AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas pitchers Lebarron Johnson Jr. and Gage Boehm kept the TCU Horned Frogs’ offense in check for a 2-1 win Sunday to seal a series victory at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
Both teams did all their scoring in the second inning. TCU took a 1-0 lead after Sam Myers scampered home on a wild pitch by Johnson, but the Longhorns answered in the bottom half with a 2-run double by first baseman Casey Borba. Johnson and Boehm made the lead stand up from there.
Johnson threw 6 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts and four walks, allowing a run on three hits. It was his longest outing since March 22 against Baylor and third-highest strikeout total of the season.
“My last few starts have been a little depressing, but I can’t focus on that. I’ve got to focus on being there for my team,” Johnson said. “Pitching is all mental really, and I’ve got six days to think about a start, but to be able to move on and be present for my team is the biggest thing I’ve learned.”
Boehm didn’t allow a hit after taking over on the mound, finishing the game with a strikeout and two walks to earn his fourth save of the season. Of the eight outs he made, six were flyouts.
Texas assistant coach Steve Rodriguez said the fight the team has displayed following a bad midweek loss to UT-Rio Grande Valley and Friday’s series-opening loss is huge.
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“It has been really impressive,” he said. “Sometimes you look at final scores you can come to some conclusions, but what Coach (David) Pierce has done an amazing job of is keeping the guys in the fight … a great example of that is watching LBJ to what he did today. He knew he was scuffling a bit, but he comes out and pitches one of his best games in one of the biggest times of the year for us.”
Rodriguez doesn’t typically speak in postgame press conferences, but Pierce was unavailable after being ejected between the seventh and eighth innings. Texas had a run wiped off the board due to a runner’s interference call after the umpires ruled a ground ball hit Peyton Powell in fair territory. Pierce wanted a replay review but was told the play was not reviewable, and then he continued to argue.
Jared Thomas hit a one-out triple and the Longhorns looked primed to tack on another run, but Max Belyeu’s sharp grounder through the right side with two outs was ruled to have hit Powell and ended the inning.
Thomas ended the game with two hits and the Longhorns outhit the Horned Frogs 6-3. After not hitting Friday, Borba put together a great pair of games at the plate, going a combined 4-for-7 with two doubles and five RBIs. Texas (24-17, 11-7 Big 12) left nine runners on base to TCU’s eight and the Longhorns had two hits with runners in scoring position. TCU didn’t have any.
Texas ends a five-game homestand at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday against Texas Arlington before heading to Norman to take on the league-leading Sooners for a three-game series starting Friday.