No. 3 Longhorns Dominant in 18-0 Win Over Abilene Christian
The No. 3 ranked Texas Longhorns baseball team cannot be stopped as it continues to steamroll through opponents. On Friday evening they hosted Abilene Christian at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. The Longhorns plated 18 runs during a shutout of ACU and extended their winning streak to 11, both season highs.
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ACU represents a non-conference opponent in a part of the season where conference play is commonplace. As such, Texas needs to make a strong impression this weekend and they got out to a good start on Friday evening.
The Longhorns scored five runs in the first inning alone. The first inning scoring was capped off by third baseman Cam Williams's double down the right-field line that resulted in two RBI. Williams is becoming a usual suspect when it comes to scoring runs.
Of course, the other usual suspects were also involved in the scoring spree on the evening. Designated hitter Ivan Melendez knocked in a run during the third inning when he singled to right field.
Additionally, right fielder Douglas Hodo hit a home run in the top of the fourth to make for his second consecutive game going deep.
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While the hitting was impressive, the pitching was equally as impressive as the staff shut out ACU. Starter Ty Madden tossed five scoreless innings and struck out 8 while walking just 3 batters. Madden was credited with the win and he now sits with a season record of 5-1 coupled with an ERA of 1.54.
Friday night's performance is exactly what was expected of the third-ranked team in the nation when hosting a non-conference opponent this late in the season. Texas will play ACU again on Saturday with the first pitch scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CST and will finish off the series on Sunday with a first pitch for 1 p.m. CST.
The Longhorns will then look forward to a midweek match at Texas State then a conference series against the Oklahoma State Cowboys next weekend.
What do you think of the Longhorns' victory over Abilene Christian? Comment and join in on the discussion below!