Relief pitcher Zane Morehouse filled a crucial role for Texas in the clincher, throwing 2.2 innings and allowing one hit, no earned runs, one walk and striking out seven. (Photo Courtesy of Texas Baseball)
The University of Texas Longhorns (41-20) went 3-0 in the NCAA Tournament’s Coral Gables Regional, knocking off the No. 9-ranked University of Miami Hurricanes (42-21) by the score of 10-6 to advance to the NCAA Super Regional Round.
The Hurricanes got on the board in the top of the second inning when Dominic Pitelli launched a three-run home run to right field as Blake Cyr and Zach Levenson scored to go up 3-0.
Longhorns starting pitcher Tanner Witt went two innings, allowing one hit, three earned runs, walking one batter, and one strikeout.
During the bottom of the third, the Longhorns scored nine runs, starting when Jared Thomas laced a doubled to right field and Jack O’Dowd scored the first run of the game for Texas to cut the lead to 3-1. The next batter, Peyton Powell singled to shallow right field and Mitchell Daly and Thomas came in to score to tie the game at three.
Hurricanes starting pitcher Ronaldo Gallo was lifted after 2.1 innings, having allowed four hits, five earned runs, one walk, and two strikeouts through 49 pitches.
A few batters later, Garret Guillemette poked a double to shallow left field and Powell and Dylan Campbell scored, giving the Longhorns the lead 5-3.
The Longhorns didn’t stop. Designated hitter Jalin Flores ripped a grand slam over the center field wall and Guillemette, Porter Brown, and Eric Kennedy came in to score and make it 9-3.
The University of Texas did not look back the rest of the way and marginalizing the innings stretched they had to fill for their bullpen as relief pitcher Charlie Hurley went 4.1 innings allowing four hits, three earned runs, one walk, and two strikeouts.
Relief pitcher Zane Morehouse filled a crucial role for Texas in the clincher, throwing 2.2 innings and allowing one hit, no earned runs, one walk and striking out seven batters, ending with a strikeout of Blake Cyr to end the game.
The Longhorns will appear in their 24th Super Regional next weekend after placing first in the the Big 12 Conference regular season standings during the 2023 regular season.
The Longhorns will play in a best-of-three series against the winner of No. 8 Stanford University and Texas A&M in the Super Regional next weekend.