AUSTIN, Texas — With more baserunners and hits than the University of Texas, free bases were the difference Wednesday for Lamar University baseball. The Cardinals (2-2) fell to the #22 Longhorns (5-0) by a score of 6-1. Texas drew six walks and two hits-by-pitch to score six runs on just five hits. Lamar scored one run on six hits and stranded 12 on base.
In a designated bullpen day, Josh Hranicky got the start for Lamar. He went an inning and two thirds before being relieved by Jack Dallas. Dallas was then replaced by Douglas Palmer in the fourth, and Palmer was replaced in the fifth by Marcus Olivarez. Dylan Johnson and Max Mize split time in the sixth, Christian Grigsby was unblemished in the seventh, and Braydon Credeur was the final Cardinal on the mound.
Reese Durand got the first hit of the game, a one-out triple, and was joined on the base paths by JC Correa after a walk, but the Cards were stranded on the corners after a popup to third. Texas got a one-out walk that was struck down in a fielder's choice, and through one the game was scoreless.
Anthony Quirion got his first hit of the season as the leadoff batter in the second, but the senior from Dixville, Quebec, only made it to second before LU ran out of outs. Scoreless until the final out of the second, Texas struck. With the bases loaded on walks, UT's Austin Todd doubled to right center, bringing all three Longhorns home. A 5-3 putout ended the inning, but Texas held a 2-0 advantage through two.
Lamar had another good opportunity in the top of the third. Cole Coker drew a walk and reached second on an errant fielder's choice that put JC Correa on first, but both were stranded on a strikeout. In the bottom of the frame Texas went down in order with Jack Dallas collecting his third strikeout of the day. Through three Texas led 3-0.
Big Red went down in order in the top of the fourth, and Texas was able to score again in the bottom half thanks to Lamar's first error on the year. A single to right advanced to second on an error, then came home on a single up the middle. The Cards got the runner on first out in an 8-3-6-4-3-5 run down, and a liner to right and a 6-3 grounder kept Texas from scoring more. Through four innings Texas led 4-0.
Bad luck continued to plague Lamar in the fifth inning. With two outs Durand worked through 10 pitches before lining out to first on the 11th pitch. Olivarez kept LU in striking distance with a 10-pitch, 1-2-3 inning. The junior from Columbus, Texas, struck out two of the three batters he faced.
After a 1-2-3 inning for Lamar, Texas got two more across in the bottom of the sixth. A lead-off single reached second on a walk, and another two walks brought the first run of the inning home. A sac fly brought the other Longhorn safely across the plate before a flyout ended the inning. Through six, Texas led 6-0.
The Cardinals got on the board in the seventh inning. Logan Berlof drew a one-out walk and reached third on a single by SLC Hitter of the Week Kelby Weyler, and a sac fly from Cole Girouard brought Berlof home. Avery George doubled to put Weyler on third, and a walk of Durand loaded the bases before a strikeout ended the inning. Texas was shutdown by Grigsby in the bottom of the frame, and it was 6-1 Texas over Lamar through seven.
Lamar got two more baserunners in the eighth on a hit-by-pitch and a walk, but a strikeout ended LU's threat. Credeur worked through a leadoff single and a hit-by-pitch to get the next three outs, and through eight innings #22 Texas led Lamar by five, 6-1.
The ninth inning was a bit interesting for the Cards with a one-out single by George and a one-out double by Durand, but the fleet-footed duo was stranded in scoring position by a strikeout and a liner to center to end the game. #22 Texas won 6-1 over Lamar.
The Cardinals return to action quickly, concluding their road trip with a three-game series at Texas State. First pitch of Friday's game is set for 6 p.m.
Lamar comes up short against nationally ranked Texas
Missed opportunities hinder Big Red in loss to Longhorns