Texas 4 Louisiana 2
AUSTIN, Texas – The No. 3 Texas Longhorns received another solid pitching performance as Cole Green and Chance Ruffin combined to scatter seven hits in a 4-2 win over the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns in NCAA Regional action at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Saturday evening.
The victory gives Texas two chances to beat the winner of Sunday’s Louisiana-Rice game (1 p.m.). The Longhorns will play the Ragin’ Cajuns-Owls winner at 6:30 p.m. A win on Sunday night gives Texas the regional crown. A loss would set-up a winner-take-all rematch Monday at 1 p.m.
Ruffin offered the late heroics in Saturday’s nightcap. The Longhorns closer entered the game with Texas clinging to a 3-1 lead, no outs and runners on first and second. Kyle Olasin’s sacrifice bunt attempt down the third baseline resulted in a single and saturated the bases with Ragin’ Cajuns. Louisiana cut the lead to one when Matt Goulas hit a ball deep to leftfield for a sacrifice fly, knocking in Justin Robichaux. Ruffin responded by catching Jordan Poirrier and Chad Keefer looking for back-to-back strikeouts, ending the frame.
Rice 19 Rider 1
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – Anthony Rendon hit three home runs to lead Rice to a 19-1 win over Rider in the first game of the loser’s bracket in the NCAA Austin regional on Saturday.
After striking out looking and grounding out in his first two at-bats, Rendon hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning, a three-run homer in the seventh and another two-run shot in the eighth.
