Last night, it was do or die for the Texas Longhorns. After losing a heart breaker in Game 1 to LSU, the Longhorns found themselves in a must-win situation or they would have to watch LSU celebrate winning a national title.
As scheduled the game was supposed to start at 6:05, but mother nature had other ideas, as she did over the weekend at the U.S. Open, in New York. After a delay of 1 hr and 34 minutes, game 2 was underway. As expected the Texas Longhorns sent freshman sensation, Taylor Jungmann, out to the hill to try and slow down the high-powered LSU Tiger offense, who's averaging 9.5 runs per game in Omaha. One surprise was who LSU would send out to oppose Jungmann. Everyone had expected to see six-foot-seven sensation Anthony Ranaudo for LSU, but instead saw Aaron Ross. LSU coach Paul Mainieri held out Ranaudo because he hadn't thrown on three days rest all year, and said this wasn't the time or place to do it, and instead hold him out for Game 3, necessary. Well it will be necessary as Texas came out swinging.
LSU hadn't committed an error throughout the CWS, but that would end quickly as LSU catcher Micah Gibbs would be charged with an error after a errant throw when Micheal Torres stole 2nd base. Following the error, Travis Tucker would play small ball and move Torres up to 3rd with just one out. This was the Longhorn offense everyone has expected to see. Brandon Belt would put the Horns on top when he singled through the right side, bringing home Torres and the Horns led 1-0.
Texas didn't let up after the 1st inning, nor did they look back. They tacked on another one in the second inning on a Preston Clark solo shot to left. Another Longhorn home run, and all of a sudden the Texas Longhorns looked like The New York Yankees power hitters.
LSU would score their lone run of the game in the 2nd, with back to back 2 out singles and then an error by Longhorn short stop Brandon Loy. Texas would not let this scare them and look to put the game out of reach early.
They came up in the 3rd looking to do damage and secure a game 3. That's exactly what they would do, and in a style we'd seen only in Omaha. After LSU pulled Austin Ross after 2 innings, Ryan Bird was brought in hoping to keep the score at 2-1, but that wouldn't be the case. After a pop out to 3rd, the hot hitting Russell Moldenhauer stepped into the box and kept his hot stick going. He got a hold of it and sent it deep into the right center field bleachers. This would be Moldenhauer's 4th home run of the CWS, while he hit 0 before getting to Omaha. The 4th home run would tie a CWS record for most home runs and also extend the Longhorn lead to 3-1.
Rupp would follow Moldenhauer with a 1 out double, and Texas would look to tack on more runs. After a Kevin Keyes fly out to right, Conner Rowe doubled down the left field line, scoring Rupp and the Horns now led 4-1. This wouldn't be the end of the inning either, as Preston Clark singled off new Tiger pitcher Nolan Cain, bringing in Rowe, for Clark's 2nd RBI of the night and it pushed the lead to 5-1.
LSU looked to answer right back in the 3rd, as D.J. LeMahieu led off the inning with a triple but would be stranded there, and that seemed to do LSU in for the night. LSU would never threaten again, as the story of the night was freshman stud Taylor Jungmann for the Horns. Jungmann had never gone past 7 2/3 innings in a start this year, but threw a CG 5 hitter to force a decisive game 3 tonight for the Horns.
With that being said, everything goes out the window tonight as it is a winner take all match-up. LSU will send Anthony Ranaudo to the hill tonight and Texas will send Cole Green to oppose him. If the Tigers lose Wednesday, it would mark only the second time this season they have dropped back-to-back games. It should be exciting when it comes to an end, as one team will dog pile on the mound and one sits and watches in the dugout. The Horns say they don't dog pile unless it's in Omaha, so will we see it tonight?
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