 "Photo: Jon Huang")
You'd expect a 9-2 victory over the No. 8 team in the nation in their home field to cause a bit more excitement in 40 Acres.
But then again, I guess the record-setting (and laughably embarrassing) 31-12 and 13-2 killings Texas was handed the two days before by Missouri might force you to overlook Sunday's modest-in-comparison win.
So what happened to Texas?
"OK, I'll say it," Missouri right fielder Ryan Lollis told the Austin American-Statesman after Texas fell in game two. "Texas' pitching is struggling. They're really struggling."
If you need more than Lollis stating the obvious, just take a look at some of the stats from the two-day massacre:
• No one abused Texas pitchers better than Missouri's Jacob Priday, who went 5-for-5 in Friday's 19-run win with four home runs, a Big 12 single-game record and third on the NCAA list, nine RBIs and six runs, each becoming school records. (Priday was named Big 12 Player of the Week Monday. No surprise there.)
• After the first two games the score margin was already 44-14 in favor of the Tigers, tying a Texas school record for runs allowed in a three-game series, first set in 1995 against Texas Tech. Missouri's two runs on Sunday set the record at 46.
• The Tigers put up video game numbers, hitting 43-for-86 (.500) with seven home runs, eight doubles, 38 RBIs and a slugging percentage of .837 through the first two games.
• In an attempt to find somebody who could stop the bleeding, Texas went through pitchers like warm water, sending nine different hurlers to the mound with Stayton Thomas and Kyle Walker being used twice.
• Walker hasn't been particularly successful all season (8.49 ERA and an opponent batting average of .320 in 11 appearances), but Friday couldn't have helped his confidence. He faced three batters in the fourth and walked every single one of them while he struggled to keep the ball out of the dirt. He was promptly yanked.
It's important to note that the swirling winds in Columbia, Mo., which were reported to reach speeds of 35 mph, played a role in Missouri's big weekend. It's important to note that Texas' pitching rebounded Sunday behind freshman Chance Ruffin's four straight scoreless innings. It's important to note that Cole Green pitched three perfect innings in relief of Ruffin.
But not even temperamental winds can hit .500 over two days - unless, of course, the pitches are right down the middle of plate.
"Anything I say right now appears to be an excuse," Texas head coach Augie Garrido said after Friday's loss in game one. "That's honestly the best thing I can say about a game like this. This was a truly dominant performance by Missouri."
And a truly embarrassing performance by Texas pitching.
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