In a city that has recently come to expect 10-0 seasons over the course of the Mack Brown era, it has become rare for a baseball team to be 10-0, due to the growing parity in college baseball. As we look forward to improving on the unblemished record, comparisons are beginning to be made. As it has been four years since the last 10-0 start on the baseball diamond, and although we don’t like to compare teams of the past with this year’s, we are striving to be like them in some ways. The 2005 Texas Baseball team started their season winning their first 16 games (which we intend to match and surpass over the next week and a half), but more importantly they left Omaha with Texas’ sixth College World Series title.

The weekend series against Stanford and next Wednesday’s home game against Baylor pose a difficult task for us, but recent practices have us prepared for what’s to come, more on that later.  But allow me to relive the past few games against Penn State (as Brandon Workman has now done for the past week) and the game against Texas State that swore to end perfection, as well as a semi-social life that many players donate to Dr. Randa Ryan and her staff during this part of the season.

The series against Penn State brought a new team to Austin for everyone, as the current players had never played the Nittany Lions or anyone from the Big 10 for that matter. Coach Garrido had us well prepared as he spent two seasons getting to coach against the Nittany Lions during his two-year stint at the University of Illinois. We were able to tame the Lions throughout the series, winning all four games in convincing fashion: 9-2, 6-2, 1-0, and 9-0. The pitching staff seemed to be in quite a groove as all the starters were very impressive, not to mention Austin Wood’s back-to-back saves in Saturday’s doubleheader.

Brandon Workman summed up the pitching in his start on Sunday as he promised to outdo Cole Green’s impressive start (8 1/3 IP, 0 Runs), barely firing a 9-inning NO-HITTER! Workman’s no-hitter was one of beauty as he struck out 10 while facing the minimum 27 hitters and only throwing 99 pitches, although he was close to only facing 24 hitters. Luckily for him, the hitters were unable to plate another run in the eighth inning that would have stopped the game due to a 10-run rule on get-a-way Sunday. That would have made an interesting celebration as the team dog piled Workman in the dugout!

Before we had a chance to catch our breath, we were headed south on I-35 for our first away game to face the Texas State Bobcats in what would turn out to be a dogfight. The opening of a newly-renovated Bobcat Field brought a hostile environment and an ultra-competitive Texas State squad. We struggled early in all aspects of the game, but remained level-headed. Texas State had us up against the ropes many times throughout the course of the game as we did our best Ali impersonation unintentionally. Thankfully it was spot on as we were able to escape victoriously from the “Ruckus in San Marcos” (6-5).

Stanford will create a new challenge, as the always-talented Cardinal looks to bounce back from recent struggles. The Sunken Diamond is said to be one of the nicest collegiate stadiums in the country (although I have my own opinions) and was a challenging setting during my freshman year in ’06 as we lost the series, winning only one game. This series will be different than the previous two weeks as we will not be playing a doubleheader on Saturday as we return to the traditional three-game series. The three-game series also creates a new addition to our bullpen as the need for four starters on the weekend becomes unnecessary. I would tell you which impressive starter is making the transition but I’ll keep you waiting a little longer.

One thing that I am tired of waiting for and I am sure you are too is: March Madness. I have become an avid Texas Basketball fan over the past four years as former teammate Andy Reese has been nice enough to invite me to many of the games. I was in attendance for the Baylor-Texas game and I was impressed with the high level of play and after that game, I am convinced that Texas will make a run in March. Of course I must inform you that I only played one year in high school, but I like to pretend that I know what I am talking about when it comes to basketball.

As the basketball team prepares to make a run in March, so does the baseball team as Big 12 play is now right around the corner. Austin Wood and I realized after the game against Texas State, that we are now almost 1/5 of the way done with our last season of collegiate ball. Although it seems like it took us forever to get to the University of Texas, it has now almost come and gone.

Forever Sidearm,
Keith Shinaberry #35  

(photos courtesy of Texas Media Relations Office)