Broshuis pitches Missouri to second consecutive victory against top-ranked Texas
An extra week of rest was enough for starter Garrett Broshuis to make Missouri the first team to shut out No. 1 Texas.
Broshuis’ strong outing helped the Tigers defeat the Longhorns 8-0 on Saturday at Taylor Stadium in a Big 12 Conference game and gives them a chance for the sweep at noon today.
Missouri won 4-1 on Friday.
No. 2 Stanford is the only other team to win a series against Texas, and Missouri is the first team to win consecutive games against the Longhorns (41-8, 13-6).
Missouri (27-16-1, 6-10) extended its winning streak to three.
After an April 24 game against Texas A&M was canceled because of rain, Broshuis (7-0) made his first appearance since April 18 against Nebraska.
“You worry a little bit that the extra rest is going to make you not quite as sharp,” Broshuis said. “In hindsight, I guess it helped me a lot.”
Broshuis recorded his longest outing of the season, going 8 1/3 innings, striking out a career-high nine and allowing four hits.
“(Catcher Cosme Caballero) and I talked it over before the game and really thought we’d emphasize throwing off-speed pitches on first pitch,” Broshuis said. “I think that was the key to success today.”
After Broshuis threw 109 pitches, coach Tim Jamieson removed him. Broshuis left to a standing ovation from the crowd of 1,027 with one out in the ninth and runners on first and second.
Jamieson brought in Mark Alexander, who struck out the final two batters. Going back to Friday night, Alexander has struck out five of six batters.
The Missouri offense pounded the Texas staff that has a 2.49 ERA, the best in the conference. Tiger batters had 12 hits, including four doubles, and struck out twice.
The Tigers opened the scoring in the first inning when Cody Ehlers doubled to left, scoring Bo Davis from third. Ryan Rallo followed with a sacrifice fly that scored Lee Laskowski, who had singled and advanced to third on Ehlers’ hit.
The double ties Ehlers for second at Missouri with 51.
The final run of the first came when Jeremy Hernandez hit one of his two doubles to right field, allowing Ehlers to score from second.
Laskowski, who was 2-for-3 with two runs Friday, led Missouri again, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs.
“I’ve been struggling lately and I’m just starting to put things together,” Laskowski said. “It helps when everybody around me is helping me out, too.”
The Missouri offense was consistent throughout the lineup, with all but two starters getting a hit.
After entering the series at 4-10 in conference, Jamieson said he thinks Missouri has given itself a chance to finish in the middle of the conference and earn an NCAA Regional berth.
“It’s a good enough conference where we don’t have to finish fourth, we don’t have to finish third to necessarily go to regionals,” Jamieson said. “I think we’ve proven this weekend that we’re a good baseball team, or can be a good baseball team.”