No. 5 Texas forces winner-take-all game, defeats No. 10 Golden Eagles on Sunday

No. 5 Texas forces winner-take-all game, defeats No. 10 Golden Eagles on Sunday

By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information

AUSTIN, Texas – There will be a game three between No. 10 Tennessee Tech and No. 5 Texas, a spot in Omaha and the NCAA College Baseball World Series hanging in the balance after the Longhorns (41-21) defeated the Golden Eagles (53-11) on Sunday, 4-2.

Texas starter Chase Shugart and reliever Blair Henley kept the nation's top offense off balance throughout the contest, while the Longhorn offense scored just enough to force the winner-take-all contest on Sunday, June 11. First pitch is scheduled for noon CT at UFCU-Disch Falk Field.

Tech ace Travis Moths surrendered individual runs in each of the first three innings, but got into a groove in the fourth. The senior retired 11 straight Longhorns from the end of the third frame to the beginning of the seventh.

Moths allowed one more run in the seventh before being lifted with two outs and a pair on, finishing the day with six and two thirds innings of work, four earned runs, six hits four walks and five strikeouts. Colton Provey took over on the hill, finishing the final two and one third innings for the Golden Eagles with one hit allowed and a strike out.

With Texas leading 2-0 in the bottom of the second, Tech answered with its first run as senior Chase Chambers came across home plate on a throwing error by the Longhorns. The Golden Eagles were held to just one more hit until the seventh, when senior shortstop David Garza blasted his 17th home run of the season to left center field on the first pitch offered by Henley.

The Golden Eagles will look to become the first Ohio Valley Conference team to advance to the College World Series on Monday, matching up with the Longhorns one final time with first pitch scheduled for 12:04 p.m. Fans can follow the live broadcast on the ESPN2 or on 106.1 The Eagle with Dylan Vazzano on the call.

Photo by Thomas Corhern