AUSTIN (KXAN) — In a game that deserved extra innings, a high fly ball that Texas outfielders lost in the Bay Area twilight kept the game from getting there.
Stanford topped Texas 7-6 to win Game 3 of the Stanford super regional Monday, and the run that sent the Longhorns back to Austin came home on what appeared to be a routine pop-up to shallow right-center field.
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Texas pitcher Tanner Witt throws against Stanford in the first inning of an NCAA college baseball tournament super regional game in Stanford, Calif., Monday, June 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) -
Stanford’s Saborn Campbell, bottom, slides into home plate to score a run on a wild pitch by Texas pitcher Zane Morehouse (37) during the second inning of an NCAA college baseball tournament super regional game in Stanford, Calif., Monday, June 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) -
Texas’ Jalin Flores (1), Eric Kennedy (30) and Mitchell Daly, left, celebrate after scoring on a double by Jack O’Dowd against Stanford in the fourth inning of an NCAA college baseball tournament super regional game in Stanford, Calif., Monday, June 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) -
Texas head coach David Pierce (22) argues a call with umpire Kevin Sweeney during the seventh inning of an NCAA college baseball tournament super regional game against Stanford in Stanford, Calif., Monday, June 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) -
Stanford pitcher Joey Dixon reacts after striking out the side in the ninth inning of an NCAA college baseball tournament super regional game against Texas in Stanford, Calif., Monday, June 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) -
Texas third baseman Peyton Powell (15) reacts after tagging out Stanford’s Saborn Campbell (4) in the eighth inning of an NCAA college baseball tournament super regional game in Stanford, Calif., Monday, June 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) -
Texas third baseman Peyton Powell, left, waits for the ball before tagging out Stanford’s Saborn Campbell (4) in the eighth inning of an NCAA college baseball tournament super regional game in Stanford, Calif., Monday, June 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) -
Texas’ Peyton Powell (15) is congratulated by teammates after scoring on a single by Dylan Campbell against Stanford in the eighth inning of an NCAA college baseball tournament super regional game in Stanford, Calif., Monday, June 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) -
Texas’ Peyton Powell, right, hits a double to drive in a run against Stanford in the eighth inning of an NCAA college baseball tournament super regional game in Stanford, Calif., Monday, June 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) -
Texas’ Jack O’Dowd (27) hits a double to drive in three-runs against Stanford in the fourth inning of an NCAA college baseball tournament super regional game in Stanford, Calif., Monday, June 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) -
Texas pitcher Zane Morehouse (37) throws against Stanford in the fourth inning of an NCAA college baseball tournament super regional game in Stanford, Calif., Monday, June 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) -
Stanford’s Carter Graham, left, points to the dugout after hitting a single to drive in a run against Texas in the fourth inning of an NCAA college baseball tournament super regional game in Stanford, Calif., Monday, June 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) -
Stanford’s Braden Montgomery, right, hits a single to drive in two-runs against Texas in the fourth inning of an NCAA college baseball tournament super regional game in Stanford, Calif., Monday, June 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) -
Stanford’s Tommy Troy (12) points to first base after scoring with Temo Becerra (27) on a single by Braden Montgomery against Texas in the fourth inning of an NCAA college baseball tournament super regional game in Stanford, Calif., Monday, June 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) -
Texas shortstop Mitchell Daly, left, tags out Stanford’s Saborn Campbell, bottom right, at third base during the fifth inning of an NCAA college baseball tournament super regional game in Stanford, Calif., Monday, June 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) -
Texas second baseman Jack O’Dowd (27) throws to first base after forcing out Stanford’s Eddie Park, bottom left, for a double play in the sixth inning of an NCAA college baseball tournament super regional game in Stanford, Calif., Monday, June 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) -
Stanford’s Drew Bowser, center, is congratulated by teammates after hitting a two-run home run against Texas in the second inning of an NCAA college baseball tournament super regional game in Stanford, Calif., Monday, June 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) -
Stanford’s Drew Bowser, left, gestures back to the dugout after hitting a two-run home run against Texas in the second inning of an NCAA college baseball tournament super regional game in Stanford, Calif., Monday, June 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) -
Texas pitcher Tanner Witt, left, throws against Stanford’s Carter Graham, right, in the first inning of an NCAA college baseball tournament super regional game in Stanford, Calif., Monday, June 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) -
Stanford pitcher Nick Dugan throws against Texas in the first inning of an NCAA college baseball tournament super regional game in Stanford, Calif., Monday, June 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) -
Stanford pitcher Nick Dugan throws against Texas in the first inning of an NCAA college baseball tournament super regional game in Stanford, Calif., Monday, June 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
Cardinal second baseman Drew Bowser delivered an RBI single to score Alberto Rios for the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth, but it wasn’t a line drive or even a ground ball with eyes. It was a ball hit so high that it blended into the multi-colored Northern California sunset, and Longhorns outfielders Dylan Campbell and Eric Kennedy simply didn’t see it.
“I think everyone lost it. I don’t think anyone saw it,” Longhorns head coach David Pierce said. “It was in the heart of the twilight.”
The ball drove itself into the Sunken Diamond outfield grass, in front of the outfielders, and Rios scored easily from second base to send the Cardinal to the Men’s College World Series and end Texas’ season.
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“I don’t even know. It was Mother Nature and the twilight sky, and me and EK couldn’t see the ball off the bat,” Campbell said. “We have to move forward, I guess. Nothing we can do about it now. It’s over.”
The Longhorns scored three runs in the top of the eighth inning to tie the game at 6-6. Mitchell Daly, Peyton Powell and Campbell drove in runs to even the score, and then Campbell made the defensive play of the game to keep it that way. With one out, Stanford’s Tommy Troy hit a fly ball to Campbell in right field. Campbell handled it with no problem and then unleashed a perfect one-hop throw to Powell at third base, who tagged Saborn Campbell out trying to advance. It ended the inning and kept the teams tied into the ninth.
“I’m just disappointed for our team,” Pierce said. “It’s tough to lose like that and it was such a hard-fought game. The guys played their hearts out.”
Down 3-0 going into the fourth inning, Texas second baseman Jack O’Dowd tied the game with a 3-run double down the right field line. However, the Cardinal answered immediately with three more runs off reliever Zane Morehouse. who entered the game with no outs in the second inning for starter Tanner Witt. Morehouse put forth a valiant effort in his longest outing of the season, throwing 80 pitchers over six innings before Game 1 starting pitcher Lucas Gordon came in.
Gordon gave up a double with two outs to Rios, who initially thought he hit a walk-off home run and barely made it to second base safely amid confusion. Malcolm Moore walked to set up Bowser, who hit a 2-run home run off Witt in the second inning, to be the hero. What went down in the scorebook as an RBI single certainly didn’t look the part, but in the end, it counted the same.
Kennedy went 3-for-5 while O’Dowd, Powell and Campbell had two hits each for the Longhorns. O’Dowd drove in three runs and had a pair of doubles.
Texas finishes the season with a 42-22 record. Stanford, the No. 8 national seed, will meet the top-seeded Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Charles Schwab Field Omaha on June 16 at the Men’s College World Series.
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