In a thrilling start to the Big 12 Tournament at Globe Life Field, Texas Tech triumphed over Texas with a 6-4 win, thanks to Cade McGee’s pivotal two-run homer in the top of the ninth inning on Tuesday night. This defeat places Texas, seeded 10th, in a precarious position, facing an elimination game against Cincinnati on Wednesday.
The Longhorns, with a season record of 35-21, now face a do-or-die scenario.
"All season, we've had our backs against the wall a lot," remarked UT infielder Jack O'Dowd. "This is a situation that we've been in before. We just need to kind of lean on that experience and lean on how comfortable we are with our backs against the wall and just trust what we've done all year."
Both teams showcased their power early on, trading home runs in the opening innings. Texas Tech’s Drew Woodcox and Austin Green, along with Texas’s O'Dowd and Jared Thomas, each hit homers within the first four innings. Max Belyeu further contributed to Texas's offense with a two-run double, keeping the game tightly contested at 4-4. UT centerfielder Will Gasparino’s spectacular catch in the fifth inning, robbing a potential home run, maintained the tie until McGee’s game-changing hit in the ninth.
McGee's homer, which bounced off the foul pole with one out and a runner on base, marked the decisive moment, overshadowing a strong performance by UT reliever Andre Duplantier II. Duplantier pitched four innings, allowing three hits and striking out six. Reflecting on Duplantier’s outing, Texas coach David Pierce noted, "He literally made one bad pitch tonight. His cutter just backed up on him, and the kid put a good swing on it."
Despite outhitting Texas Tech 9-8, the Longhorns struggled to capitalize on their opportunities, stranding 10 runners, including several in scoring positions during the crucial final innings.
"It's pretty obvious that it's frustrating," Pierce admitted. "You can credit them for making pitches, and we just didn't get it done."
The loss continues a troubling trend for Texas at MLB venues, having now lost seven straight games at Globe Life Field since the 2022 Big 12 championship game. Additionally, they went winless in three games at Houston’s Minute Maid Park this season.
As Texas prepares to face Cincinnati, which lost to Central Florida in extra innings, they must quickly adapt to secure a victory and keep their tournament hopes alive. This upcoming game marks the first-ever meeting between Texas and Cincinnati, adding another layer of uncertainty to the Longhorns’ critical match.
