Texas explodes for seven runs in decisive fifth inning of 12-5 win over Louisiana (2024)

For a second straight year, the Texas Longhorns faced the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns in a regional opener. For the second straight year, the Longhorns came out on top.

This time it was behind a grand slam by shortstop Jalin Flores as part of a seven-run fifth inning that blew the game open before Texas cruised to the finish of a 12-5 win as the No. 3 seed over No. 2 seed Louisiana in the College Station Regional on Friday at Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.

Designated hitter Kimble Schuessler had an impressive day at the plate, reaching base five times in five at bats with three hits, two doubles, and three runs scored. In addition to Flores delivering the big blow in the fifth, the bottom of the lineup came through, too, with catcher Rylan Galvan, center fielder Will Gasparino, and second baseman Dee Kennedy combining for seven RBI.

The first opportunity to do some damage fell to Texas in the second when Schuessler chopped a ground ball over the Louisiana third baseman’s head for a one-out double and advanced to third on a groundout by left fielder Porter Brown. With two outs, Galvan drew a five-pitch walk, followed by another chopper off the bat of Gasparino, who made the play close at first on a strong play at third and a good stretch at first base.

After striking out the side in the first inning and ultimately retiring the first four batters in order, Texas right-hander Max Grubbs got some help from Galvan behind the plate, throwing out Duncan Pastore trying to steal second following a walk, a play that Galvan made even though the pitch was in the dirt. It saved a run when Louisiana third baseman Lee Amedee followed Pastore by sending a hanging slider from Grubbs into the right-center bleachers for a 420-foot home run.

The Longhorns couldn’t come through in the third, either, when first baseman Jared Thomas hit a one-out single through the shift and promptly stole second base. But Flores flied out weakly to center field and third baseman Peyton Powell battled Louisiana right-hander Carson Fluno with five straight foul balls before hitting a sharp humpback liner directly at the right fielder.

Although Grubbs set down the first two batters in the third, he wasn’t able to retire Louisiana first baseman Trey LaFleur, who extended on a pitch out over the plate and hit it over the right-field bleachers for a sole home run with an exit velocity of 111 mph and a 2-0 lead.

Schuessler got into scoring position again with one out in the fourth on his second consecutive double of the game, putting more pressure on the bottom of the lineup. Brown came through with a better at bat, hitting a grounder deep into the hole, forcing shortstop Kyle DeBarge to throw late to third in a futile attempt to cut down Schuessler. Galvan came through, too, lacing a hanging slider off the wall in left field to score Schuessler and put runners on second and third for Gasparino. Fluno got a 1-1 pitch well into the hands of Gasparino, but the blooper was well placed in front of the Louisiana second baseman for a fourth straight hit for Texas, although neither runner was able to advance. Second baseman Dee Kennedy made it five straight hits through the left side of the Cajuns’ infield to drive in Galvan and Brown to take a 3-2 lead and drive Fluno from the game.

Louisiana head coach Matt Deggs called on right-hander David Christie out of the bullpen, his most-used pitcher this season. Christie quickly settled things down, retiring Thomas on a line drive slicing slightly towards left center and then working around a walk to Flores by striking out Powell on a nasty breaking ball.

Grubbs got into trouble on his first pitch of the fourth inning, allowing a double by DeBarge down the left-field line and conceding a walk on an 11-pitch at bat, prompting a visit from Pierce. Able to get the ball down in the zone more effectively, Grubbs induced a fielder’s choice and a double play to escape the jam and maintain the lead.

The Longhorns completely unraveled Christie in the fifth inning, dealing the experienced reliever his worst outing of the season. Belyeu led off with a single, Schuessler followed with a bunt single, and Brown drew a walk to load the bases for Galvan, who drew a walk. Gasparino struck out as Christie recovered temporarily, but the defense let him down when DeBarge was unable to get an out on a potential double play he bobbled. A nice piece of hitting by Thomas produced a single to right field on a pitch down and in, which seemed to shake Christie. At the least, the result of his next pitch, a hanging breaking ball to Flores, was unambiguous — Flores launched it for his third grand slam of the season, extending the lead to 10-2 with the seven-run inning.

After the high-pressure pitches Grubbs made in the fourth, the Texas starter didn’t respond well in the fifth with the eight-run lead, allowing two singles, walking the bases loaded, and then hitting LaFleur to bring up DeBarge with the bases still full. DeBarge settled for a sacrifice fly and a six-run deficit as Grubbs got the final out on a grounder to first to limit the damage.

In a bad sign for the Ragin’ Cajuns bullpen for the remainder of the regional, the Longhorns forced two pitching changes in the sixth, the first after consecutive walks sandwiched around a wild pitch and the second after a walk to load the bases and a long two-run single by Gasparino into the left-center gap.

After that, Texas right-hander Cade O’Hara allowed a single run in the seventh by the Ragin’ Cajuns before right-hander Andre Duplantier retired the final eight batters, striking out four and allowing one hit.

With the win, the Longhorns move on to face the host Aggies on Saturday at 8 p.m. Central on a network to be determined in the matchup the regional was designated to create.