Lebarron Johnson Jr. delivers a pitch for the University of Texas against Miami at the Coral Gables Regional of the 2023 NCAA Baseball Tournament. (Photo: J.C. Ridley/University of Texas)
Starting pitcher Lebarron Johnson Jr. helped the University of Texas Longhorns (40-20) pitching staff last night with a magnificent complete game performance as Texas beat No. 9 ranked University of Miami (41-20) in the Coral Gables Regional by the score of 4-1.
Texas went 2-0 during the first two days of the NCAA Tournament.
Johnson went nine innings, allowing seven hits, one earned run, walking three and striking out eight in his first complete game in his collegiate career.
The Longhorns got on the board first right out of the gate in the top of the first inning as Dylan Campbell drove a two-run home run scoring Jared Thomas to go up 2-0.
In the top of the second inning, the Longhorns’ Jack O’Dowd launched a solo home run to center field for their third run of the game.
During the top of the third inning, Texas added more insurance runs as designated hitter Jalin Flores roped a RBI single to center field aand Jayden Duplantier came in to score to make it 4-0.
Hurricanes starting pitcher Karson Ligon would be taken out of the game during the third inning after not recording an out. Ligon pitched two innings allowing five hits, four earned runs, walking one batter, and struck out three.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the University of Miami finally got on the board when Dominic Pitelli launched a solo home run to left field to cut the lead to three runs at 4-1.
Johnson retired 11 batters consecutively from the fourth until the bottom of the seventh inning, when CJ Kayfus placed a single to right field with two outs.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Johnson looked to go the distance, and he got Jason Torres to ground out to a 4-6-3 double play to end the game as the Longhorns went on to beat the Hurricanes 4-1.
Hurricanes relief pitcher Rafe Schlesinger pitched seven innings out of the bullpen allowing four hits, no earned runs, no walks, and nine strikeouts during his performance alongside not using a ton of arms for the pitching staff.
The University of Texas will play the University of Miami at 6 p.m. EDT on ESPN+ tonight in the Coral Gables Regional. The University of Miami played their first game on Sunday of the Regional NCAA Baseball Championship Round and beat the University of Louisiana at Lafayette by the score of 8-5.