Longhorns Advance to Regional Championship with 10-3 win over Arizona State

[HornSports Staff]

Photo courtesy Texas Athletics

AUSTIN, TX -- The second ranked Texas Longhorns defeated the Arizona State Sun Devils 10-3 in the winners bracket of the Austin Regional at Disch-Falk Field on Saturday night.  After a delayed start due to weather in the area, Sun Devil starting pitcher Justin Fall struggled early with his command, allowing Texas to get runners at the corners in the first and second innings.  

Texas failed to capitalize, but scored three in the third.  Cam Williams was hit by a pitch, bringing a run in and leaving the bases loaded.  Douglas Hodo III took first base on a a four-pitch walk scoring the Longhorns' second run of the inning.  Ivan Melendez scored on a wild pitch by Fall to make the score 3-0 in favor of Texas.

Zach Zubia hit his 10th home run of the season in the fourth inning, a two-run blast to center field brought home Mike Antico from first base.

Ty Madden got into a little jam in the fifth, loading the bases but escaped by allowing Arizona State to score 1 to cut the Texas lead to 5-1.

Texas scored three in the sixth thanks to an RBI by Trey Faltine and two RBI's by Eric Kennedy.  Texas led 8-1 at that point.

The Sun Devils hit a two run homer in the seventh to cut the Texas lead to 8-3.

The Longhorns added a couple of insurance runs in the eighth on Trey Faltine's second RBI of the night and an RBI from Silas Ardoin.

Tanner Witt struck out the first two Sun Devil batters in the ninth before ending the game by forcing a ground ball for the third out.

Texas starting pitcher Ty Madden notched his seventh win of the season striking out seven and allowing one run on three hits.

With the win the Longhorns advance to the Regional Championship Game and will face the winner of the Arizona State vs. Fairfield game at 8:00 PM.