Texas baseball dominates Texas Tech in Big 12 opener

The bats for Texas baseball were popping off for head coach David Pierce to provide a heavy dose of run support for redshirt junior ace Lebarron Johnson Jr. in the Big 12 opener on March 8. Texas scored a season-high 22 runs behind 20 hits in a big win on the road in the conference opener on March 8 in Lubbock over the No. 17 Texas Tech Red Raiders.

Porter Brown and Rylan Galvan had huge nights for the Longhorns at the plate, combining for six runs, 10 runs batted in, and two home runs. Galvan had one of Texas's two grand slams, with the other coming from freshman Will Gasparino.

10 runs batted in from Porter Brown and Rylan Galvan sparks a 22-run outing from Texas baseball against Texas Tech

Brown's three run shot in the top of the fourth inning wound up plating the game-winning run for the Longhorns amid a 14-run outburst in the middle innings.

The big night for Texas at the plate was much needed to help a pitching staff that has struggled in the last week. The usually-stout Johnson was shaky on the mound for the Longhorns on March 8 against a good Texas Tech lineup, allowing six walks, three hits, and four earned runs over 4.1 innings of work.

Ace Whitehead notched his first victory of the season with 4.2 innings of work on the mound in relief of Johnson in the 14-run win over Texas Tech to open this series.

We'll get to see if the bats can come alive for the Longhorns again in Game 2 of the Big 12 opening series this weekend against Texas Tech on March 9. Behind a hot stretch from the likes of Brown, Gasparino, and Peyton Powell, the Longhorns have scored double-digit runs in three of the last four games.

Galvan also got a much-needed spark with the bat in the win over Texas Tech on March 8. Galvan added more RBIs in one game than he had in the prior dozen games early this season with five against Texas Tech in the series opener.

Game 2 between Texas and Texas Tech will pit right-hander Cody Howard against Texas Tech right-hander Mac Heuer on March 9. Howard is undefeated over three starts this season, with a 3.29 earned run average. But he was dinged up with five earned runs over 4.2 innings in his last start against Vanderbilt on March 3.

The first pitch time between Texas and Texas Tech in Game 2 of this three-game series in Lubbock will be a 2 p.m. CT.

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