June 1, 2009
From Army Athletic Communications
AUSTIN, TEXAS - Preston Clark blasted a game-winning grand slam with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning to cap a wild eight-run rally as No. 1 national seed Texas avoided a major upset by battling from behind in its last at-bat to defeat Army 14-10 in a "championship" game of the Austin Regional, Sunday night at UFCU Dish-Falk Field.
Army was the first Patriot League team to make it to the finals of an NCAA Regional, or to win two games in regional action.
Playing before a partisan home crowd of 7,034, the Longhorns entered the bottom of the ninth inning trailing 10-6, but rallied against Army pitchers Matt Fouch and Kevin McKague for the dramatic victory. The comeback win ended Army's magical run through the Austin Regional, two outs and one victory shy of reaching the NCAA's Super Regional. The Black Knights forced their way into the first regional final in school history earlier on Sunday by ousting third-seeded Boston College from the competition with a hardfought 4-3 verdict. The Black Knights would have forced a second "championship" game on Monday with a defeat of the Longhorns Sunday night.
"You have to congratulate The University of Texas," said Army head coach Joe Sottolano. "The way they competed all night long, they didn't give up. They scrapped and fought, and they came up with big hits when they needed to. Obviously they are a team that is on a mission, and we tip our caps and wish them well.
"On our side, I couldn't ask for anything better in terms of the way we competed and the way we went about our business. We've been waiting all weekend long for our offense to show up and really perform. I kept saying we can hit, and I'm hoping that there's nobody here who doesn't believe that."
Playing less than three hours after its emotional defeat of Boston College, Army raced out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning against Texas starter Taylor Jungman. Andy Ernesto singled, advanced to third on Clint Moore's double down the third-base line and scored on an RBI groundout to second base by Joey Henshaw. Moore moved to third on the play and scored moments later on a wild pitch. It marked only the second time all year that the Longhorns yielded a run a home in the first inning on its home field.
Texas scored three runs on three hits against Army starter Steve Cummings in the second inning. Brandon Belt doubled down the left-field line, Clark singled up the middle to chase home Belt and Travis Tucker drove in two runs with an infield single.
Army responded with a pair of runs in the third inning to move back in front 4-3. The Black Knights loaded the bases against Jungman on a leadoff single by J.T. Watkins, a single by Andy Ernesto and a walk by Moore. Henshaw then drew a walk to force in the first run of the inning. McKague's RBI groundout delivered Ernesto with the second run of the stanza.
The Black Knights (36-21) stretched their cushion to 6-3 in the fourth as Kyle Fleming walked, advanced to third on a single by Watkins and scored on a single to left field by Zach Price that chased Jungman. Moore's RBI groundout provided Army with a three-run cushion.
A run-scoring single by Belt in the fifth inched the Longhorns to within 6-4. Tyler Anderegg, who tossed 1.1 innings of perfect relief against Boston College earlier in the day, bailed Cummings out of trouble later in the fifth, avoiding further damage after entering the game with runners at second and third and one out. Anderegg left the bases full by retiring Clark on a slow roller in front of home plate and striking out Cameron Rupp to end the uprising.
Army tacked on a run in the seventh as McKague ripped a triple to the gap in right-center field and Ben Koenigsfeld smacked a run-scoring single to center field. A two-run home run by Texas outfielder Kevin Keyes, after Clark reached on an error to open the inning, carried the Longhorns to within 7-6 in the bottom of the seventh.
The Black Knights appeared to blow the game open in the top of the eighth as Watkins was hit by a pitch and Moore smashed a blistering line-drive home run over the left-center field wall against Kendal Carrillo. Henshaw followed with a monstrous home run to straightaway center field against Carrillo. The massive solo blast, only the 40th homer to ever clear the 50-foot batter's eye in center field at Disch-Falk Field, built Army's lead to 10-6. Henshaw also broke Army's single season school record for longballs with his 13th round-tripper of the season.
After Fouch worked a scoreless eighth inning, Texas (44-13-1) mounted its final assault in the ninth. Keyes drew a leadoff walk, Cameron Rupp singled to right field and pinch-hitter Tant Shepherd hit a slow roller to short that went for an infield hit, loading the bases. David Hernandez's RBI grounder brought home Keyes with the first run of the inning and Travis Tucker walked to re-load the bases. Brandon Loy then tied the score with a bases-clearing double off the left-center field wall.
McKague, who saved Army's win over Boston College earlier in the day, relieved Fouch and issued consecutive walks to Michael Torres and Belt to load the bases once again. Clark than lined his walk-off grand slam just inside the left-field foul pole to end the game.
"I think the finish wouldn't have been nearly as exciting if it hadn't been for the tremendous, competitive play of Army," stated Texas head coach Augie Garrido. "They set that up with outstanding effort. They hit the ball hard. They hit it far. They hit it often. They hit it off the ground. They hit it when it was in the air. They hit it off the fence. They hit it over the fence. They really did a great job this game. We're fortunate to win and it was a dramatic win."
Fouch, who suffered the loss to Texas across seven solid innings during Friday night's 3-1 first-round setback, was tagged with the loss again Sunday. He was touched for five runs on three hits over 1.1 innings out of the Black Knights' bullpen. Cummings permitted four runs on seven hits over 4.1 innings, while Anderegg allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits over 2.2 innings.
Ernesto went 3-for-5 with two runs scored, while Price, Moore, McKague, Koenigsfeld and Watkins finished with two hits each to lead Army's 14-hit showing at the plate. Moore and Henshaw registered three runs batted in apiece, while Watkins scored three runs as Army became only the second team this year to reach double figures in runs against the nation's top pitching staff.
Despite falling just short of forcing a one-game playoff for the Austin Regional championship, Army enjoyed arguably the finest season in school history. The Black Knights notched two wins in regional play for the first time in school history and fell just three wins shy of the single season school record for victories established in 2005.
"We obviously knew when we came down here that people would respect us because of what these gentlemen wear across their chest," added Sottolano. "That certainly commands respect. But each and every one of these individuals that leaves this field wants to be remembered as a great baseball player and a great team. And I hope when this is done and when we leave, people just don't look at this as a great effort. I want them to realize this is a very good Army team and these guys can play. They represent everything that's right in this country, and I'm privileged to be a part of that."
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