Texas Eliminates Virginia in Omaha
By Steve Parkhurst
June 25, 2021
OMAHA — A rain delay of nearly four hours pushed back the start of Thursday night’s elimination game between Texas and Virginia. The storm rolling over Omaha provided some pastels and scenery that was perfect for the game that was about to unfold once the storm moved out.
Mike Vasil took the mound for Virginia while Pete Hansen opposed him for Texas.
Ivan Melendez (2-for-5) led off the second inning with a double down the left field line. One out later, a walk put two runners on base. Douglas Hodo III singled into left field to score Melendez from second base.
Still leading 1–0 in the fifth, Eric Kennedy singled to right field, but the ball was misplayed by the right fielder allowing an extra base on the error. After a single into shallow center field by Silas Ardoin put runners on the corners, a wild pitch brought Kennedy home to give Texas a 2–0 lead.
Chris Newell launched a high, arching blast into the bullpen behind the right field wall to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth.
Hansen departed the mound with two outs in the sixth with a runner on first as Cole Quintanilla took the mound.
Matt Wyatt took the mound in place of Vasil to start the eighth inning. Mike Antico singled and eventually stole second base. A walk to Zach Zubia followed. With two outs, a single up the middle by Melendez scored Antico from second base and gave Texas a late 3–2 lead. Before stepping into the batter’s box, head coach David Pierce called Melendez down the third base line for a word.
“He wanted to slow the game down, slow my heart rate down and tell me how great of a hitter I am before I got in the box,” said Melendez.
The Longhorns then loaded the bases, but were unable to capitalize further.
Quintanilla got one out in the eighth before leaving the game and Aaron Nixon took the mound with a runner on second base. Nixon’s first pitch broke in on the left-handed batting Kyle Teel (3-for-3) and hit him on the leg. Nixon then induced a double-play ground ball to shortstop Trey Faltine to end the frame.
After a lead off walk to start the ninth, the Cavaliers went to the bullpen once again. Kennedy put down what should have been a sacrifice bunt, but he out-ran the throw over to first base. Ardoin was then hit by a pitch as he was attempting to bunt, and the Longhorns had the bases loaded with no outs. After a defensive gem by shortstop Nic Kent cut down a run at home plate, then a strike out of Cam Williams, Zach Zubia worked the count full before driving a ball to the wall in left-center to clear the bases with a double and put Texas in front 6–2.
“I wasn’t looking for anything specific, I was just ready to react to whatever pitch was thrown and trying to get that run in any way possible,” said Zubia. “Who doesn’t like a bases clearing double at the very end of the game to kind of solidify a win?”
Nixon got the final out of the ninth at around 1am in Omaha, facing just four batters in the final frame to close out the win and pick up his ninth save of the season in the 6–2 win.
“We’re playing in Omaha for a national championship,” said Pierce, addressing the possible frustration among his team over the inability to score runs more frequently and missing big opportunities. “We don’t want it easy, it’s going to be hard, we understand it.”
“Just keep playing,” Pierce added.
Texas (49–16) will keep playing. The Longhorns prepare to face Mississippi State on Friday evening for the second time this week. Pierce indicated that All-American right-hander Ty Madden would get the start on Friday, but he was not willing to fully commit to that during postgame comments.
Virginia finishes its season with a final record of 36–27.
