No. 15 Texas handles UIW in 6-0 win

The Horns needed five runs in their last two innings to break open another close game.

The four-game homestead for the No. 15 Texas Longhorns ended in a clean sweep at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Tuesday in a 6-0 victory over the Incarnate Word Cardinals behind seven hits that produced five runs in the seventh and eighth innings.

The Longhorns entered the bottom of the seventh up 1-0 before a successful outing by Cardinals left-hander Gus McKay curdled in its fourth inning — after throwing a three-inning no-hitter by McKay, a one-out walk by Texas senior first baseman Kimble Schuessler led to a two-run home run by junior catcher Rylan Galvan on a pitch up and out over the plate.

It was the game’s only hit for the scuffling Galvan, who is now batting .200 after seven games with eight strikeouts.

The home run was also a sign that Texas was finally timing up the soft-tossing McKay as red-hot sophomore second baseman Ethan Mendoza hit his second home run in the last two games with a solo shot that followed Galvan’s blast.

The 396-foot home run came off Mendoza’s bat at 107 miles per hour, further big-time exit velocity from the Arizona State transfer demonstrating he’s no longer a gritty singles hitter — he’s a gamer who can really square up the baseball, too, after showing flashes of that ability with 11 doubles and three home runs for the Sun Devils last year.

A pitching change by UIW got out of the inning without any further damage, but the Longhorns did score two more runs in the eighth when junior shortstop Jalin Flores hit a one-out double down the left-field line and scored on a triple by sophomore designated hitter Casey Borba, important extra-base hits for both players.

Texas scored the game’s final run on a double by sophomore left fielder Tommy Farmer, a high-strikeout player so far this year like Flores is still trying to prove himself beyond his elite speed.

And in regards to that speed, Farmer was throwing out trying to steal third for the inning’s second out, an outcome magnified by back-to-back walks taken by Galvan and Mendoza. After another pitching change, an infield single by junior right fielder Max Belyeu loaded the bases and Schuessler struck out against some questionable pitches into a strangely-expanded strike zone.

The offensive headlines are Mendoza taking advantage of his move into the leadoff spot with a 3-for-3 performance with two walks and two runs scored. Belyeu followed with two hits in the two hole for head coach Jim Schlossnagle, but Schuessler went 0-for-5 in the cleanup spot ahead of freshman Adrian Rodriguez, who showcased his ability to drop the barrel on the baseball with an opposite-field single in the first inning to score the game’s only run in the first six and a half innings.

A-Rod is a hitter, y’all.

Even if the offense still isn’t clicking at the level that Schlossnagle wants to reach before conference play begins, the pitching and defense had some real SEC-quality moments on Tuesday, to the extent that’s possible against a solid Southland Conference opponent.

Freshman right-hander Jason Flores had an extremely positive debut, picking up the win in his first collegiate appearance by pitching three scoreless innings, allowing with two strikeouts and a hit by pitch.

After retiring the first six batters, Flores had to face some adversity in the third thanks to a leadoff single and hit by pitch, responding by striking out the next batter and inducing an inning-ending double play nicely turned by Rodriguez at third with help from Schuessler’s sound pick at first on the low, skimming throw.

Texas defenders helped out their pitchers all night, including sophomore center fielder Will Gasparino’s effortless range helping him track down a deep drive to the wall in left center.

Flores also ranged deep into the hole at shortstop and delivered a remarkable throw across his body to cut down the batter, a combination of skill and technique that oozed the influence of Troy Tulowitzki.

The bullpen made their own impressions as junior right-hander Max Grubbs was in command over his 3.0 innings, striking out four and allowing a single baserunner on a single in the sixth inning, and junior right-hander Ruger Riojas struck out two in 2.0 perfect innings.

In the ninth, junior right-hander Conner McCreery worked around two walks and two wild pitches to preserve the shutout.

Texas heads to Las Vegas over the weekend to face Washington, Texas Tech, and Illinois.