Fall Ball Update for October 18th

Here is your update on Fall Baseball Scrimmage Action for October 18th. Click on the links below for more information.

Wake Forest
Georgia Tech
Washington
Xavier
Miami (OH)
Wayne State

More 2008 Schedules

The College Baseball Blog has come across some more 2008 Baseball Schedules. The schedules are linked below.

Dayton
East Carolina
Ohio
Columbia
Miami (OH)
Hawaii-Hilo

Texas takes series from Miami with rain-shortened win

Joseph Krebs is happy.

It's not just how he's throwing the ball.

It's not just his consistency.

Krebs, the Texas Longhorns' best relief pitcher throughout the season, is comfortable with the way everything is going right now.

He proved that again Sunday as he came on in relief to pitch 2 1/3 innings and help the Longhorns beat Miami University 10-4 in a five-inning, rain-shortened game at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. Texas won the final two games of the series after dropping the opener Friday.

The Redhawks (3-6) were mounting a comeback in the third inning, trailing 6-3 with one out and runners on second and third when Krebs (3-0) entered. He got Jeff Carroll to ground out to third, which scored a run to make it 6-4, and induced Chris Niro into another groundout to end the threat.

Krebs is happy in the long-relief role, but his lights-out dominance has coach Augie Garrido thinking about switching Krebs' role.

"Coach (Skip) Johnson and myself are going to have to talk to see if we're getting the right number of innings out of him," Garrido said. "We might need to move him into a starting role. With Keith Shinaberry's performance and Pat McCrory's performance and Randy Boone, Krebs might be able to take that third starter role and run with it."

While Krebs' role might be changing, the Longhorns' lineup might be set. Texas (15-7) pounded out 14 hits in four-plus innings at the plate, putting together a six-run second inning to take control.

Travis Tucker was 3 for 3 with four RBIs and Nick Peoples, who was moved to the nine spot, went 3 for 3 with three RBIs. The addition of DH Russell Moldenhauer and shortstop Josh Prince, who went 5 for 5 during Saturday's victory, has made the Horns' lineup extremely dangerous heading into Big 12 play.

"You have an opportunity to get a rally going, keep a rally going from beginning to end," Garrido said.

After a Wednesday matchup against Winthrop, the Longhorns open Big 12 play against Baylor on Friday.

Garrido is just two wins away from 1,600 for his career, and chances are he will reach the milestone against Baylor, one of Texas' biggest rivals.

Texas Recap
Texas Scout.com Recap
Austin-American Statesman Recap
Miami (OH) Recap

Adrian Alaniz pitches a gem

He pulled out the memory Friday night, as he often does to pump himself up and get ready for a start.

Texas pitcher Adrian Alaniz took out the DVD of his best performance as a Longhorn and sat down to view the masterpiece.

"I watched the final two innings of my no-hitter against Oklahoma," Alaniz said Saturday.

Now he's got another tape to watch.

Alaniz didn't throw a no-hitter Saturday, but his complete-game two-hitter against Miami of Ohio keyed the Horns' 10-0 victory at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.

"It's kind of funny that I pulled that one out," Alaniz said of his 2005 performance against Oklahoma. "The performances were really similar. I was just getting ahead of the hitters and throwing all my pitches for strikes. I really didn't do anything different than I did in any of my other outings."

It was the way Alaniz threw the ball, with confidence, with control, and for a strike whenever he wanted. It was effortless.

"He threw really good today," Texas pitching coach Skip Johnson said. "I was really proud how he stayed with the process through the whole game. He got his rhythm set early with his fastball, breaking ball and changeup."

Alaniz (5-1) kept Miami (3-5) frustrated all day, changing speeds and mixing pitches effectively to match his pinpoint control. He allowed just four baserunners and at one point retired 15 consecutive batters, a streak that was ended by Josh Prince's throwing error.

The Longhorns (14-7) manufactured two runs in the first and second inning to take a 4-0 lead. They left putting the game away to Kyle Russell.

Russell, who's having an All-America season, hit his ninth home run of the year and third of the series, turning on a two-out, two-strike pitch in the fourth inning for a three-run shot.

"I just closed my eyes and swung," joked Russell, whose four-RBI day tied a career high and brought his season total to 25. "I'm seeing the ball well, that's the only thing I can say. I don't swing as hard when I hit the home runs. My problem last year was I swung too hard. This year I'm catching myself before I do that."

While the Horns seemed to be batting forever, Alaniz worked through the Redhawks' lineup quickly. He needed just 104 pitches to finish the game.

Singles by Jeff Carroll and Jordan Petraitis, a hit batsman and the error were the only blemishes for Alaniz.

Texas Recap
Texas Scout.com Recap
Austin-American Statesman Recap
Miami (OH) Recap

Texas loses to Miami of Ohio

No matter what he did, John Ely couldn't get Kyle Russell out. Russell hit two home runs and a single off Ely, a right-handed starter for Miami University of Ohio.

The problem for the Texas Longhorns was Ely dominated the rest of them with ease.

With his fastball. With his changeup. With his curveball.

Everything Ely threw to the plate seemed to be the perfect pitch as Miami defeated Texas 6-2 on Friday during the first night game at the partially renovated UFCU Disch-Falk Field.

"It feels good to do this against a team like Texas," Ely said. "I just tried to keep my pitches down, attack the strike zone and get ahead of the count."

That's exactly what Ely did, which is why it took him 135 pitches to get through the entire game. He gave up just seven hits.

"The story is more about what they were able to do instead of what we weren't able to do," Texas coach Augie Garrido said. "To take anything away from (Ely) would be unprofessional. It was his night."

The Redhawks jumped on Texas starter James Russell (3-2), scoring two runs in the first and second innings for a 4-0 lead.

"I had a little trouble with location, and the good pitches I made, they put in play," said Russell, who gave up six runs (five earned) and 10 hits in five-plus innings.

Once the Redhawks (3-4) jumped ahead, the Longhorns (13-7) couldn't touch Ely.

The Horns loaded the bases in the second inning with two outs, but Travis Tucker's hard-hit ground ball found the glove of Miami third baseman Jordan Petraitis, who ended the inning with a force at second.

"That was a play of great reflexes," Garrido said. "If that's a hit, the momentum changes right there. But he makes that play, and they keep the momentum."

There were bright spots for Texas. Kyle Russell continued to pound the ball, going 3 for 4, including the solo shots in the sixth and eighth innings. He has eight home runs and 21 RBIs in just 20 games.

Last year Russell started strong before tailing off and finishing with 10 homers and 42 RBIs.

"I'm just sitting here, relaxing, seeing the ball and hitting the ball," he said. "I've experienced tailing off, and I think this year I'm more mature."

The other bright spot was reliever Keith Shinaberry, who pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings, giving up just one walk.

Texas will face Miami again at 2 p.m. today, sending right-hander Adrian Alaniz to the mound to face Connor Graham.

Texas Recap
Austin-American Statesman Recap
Miami (OH) Recap