AUSTIN — Texas took an early lead with a three-run shot to right field by Big 12 Player of the Year Kody Clemens and another home run in the the fourth inning by DJ Petrinsky. Clemens left the yard again in the sixth inning, which gave Texas an 8-1 lead at the time. Nolan Kingham pitched valiantly for the Longhorns despite battling an illness, pitching seven and two-thirds innings threw 96 pitches, and struck out eight Aggies batters. Texas secured the win 8-3.
Texas will play the winner of Texas A&M and Indiana in the regional final.
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NINTH INNING:
Chandler Jozwiak forced David Hamilton to line out to left field, but walked Duke Ellis. Kody Clemens popped a high fly ball in the infield and the Aggies defense botched another play, letting it drop in between the pitcher's mound and the first base line. As the game went to commercial break, the Longhorn faithful let the Aggies have it with an "MVP" chant for Clemens. Christian Roa replaced Chandler Jozwiak for the Aggies. Texas loaded the bases with two outs and Reynolds at the plate. Roa unloaded the bases with a strikeout against Reynolds to end the top half of the ninth inning.
Andy McGuire took the pitcher's mound in the bottom of the ninth to close out the game. After letting an Aggies runner on base, the Longhorns turned a 4-6-3 double play.
McGuire retired the final batter to give the Longhorns its second win of the regional tournament.
EIGHTH INNING:
Masen Hibbeler started out the eighth inning with a pop fly to right field, where Allonte Wingate made a spectacular diving catch. Ryan Reynolds notched his first base hit of the regional tournament in the eighth. DJ Petrinsky hit another deep shot toward center field, but did not leave the ball park for his second time of the game. Instead, it was caught for the second out. Chandler Jozwiak entered the game for the Aggies on the mound to get the final out. Jozwiak walked Tate Shaw in his first appearance at the mound, putting two runners on base. Jake McKenzie hit a chopper back at the pitcher and the Aggies got out of the inning.
In the bottom of the eighth, Shewmake grounded out to the shortstop, Andritsos doubled to deep left center, Foster struck out swinging, and Frizzell hit an RBI single to drop the Aggies' deficit to 8-3.
After Frizzell's single, Nolan Kingham was relieved from the pitcher's mound to a standing ovation from the crowd. Kingham pitched seven and two-thirds innings, threw 96 pitches, and struck out eight Aggies batters.
Josh Sawyer replaced Kingham on the pitcher's mound. Allonte Wingate grounded out to the second baseman to end the inning.
SEVENTH INNING:
In his fourth at bat of the game, Kody Clemens struck out with a runner on second base. It was Miner's second strikeout of the game and also the second time Clemens struck out. Zach Zubia roped a hot shot to the third baseman, but the Aggies caught the line drive to get out of the top of the seventh inning.
Nolan Kingham started the bottom of the seventh inning striking out both Hunter Coleman and George Janca, his sixth and seventh of the game. Zach DeLoach hit a line drive off the leg of Kingham for an infield single. Texas A&M's Michael Helman hit a pop fly to right field for the final out. Longhorns enter the eighth inning up 8-2.
SIXTH INNING:
Kody Clemens kept his case up for the Golden Spikes Award in the sixth. Clemens hit his second homerun of the game -- this time a solo shot to lead off the inning.
Saenz bounced back and struck out Zach Zubia, but then was relieved on the mound by Landon Miner. Miner forced Masen Hibbeler to pop out to second and walked Ryan Reynolds. With one runner on and two outs, Miner walked DJ Petrinsky to put runners on first and second base. Miner escaped a jam in the top of sixth inning after forcing Texas to pop out to right field for the final out with the bases loaded.
Michael Helman led off the bottom of the sixth strong for the Aggies after he stroked a double down the right field line. Braden Shewmake drove Helman home with an RBI single to center field and the Aggies narrowed the deficit to 8-2. Chris Andritsos popped out to right field with a runner on first base. The Aggies almost went yard on the Longhorns, but essentially recorded the second out of the inning with a pop fly on the warning track in left center-field. Will Frizzell's slow chopper to the first baseman ended the sixth inning.
FIFTH INNING:
Mitchell Kilkenny was relieved by freshman left handed pitcher Dustin Saenz, who made quick work of the Texas batters, and forced a ground out on his first pitch. In the next at bat, DJ Petrinsky hit a line drive right back at Saenz, which seemed to hit the Aggies pitcher on his throwing shoulder. Medical staff came on the field to look at Saenz and the freshman took a couple warmup pitches. He did not leave the mound for the Aggies. Tate Shaw doubled into the far corner of right field and Petrinsky advanced to third base. Jake McKenzie hit a sac fly to center to score Petrinsky and the Longhorns grabbed a 6-1 lead. A wild pitch into the backstop advanced the lone UT base runner to third base with two outs on the board. David Hamilton singled to right field and drove in another UT run. With an 0-2 count and Duke Ellis at the plate, David Hamilton stole second base, but Ellis struck out to end the top half of the fifth inning.
Nolan Kingham retired three straight batters to give the Longhorns a 1-2-3 inning.
FOURTH INNING:
DJ Petrinsky gave the Longhorns its second home run of the game, a solo shot to left field. Petrinsky's home run gave UT a 4-1 lead.
Texas A&M's Mitchell Kilkenny responded immediately to the homerun he gave up, striking out his fifth Texas batter of the game. A routine grounder to the shortstop put two outs on the board for the Aggies. David Hamilton stepped up to the plate to begin the top of Texas' batting order and dropped a single in center field. Duke Ellis followed up with another two out single for Texas. In the third meeting between Mitchell Kilkenny and Kody Clemens, Kilkenny walked Clemens to load the bases for the Longhorns. With the bases loaded and two outs on the board, Texas A&M head coach stepped out to the mound to chat with Kilkenny, but left him in the game. With a 3-2 count, Kilkenny hit UT's Zach Zubia with a pitch to drive in another Longhorns run.
Masen Hibbeler popped out to shallow left field to leave the fourth inning with the bases loaded.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Nolan Kingham started out strong striking out Logan Foster on three pitches. Will Frizzell hit an opposite field base hit to left to put two runners on for the Aggies. With two on and one out, Allonte Wingate grounded into a double play to end the inning.
THIRD INNING:
Mitchell Kilkenny walked Duke Ellis to lead off the inning and Kody Clemens came up to the plate for his second at bat of the game. Clemens went yard on Kilkenny in the first inning. This time around, Kilkenny got Clemens to chase a high fastball and struck out the Big 12 Player of the Year. For those keeping tally, that's one for Kilkenny, one for Clemens. An infield single set up Texas' Mason Hibbeler with two runners on and one out. Kilkenny retired the final two Texas batters of the inning and left the Longhorns with one runner in scoring position.
Nolan Kingham walked Texas A&M's Allonte Wingate, giving the Aggies their first base runner of the game. Cole Bedford struck out swinging, which gave Kingham his third strikeout of the game. Texas A&M grounded to UT's David Hamilton, and Hamilton bobbled the ball for an infield error. With runners on first and second base, the Aggies grounded into a fielder's choice and the baserunners advanced. With two outs, the Aggies' Michael Helman made an aggressive bunt squeeze and drove in the first Texas A&M run of the ball game. A ground out to Hamilton ended the third inning.
SECOND INNING:
Mitchell Kilkenny retired two straight batters in the second inning, which gave him five straight after Clemens' homerun and his second strikeout. Jake McKenzie singled up the middle for the Longhorns, but Kilkenny and the Aggies left the top half of the second inning unscathed after forcing a pop fly to left field for the third out.
Texas A&M's Chris Andritsos popped out to center field for the first out. Texas pitcher Nolan Kingham recorded his second strikeout of the game for the second out of the innning. David Hamilton showed off his athletic ability and arm from the shortstop position to get the final out while on the run away from first base. Hamilton threw the final out leaning on his back foot. Texas Longhorns lead 3-0 after two innings.
FIRST INNING:
Mitchell Kilkenny started on the mound for the Aggies. David Hamilton led off with an infield single for the Longhorns. Duke Ellis was hit by a pitch to put two runners on as the Big 12 Player of the Year Kody Clemens entered the batter's box. Clemens got the crowd jumpin' with a three-run bomb to right field.
Two straight pop outs to left field put two outs on the board for the Longhorns. Kilkenny struck out the last Longhorns batter to end the bleeding and get out of the top of the first inning.
Nolan Kingham started on the pitcher's mound for Texas. Kingham got out of the inning quickly, forcing a 1-2-3 frame in the first.
PREGAME:
It's the matchup everyone in Austin has been waiting to see: the Texas Longhorns versus the Texas A&M Aggies. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
As the regional host, Texas played No. 4 seed Texas Southern and took care of business on National Donut Day, handing the Tigers a big ole doughnut in the score column. Texas shut out Texas Southern 10-0. A little earlier in the day, No. 3 seed Texas A&M "upset" No. 2 seed Indiana, even though the Aggies boast the best RPI of any regional No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament.
Both teams announced their starting lineups via Twitter:
The potential of a Longhorns-Aggies matchup was the talk of the town ever since the regional festivities started. Texas A&M deflected questions about the Longhorns in a press conference before the Indiana game, but now all eyes are on this rivalry matchup.
KVUE's Mike Barnes was at the Disch and previewed the game for us on Facebook Live.
If the teams' Twitter accounts were any indication, these two ball clubs are ready to go toe-to-toe.