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BIG 12 11
Words from the Big 12 Writers from around the conference weigh in on their teams
TEXAS LONGHORNS
Longhorns keep finding ways to win
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Texas pitcher Kendall Carillo throws a pitch during a game earlier this season. Carillo and the Longhorns are off to a 16-5 start this season.
By Austin Ries Daily Texan — Friday, March 26
Through all the ups and downs in Texas' offense that account for a .263 team batting average, one thing has remained steady this season — the Horns find a way to somehow score runs and win games with or without base hits.
There was the game earlier this month against Texas-Pan American, where the Horns needed two balks from starting pitcher Kyle Kotchie with the bases loaded to beat the Broncs 3-2.
Then, in game one against Nebraska, Texas came down to their final out before Cameron Rupp delivered with a three-run home run to right field to make up for a night of cold Texas bats.
Their latest addition to that resume was Tuesday night against No. 25 Rice, where the Horns (16-5) capitalized on errors and walks to score four runs on no hits against the Owls that eventually led to Texas' 5-1 win.
"You are gonna have trouble scoring runs on Texas unless you do a lot of things right," Rice head coach Wayne Graham said after Tuesday's loss. "We started with an error, then we walked them. Anatomy of disaster."
The inning started with Brandon Loy getting to second when the Rice shortstop threw the ball into the stands above the Longhorn dugout. Rupp walked before Kevin Keyes was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Kevin Lusson then drew a walk to score Loy, followed by consecutive wild pitches to score both Rupp and Keyes. Finally, Jonathan Walsh drove in Kevin Lusson with a sacrifice fly.
"We capitalized on opportunities, and college baseball isn't about perfection. It's about imperfection," Texas head coach Augie Garrido said. "Anything can happen on any moment, and that's part of the excitement."
Texas continues that excitement this weekend for their second Big 12 Conference series against Texas Tech on the road in Lubbock, where the Horns are 97-34 all-time against the Red Raiders.
OKLAHOMA SOONERS
Sooners off to hot start this season
By Jono Greco Oklahoma Daily Saturday, March 27
Despite being outfit in Saturday's low-scoring affair, the No.12 baseball team only needed freshman right fielder Max White's two-run single in the first inning to defeat the Nebraska Cornhuskers 4-1 in Lincoln, Neb.
The victory secures the series win and is the Sooners' (20-2, 3-0) fifth straight victory. The winning streak isOU's third of the season of at least five games.
With little offense, the Sooners, who could only put together eight hits, depended on the right arm of junior pitcher Bobby Shore.
Shore, who was coming off a poor start against Baylor last week in a game that was cancelled, pitched five innings and was credited with his fourth win of the season. He gave up one run on seven hits and struck out four batters.
The Sooners added a run in the fourth inning on an RBI double by sophomore center fielder Chris Ellison.
Shore was pulled after five innings due to a high pitch count, and head coach Sunny Golloway brought in the always dependable senior pitcher Jeremy Erben.
Erben extended his scoreless-innings streak to 22 innings by going three innings without giving up a run. The scoreless streak spans over Erben's last nine appearances, and his ERA was lowered to 0.35 Saturday.
OU was held scoreless for four straight innings heading into the ninth inning, but sophomore shortstop Caleb Bushyhead scored from third on a passed ball to give the Sooners an insurance run. Bushyhead reached base on a hit earlier in the inning to extend his hitting streak to eight games.
The Sooners will go for the series sweep against the Cornhuskers at 1:05 p.m. Sunday in Lincoln, Neb., and Galloway has not named the starting pitcher.
Jeremy Dickie/OKLAHOMA DAIL
Junior pitcher Bobby Shore attempts a pick to sophomore first baseman Cameron Seitzer against South Florida during a game earlier this season. The Sooners are off to a 20-2 start this season.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THE WAVE MARCH 31,2010