Once again, the Longhorns scored the game-winning run in their final at-bat.
But for a change, sophomore Drew Stubbs, who earned Big 12, Collegiate Baseball and NCBWA Player of the Week honors Tuesday, did not get the game-winning hit.
With the score tied 4-4 in the bottom of the ninth inning, Clay Van Hook hit a one-out single to score Calvin Beamon from second and clinch a 5-4 Texas victory Tuesday afternoon over UT-Arlington.
"I just wanted to come out there and win the game," Van Hook said. "It doesn't matter who does it. If it's me, Drew, Seth [Johnston] or Taylor [Teagarden], it doesn't matter. As long we get the win, we're all happy."
After jumping out to a 2-0 lead, Texas (12-0) fell behind 4-2 in the fifth inning thanks in part to a three-run bases-loaded double over left fielder Carson Kainer's head hit by Maverick center fielder Nathan Warrick, who played in 26 games as a Longhorn last season. Warrick scored two batters later on a Ryan Nelson single.
Those runs ended starter Kevin Kasparek's streak of consecutive innings without giving up a run at 15 and one-third.
Texas' offense failed to get much going until the eighth inning, when Van Hook led off with a pinch-hit walk. Stubbs then singled, and Johnston walked to load the bases for Teagarden. The catcher responded with a single on the first pitch to tie the game.
"I don't think we were flat," Texas head coach Augie Garrido said. "We came out on offense, we swung the bat, and when we swung the bat, we hit the ball. You didn't see many foul balls; you didn't see many swings and misses; there were no strikeouts; so it takes a level of concentration, or you just don't do that."
The Longhorn bench came up big in the victory. In addition to Van Hook registering the game-winning hit, Kyle McCulloch and Buck Cody both had strong performances in relief of Kasparek. Neither pitcher gave up a run, and Cody pitched a perfect eighth and ninth inning to earn his second victory of the season.
"If there's one distinction between our team and every other team we've played, it's that our bench produces more from the pinch hitters, pinch runners, defensive players and the bullpen, and the separation versus everyone we've played is a significant issue," Garrido said. "When we get past the sixth inning, our team is more responsive than any of the teams we've played so far this season."
In Tuesday's contest, Johnston was the only Longhorn to record more than one hit, and he has now hit safely in all but one of Texas' games.
Stubbs' single in the eighth inning extended his hitting streak to 12 games.
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