 "Photo: Jeffrey McWhorter/The Daily Texan")
 "Photo: Jeffrey McWhorter/The Daily Texan")
The road toward winning his first game as a Longhorn has been tough for freshman starting pitcher Austin Dicharry.
While Dicharry has pitched well in his five appearances this year, earning a strong 2.7 earned run average and striking out 14 in just 16 innings, he could never seem to get a win.
The right-hander finally earned his win Tuesday as he helped the struggling Texas (15-6, 2-4 Big 12) squad get back in the win column.
“Yay team,” said Texas coach Augie Garrido with his signature sarcasm. “It is always better to win than to lose. This was a game we needed.”
The Longhorns’ 3-0 win over Dallas Baptist (12-7) at UFCU Disch-Falk Field ended their four-game losing streak, the longest since 2001. All of Texas’ four straight losses came on the road.
Garrido said “Environment is such a big factor. You don’t mess with mother nature.” “I am not sure it is mother nature out here, but it is mother momentum and she goes back and forth from dugout to dugout. And we are more comfortable in this environment.”
Dicharry thrives in the comfort of home. In his two starts at Disch-Falk, he has yet to allow a single run. And though the crowd was sparse on Tuesday, just the site of friendly faces helps the freshman.
“There were people here,” Dicharry said, “I saw people.” “Being at home, seeing those fans is a source of confidence. I just went by the scouting report, threw a lot of curveballs when I got in jams and tried to control only what I could control and that worked.”
In his first collegiate start against UT-Arlington, Dicharry pitched six scoreless innings, allowing only two hits while striking out five Mavericks. But Dicharry didn’t pick up the win after fellow starter Chance Ruffin blew the save in relief.
A week later against Texas State, Dicharry struggled in San Marcos, failing to exit the third inning while allowing five hits and two earned runs.
Dicharry’s next scheduled start against Baylor was rained out, and against Rice last week, Dicharry would get his first career decision — a loss to the Owls.
“I started off pretty rocky against Rice and Texas State,” Dicharry said. “But I have just been working my butt off.”
With the Longhorns coming off four straight losses, including a sweep at Kansas, it was the perfect time for Dicharry to get his first career win and get Texas back on the winning track that propelled it to a 12-1 start and the nations’ No. 1 ranking.
“This past weekend we couldn’t catch a break,” Dicharry said. “It was great to get a win and snap the losing streak.”
While Dicharry was superb, throwing more than seven shutout innings while only allowing four hits and striking out eight, the Longhorns’ offense was finally able to secure the freshman his first win. Kyle Lusson, who didn’t play in Kansas this weekend, kick-started the Texas offense with a walk in the third. Brandon Loy, making his first start at shortstop, would sacrifice bunt Lusson to second. After stealing third, Lusson would score the first run of the game on a Michael Torres single.
Texas’ second run came in the sixth on a perfectly executed hit and run, with Kevin Keyes crushing a double off the left-center wall as Brandon Belt got rolling off first base and scored. The Longhorns would add another run in the seventh when Loy singled scoring Cameron Rupp.
“That is the smartest game we have played this year,” Garrido said. “We showed experience at the plate, we made adjustments, shortened up our swings. That is how you handle good pitching.”
All of the Longhorns’ runs came off of Dallas Baptist University righty Victor Black, who was 3-0 before dropping the game to Texas on Tuesday. Black’s fastball was hitting upward of 95 mph, while the Patriot power pitcher was also throwing a strong curveball and changeup for strikes, Gabbido said.
“He was probably one of the best pitchers we have faced all year,” said second baseman Travis Tucker. “It shows a lot of character and determination for us after running into a bump to get over it and win again.”
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