Super Regional Game One ends in Texas’ favor

The opening game of the Austin Super Regional didn’t go UH’s way, with the result a 4-2 loss. Now 48-17 on the season, UH is one game away from elimination after being handcuffed by Longhorn pitchers Nathan Thornhill and John Curtiss.

“”I thought it was a well-fought game. I thought Texas came out and played really well and jumped on us in the first inning,” said head coach Todd Whitting, referencing the early two-run homerun by Longhorn Mark Payton. 

Texas head coach Augie Garrido, the man with the most wins as a head coach in NCAA D1 history, seemed slightly taken aback by his own team’s performance.

“Well I think that the two seniors that decided to come back kind of led the way, didn’t they? Nate (Thornhill) pitched really well and Mark’s (Payton) two-hit home run,” Garrido said. “I was asked by an ESPN sideline reporter, “what was my reaction when Mark hit his homerun?” It could only be disbelief. We just haven’t seen any go out of this park — ever. So you just hold your breath.”

Longhorn pitcher Nathan Thornhill put up his eighth win of the season, striking out three over seven innings. Thornhill attributed his success to aggresiveness.

“Just attacking. If I don’t attack, that’s usually when I have my bad days. Whenever I see it, I have to be reminded of it and that’s when I focus on my good days. I talk to myself on the mound quite a bit about attack,” Thornhill said. 

UT, the most succesful baseball program in NCAA history, has seen its fair share of titles, which isn’t something that worries UH. 

“Absolutely not. We’re backed in the corner just like we were last weekend and I feel like if we take it one pitch at a time and go 1-0 tomorrow and then it will be determined on Sunday,” said UH second baseman Josh Vidales. “So we’re just going to scratch and claw and try to win tomorrow and see what happens from there.”

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