March 14, 2003
AUSTIN, Texas - Texas second baseman Tim Moss scored on a pair of leadoff walks to kick-start the defending National Champion Texas Longhorns to a 4-1 win over Missouri in the Big 12 Conference opener for both teams Friday night at Disch-Falk Field.
Junior righty Justin James (Yukon, Okla.) opened the game in perfect form, retiring the first nine batters he faced with four strikeouts - including three straight spanning the first and second innings.
Joe Ferin led off the bottom of the third for the Longhorns with a bunt attempt that popped up behind and to the left of James. Junior 1B Cody Ehlers (Stillwater, Okla.) ranged to his right and dove behind the mound to snag the popup.
While James remained perfect through three, the Tigers drew first blood offensively in the top of the fourth when junior SS Ian Kinsler (Tucson, Ariz.) walked with one out, stole second and was singled home by junior 2B Jeremy Hernandez (Aptos, Calif.) on a 2-1 count. Junior C Brad Flanders (Smithville, Mo.) then was hit by UT starter Danny Muegge with two outs, yet the Horns got out of the jam on a long fly to left by Ehlers.
Tim Moss broke up the perfect game to lead off the fourth with a walk, and advanced to second on a passed ball. Both Omar Quintanilla and Dustin Majewski grounded out to Hernandez to score Moss and tie the game before Scott Dodge grounded out to Ehlers to end the inning.
Longhorn backstop Taylor Teagarden broke up the no-hitter in the next inning with a leadoff double to right-center. J.D. Reininger sacrificed him to third, and after Ferin struck out, Eric Sultemeier singled to left to score Teagarden and give Texas a 2-1 lead.
Moss led off the Longhorn half of the sixth with a walk, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by Flanders on a stolen-base attempt. He scored on a one-out triple to right-center by Majewski, who then scored on a Teagarden two-out single.
Muegge yielded to Brantley Jordan, who retired the only two batters he faced - including Tingler on a diving grab in right-center by Ferin to end Tingler's 14-game hitting streak - before 2002 College World Series MVP Huston Street entered and struck out Kinsler to end the eighth. He pitched the final 1-1/3 innings for his third save.
James gave up a leadoff single to Moss in the eighth before being relieved by left-handed Texas native Taylor Parker (Bellaire, Texas). Parker promptly picked Moss off first before striking out Quintanilla and Majewski to end the inning. James went seven innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits and and a pair of walks. He struck out seven Horns.
"Justin pitched really well - you can't fault his effort," said Head Coach Tim Jamieson. "Their defense did a great job. They really took a couple of extra-base hits from us, and they were just a little bit better than us tonight."
The Tigers and Longhorns will square off again Saturday at 2 p.m. in the middle game of the series. Andy Shipman (1-1, 3.43 ERA) is tentatively scheduled to go up against UT's J.P. Howell (3-0, 1.15).