The red-hot postseason for sophomore shortstop Adrian Rodriguez continued on Monday at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha as the No. 6 Texas Longhorns extended their stay in the College World Series with a convincing 14-2 win over the Alabama Crimson Tide.
In the seventh postseason game for Rodriguez, the Flower Mound product recorded his seventh straight multi-hit performance, going 5-for-5 with seven RBI in hitting for just the third cycle in CWS history after a scoring decision review turned a second-inning double into a triple.
Rodriguez combined with the two batters in front of him — freshman left fielder Anthony Pack Jr. and junior designated hitter Ethan Mendoza — to go 11-for-14 (.786) with six runs and 13 of the 14 RBI recorded by the Longhorns. In recording 13 hits overall, Texas went 8-for-17 (.471) with runners in scoring position and 9-for-21 (.429) with runners on base, evidence of the extent to which the Horns improved their mental process at the plate after getting sped up in Saturday’s loss to the Diamond Dogs.
Texas also got a quality start from senior right-hander Ruger Riojas, the third straight from the 6’0, 195-pounder after battling shoulder tendinitis last month. Riojas threw 105 pitches over six innings, allowing two runs on six walks with seven strikeouts and two walks, putting the Horns in a positive to win without extending the bullpen after the offense gifted him three runs in the first inning and four runs in the second inning.
To open the game, Riojas worked off his lively fastball at 95 to 96 miles per hour, mixing in two different breaking ******* to keep Alabama hitters off balance. Shortstop Justin Lebron did record a one-out single up the middle and a two-out stolen base, but the depth on a 1-2 breaking ball from Riojas induced the third strikeout in the frame.
In the seventh postseason game for Rodriguez, the Flower Mound product recorded his seventh straight multi-hit performance, going 5-for-5 with seven RBI in hitting for just the third cycle in CWS history after a scoring decision review turned a second-inning double into a triple.
Rodriguez combined with the two batters in front of him — freshman left fielder Anthony Pack Jr. and junior designated hitter Ethan Mendoza — to go 11-for-14 (.786) with six runs and 13 of the 14 RBI recorded by the Longhorns. In recording 13 hits overall, Texas went 8-for-17 (.471) with runners in scoring position and 9-for-21 (.429) with runners on base, evidence of the extent to which the Horns improved their mental process at the plate after getting sped up in Saturday’s loss to the Diamond Dogs.
Texas also got a quality start from senior right-hander Ruger Riojas, the third straight from the 6’0, 195-pounder after battling shoulder tendinitis last month. Riojas threw 105 pitches over six innings, allowing two runs on six walks with seven strikeouts and two walks, putting the Horns in a positive to win without extending the bullpen after the offense gifted him three runs in the first inning and four runs in the second inning.
To open the game, Riojas worked off his lively fastball at 95 to 96 miles per hour, mixing in two different breaking ******* to keep Alabama hitters off balance. Shortstop Justin Lebron did record a one-out single up the middle and a two-out stolen base, but the depth on a 1-2 breaking ball from Riojas induced the third strikeout in the frame.
5 months ago
