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Zubia, Melendez delivered clutch hits and Texas stayed alive in Omaha

OMAHA - The previous 64 games prepared the Longhorns (49-16) for tonight. Weather delayed the start for hours. Texas watched Virginia’s Mike Vasil, who entered the game with 7.32 ERA across his last 35.2 innings, do extremely awkward Trevor Bauer celebrations on the mound as he dominated Texas hitters for 7.0 innings. Late in the game, it felt like the momentum and confidence sided with the Cavaliers.

But all season the No. 2 overall seed Longhorns have figured out a way. They’ve never lacked belief. They never allow their frustration to boil over. Hardly ever have they lacked focus and allowed what’s happening in one area of the game to affect another. They don’t get down on themselves. Perhaps there are no better current examples than Ivan Melendez and Zach Zubia, two power hitters in the middle of the Texas lineup who entered tonight trying to shake some funks in the batter’s box.

Zubia celebrates his bases-clearing double. (@TexasBaseball)
Zubia celebrates his bases-clearing double. (@TexasBaseball)
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“They're just such factors in our lineup because they're the bangers,” David Pierce stated about Melendez and Zubia. “We've got some speed guys, and they've got to be the guys that are able to get the runners in and clutch hit. Just really, hats off to both of them for continuing to put the work in and giving themselves and our team an opportunity there.”

Tonight, or I should say extremely early this morning, the Longhorns simply kept playing, kept competing, and they kept winning. Ivan Melendez broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth inning after Zubia’s walk and Zubia delivered the late dagger in the ninth. Texas stayed alive in the College World Series by defeating Virginia, 6-2. And there was never a single moment when they acted like they’d lose the game.

“No,” responded Pierce when asked if he ever sensed frustration from his team during the game. “We're playing in Omaha for a national championship. They're pumped. We tell them as well, we don't want it easy. It's going to be hard. We understand it. They're going to have blows. We're going to have to accept them and just keep playing.

“So, I didn't sense anything like that. And I pay attention. I just watch the bench and see the reactions. And at times they'll get frustrated right after an at-bat. They have the ability to get over it and go play defense. So, pretty special group right now.”

Melendez sparked the first run-scoring frame of the game when he led off the top of the second by pulling a 2-0 fastball hard down the line for a leadoff double. After Trey Faltine walked with one out, Douglas Hodo pulled an 0-2 breaking ball into left field to score Melendez and put Texas ahead, 1-0. Although the Longhorns, thanks to a two-out wild pitch, were able to grab a 2-0 lead in the top of the fifth, their offense couldn’t figure out Vasil, who was feeling himself so much his antics on the mound increased with each scoreless frame, which had to drive the Texas dugout nuts.

Virginia tied the game in the bottom of the fifth when Chris Newell smashed a two-run homer out to right field. In the sixth inning, the Cavaliers threatened to chase Hansen from the game and take the lead. But in a game filled with unusual and at the same type spectacular defensive plays, perhaps the one Texas completed in the sixth inning was the biggest.

With one out and a runner on second, Virginia (36-27) shortstop Nic Kent, who made some incredible plays with his glove, smashed a rocket towards Hansen. Initially, it looked like it drilled the UT starting pitcher, but at the last moment, he was able to defensively react to lift his glove and block the liner, which sent it flying towards Trey Faltine. Despite the scary visual and unusual play, Faltine remained focused, fielded the ball, and immediately fired to Cam Williams at third base who was ready to slap on the tag. Pierce came out of the dugout to make a pitching change with two outs, and Cole Quintanilla kept the game tied after six complete.

Despite struggling with the bats, Texas didn’t take its offensive issues onto the field defensively. Once again, Virginia tested Silas Ardoin by attempting a steal with one out in the bottom of the seventh, and Ardoin was up for the challenge. Thanks to a fantastic snag and tag by Faltine, Ardoin gunned down another runner, his second caught stealing of the game, to ruin a potential Virginia rally. The throw and tag seemingly pumped a jolt into the entire Texas roster, and Texas would take the lead the next time it came to the plate.

“I think we're doing things right. We're doing some great things on offense. Doing some great things on defense,” Zubia stated. “And we've just got to continue to use that and just keep on focusing and just keep on with the same mentality and same approach.”

Virginia brought in stud reliever Matt Wyatt in the top of the eighth inning and Mike Antico greeted him with a one-out single. What followed was a lengthy battle between Wyatt and his aggressive pickoff throws and Antico threatening to steal second. Eventually, Antico won the battle when he picked a 1-2 pitch to run on and stole second base without a throw. Zubia kept the inning alive with a walk on a 3-2 breaking ball that missed, and before Melendez could step to the plate, Pierce called him over.

“He just came up to me and told me he wanted me to slow the game down, slow my heart rate down, and tell me how great a hitter I am before I got in the box,” said Melendez about the meeting.

Melendez, who has been swinging the bat well in Omaha and just missed a couple homers earlier in the trip, jumped on a first pitch with a shortened swing and smacked a RBI single up the middle to give his team a 3-2 lead.

Following a walk by Mitchell Daly, it appeared Faltine would put Texas ahead by at least two runs when he pulled a hard grounder deep into the hole at short. Kent did what Faltine has done to so many hitters and ranged over to make an incredible stop before throwing to third for the force out to keep UT from increasing its lead.

Kent was again up to his usual defensive sorcery in the top of the ninth inning when he upstaged his previous plays with one of the best plays you’ll ever see.

READ THE REST OF OUR COVERAGE AND DISCUSS TEXAS BASEBALL INSIDE THE 40 ACRES

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