Texas eliminated from the Big 12 Tournament with an 8-7 loss to Cincinnati
For the second consecutive year, the Texas Longhorns were two-and-‘cue at the Big 12 Tournament in Arlington following an 8-7 loss to Cincinnati in an elimination game Wednesday night.
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A two-run sixth for the Bearcats proved to be the difference in the first-ever meeting between the two clubs, and those runs were the result of poor defensive play by the Longhorns. A one-out single from Cincinnati left fielder Josh Hegemann off of first-team All-Big 12 selection Gage Boehm started the pivotal inning. Though ruled a hit, the ball was misplayed by Texas second baseman Jack O’Dowd and allowed Hegemann to reach first.
Hegemann then stole second base on a throw from catcher Rylan Galvan that shortstop Jalin Flores could not handle. An error charged to Flores on a ball hit to him allowed Hegemann to reach third and Tommy O’Connor to make it to first. A passed ball from Galvan put O’Connor on second base and two runners in scoring position. Then with two outs, nine-hole hitter Landyn Vidourek singled up the middle to score both of his teammates on unearned runs. A strikeout ended the frame, meaning Cincy registered all the needed damage on three strikeouts and three ground balls.
Cincinnati started the evening’s scoring with a run in the first followed by a run in the fourth. Texas tied the game with a two-run homer by Max Belyeu in the fourth and took the lead in that same frame with a RBI double from Will Gasparino.
After Cincinnati’s decisive two runs in the sixth, they tacked on four in the eighth thanks to a three-run home run by Josh Kross and via an error on Lebarron Johnson that allowed an unearned run to score.
Texas put a four-spot up in response in the bottom of the eighth via RBI from O’Dowd, Flores, and Peyton Powell. The Longhorns even put the tying run on second base in the bottom of the ninth with one out. But a groundout that failed to advance the runner and a flyout for the 27th out sent Texas back to Austin and has them waiting for the results of the NCAA Selection Show on Monday.
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The Longhorns are unlikely to host and will be awaiting their destination in the NCAA Tournament, likely as a two-seed. The 64-team event will begin on Friday, May 31.
