March 12, 2005
AUSTIN, Texas - Purdue did some damage against the Texas bullpen, but it was not enough to catch the top-ranked Longhorns who came away with an 8-6 win. Neal Gorka led the Boilermakers at the plate with two hits and Eric Osborn drove in three runs on the afternoon.
Texas got off to a quick start as center fielder Drew Stubbs connected for his fifth home run of the season in the first inning, a solo shot to right field. Stubbs homered again in the third as the Longhorns built a 4-0 lead.
The Boilermakers got on the board in the fifth facing a 5-0 deficit. Gorka was hit by a pitch leading off the inning and then moved to third on a ground rule double by Eric Wolfe. Osborn drove in Gorka with a ground ball to short to cut the lead to 5-1. The Longhorns struck in the bottom half of the inning for three more runs, pushing the lead to seven.
In the sixth inning Mitch Hilligoss beat out an infield single extending his hitting streak to eight games, and then moved to second on a ground ball. Spencer Ingaldson drew a four-pitch walk marking the end of the day for starting pitcher Adrian Alaniz. Gorka greeted new Longhorn hurler Clayton Stewart with a single to load the bases. Wolfe then hit a ground ball to shortstop that was thrown away allowing him to advance to second and Gorka to advance to third. Ingaldson and Hilligoss scored on the play to cut Texas' lead to 8-3. Osborn followed by hitting a ball that got past a diving Stubbs in center field for a double. Gorka and Wolfe came around to score to bring the Boilermakers within three.
John Hunter was hit by a Stewart pitch leading off the eighth. Matt Bush pinch ran for Hunter, stole second, and moved to third on an Ingaldson grounder. Gorka drove a pitch to center that was caught by Stubbs and quickly thrown home as Bush tagged from third and slid around the tag of catcher Taylor Teagarden.
Longhorn closer J. Brent Cox sent the Boilermakers down in order in the ninth to record his fifth save of the season. Alaniz (1-0) got the win for Texas, working 5.2 innings in which he allowed six hits and three runs, one of them earned. Brent Coudron (0-2) started on the hill for Purdue, worked five innings and was charged with the loss. Jay Buente and Trae Dauby came out of the Boilermaker bullpen and combined for three innings of scoreless relief.
With the victory, No. 1 Texas improved to 20-1 on the season while Purdue dropped to 1-7. The Boilermakers and Longhorns will wrap up their three-game series at Disch-Falk Field on Sunday with a 1 p.m. game.