Two years isn’t a very long time, unless you’re waiting for the next Harry Potter book or the Texas Longhorns to get back to the College World Series. Luckily, the Horns are as loaded as I was the other night.
Augie Garrido‘s squad set a new Big 12 standard this season with 21 conference wins against only six losses, going 42-14 overall, and the recently announced all-conference team has a distinct burnt-orange tincture: first baseman Chance Wheeless, third baseman Bradley Suttle, catcher Preston Clark, outfielder Kyle Russell, and pitcher Adrian Alaniz. Pitchers James Russell and Randy Boone were good enough for the second team, while outfielder Jordan Danks, DH Russell Moldenhauer, and second baseman Travis Tucker rated honorable mention. That’s right, six of the Horns’ eight starting position players won some sort of postseason accolade. As Harold or Kumar might say, they don’t suck. Russell’s monster year, leading the en-tar nation in home runs with 27, the Big 12 in RBIs with 33, and posting a .358 batting average, landed the Tomball sophomore Big 12 Player of the Year and put him in the catbird seat for the Dick Howser Award, given to the bestest player in all of college baseball. Alaniz pulled down Big 12 Pitcher of the Year with a 12-2 record, 2.47 ERA in 94.2 innings, and 83 strikeouts against 28 walks; he’s one of 10 finalists for the Roger “Moneybags” Clemens Award for the country’s top collegiate hurler. Oh, and Garrido took Coach of the Year, giving the Horns a clean sweep of the major awards. Hook ’em.
So, all in all, they’re in decent shape heading into this week’s Big 12 tournament at the Bricktown ballpark in the capital of that state north of here. And how: at the moment they’ve hung a 10-spot on No. 8 Kansas State in the bottom of the fourth to go up 11-4. Because the tournament uses the bizarre “pool” format instead of straight elimination games, Texas’ schedule is set: tomorrow vs. Texas A&M at 4:30pm, Saturday vs. Nebraska at 1pm, and, hopefully, the championship game against the winner of the other pool (most likely Missouri) Sunday at 1pm. All games air on AM 1300. Post-tourney, Texas is a lock to host at least a regional on the road to Omaha, which due to the renovations at Disch-Falk Field would be at the Dell Diamond. Should the Horns advance, the superregional would be at Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi. Road trip!
Update: Horns pounce Wildcats by the football-like tally of 19-10.
This article appears in May 18 • 2007.