius had only allowed seven earned runs in six previous starts while lasting at least five innings in each game.
Against the Longhorns, however, Mercurius got into trouble in the first inning as Texas worked deep into counts. Junior catcher Carson Tinney drew a full-count walk with one out and junior center fielder Aiden Robbins fought off a pitch in on his hands for a bloop single to center field.
When Tinney was thrown out trying to steal third base, Mercurius had a chance to escape the inning without any damage, but sophomore shortstop Adrian Rodriguez battled back from an 0-2 count, taking two balls and fouling off two pitches before sending a double to right center to score Robbins.
The two-out rally continued when redshirt senior third baseman Temo Becerra fought off another inside pitch for a single to right field to drive in Rodriguez.
After freshman left fielder Anthony Pack Jr. drew a full-count walk and both runners advanced on a wild pitch, junior first baseman Casey Borba pulled a single through the left side to drive in two more runs.
The trouble continued for Mercurius in the third inning when he wasn’t able to record an out before departing the game. An infield single by Becerra and a double to right field by Pack put the Oklahoma starter into trouble quickly and he wasn’t able to recover, allowing two more doubles to Borba and senior right fielder Jayden Duplantier to end the outing by Mercurius.
Getting into the Oklahoma bullpen early, Texas took advantage of right-hander Mason Bixby when Robbins singled to center to lead off the third inning, Rodriguez drew a five-pitch walk, and Becerra pulled an RBI single into left center.
When Pack got on base with a walk, Bixby exited, but the onslaught continued as Duplantier drove in two more runs with a single through the left side.
Both runners advanced on a four-pitch walk issued to junior designated hitter Ashton Larson and Borba scored on a wild pitch.
In the fifth inning, Robbins tripled to center field and was in danger of being stranded after a pitching change resulted in two outs, but Pack send a double into right field to score the Texas center fielder.
Borba finished the scoring for Texas by crushing a high fastball 427 feet at 109 miles per hour off the bat for a two-run home run that nearly cleared the visitor’s bullpen in left field.
Texas avoided any bullpen drama with the help of a dominant performance by senior right-hander Ruger Riojas, who moved to 5-0 on the season by striking out eight while working around six hits and two walks in his seven-inning effort.
The biggest threat from Oklahoma came in the fifth inning when the Sooners stitched together a leadoff single, a one-out single, and a two-out walk, but Riojas stranded three runners with a 1-2 strikeout on a devastating breaker.
Texas goes for the series victory on Friday at 7 p.m. Central on SEC Network with redshirt senior left-hander Luke Harrison taking the mound.
