Texas wins State Farm Lone Star Showdown series opener at Texas A&M
By: Brandon Dunn
Updated: May 19, 2011
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Taylor Jungmann improved to a perfect 12-0 on the season and threw his fourth complete game as the No. 5 Texas Longhorns recorded a 4-2 comeback win over the No. 11 Texas A&M Aggies at Olsen Field in the first game of the State Farm Lone Star Showdown series. The Longhorns (39-12, 18-7 Big 12) and the Aggies (37-17, 18-7) share the lead in the Big 12 Conference heading into the final pair of regular season games on Friday and Saturday before seeds are announced for next week's league championship in Oklahoma City, Okla.
Jungmann's win marked his 14th-straight dating back to the 2010 postseason and continues the second-longest active win streak in the nation.
Texas A&M drew first blood in the bottom of the third inning. Andrew Collazo laced a single into the gap in right centerfield and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Tyler Naquin. After Krey Bratsen struck out looking, Matt Juengel plated Collazo with a single to leftfield for the 1-0 lead.
The Aggies inflated the cushion to 2-0 with a run in the bottom of the fifth inning. With one out, Collazo was issued a walk and stole second base. With a 2-1 count, Naquin knocked Collazo home with a single to leftfield.
The Horns got on the board in the seventh inning when Jordan Etier crossed the plate on a bases-loaded wild pitch. Mark Payton was the final Texas batter to face A&M starter John Stilson and drew a walk to again load the bases. Texas took a 3-2 lead when Tant Shepherd's grounder went off the glove of Juengel at third allowing Brandon Loy and Cohl Walla to score.
Texas added another run to its lead in the ninth as Loy doubled with one out, stole third and was driven in by Payton on an infield single.
Loy led the offensive attack for the Longhorns going 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Juengel went 2-for-4 with one RBI to pace the Aggies.
Jungmann (12-0) gave up two earned runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out a season-high 12 batters.
Stilson (5-2) was saddled with the loss after working 6.1 innings, walking seven Longhorns and recording three strike outs.
The Longhorns and Aggies return to action on Friday with a 6 p.m. contest at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin. The game is set to be broadcast on Fox College Sports and simulcast on selected Fox Sports Houston, Fox Sports Southwest and Fox Sports Plus outlets.
