Texas's Big 12 Tournament hopes on life support

No. 24 Texas baseball is on the brink of elimination from the Big 12 Tournament after falling short of the 10-seed Texas Tech Red Raiders in its opening game on May 21. A ninth-inning two-run home run from the Red Raiders led to the victory for Texas Tech by a score of 6-4 against Texas in Game of the Big 12 Tournament on Tuesday night.

Texas baseball falls short of Texas Tech in the Big 12 Tournament, despite a strong performance from Max Belyeu

Behind early home runs from Jared Thomas and Jack O'Dowd in the game's first few innings, the Longhorns were in the driver seat at the outset of the contest against the Red Raiders yesterday. Those two aforementioned solo shots from Thomas and O'Dowd, combined with a two-run double from Max Belyeu, gave Texas a large as large as three runs entering the fourth inning.

But a three-run homer from Texas Tech's Austin Green in the top of the fourth inning kept the game knotted up until the top of the ninth. Tech's third home run of the game was the kill shot in the top of the ninth inning, plating two runs including the game-winner.

Texas couldn't capitalize on big days at the plate from Belyeu and O'Dowd. Belyeu and O'Dowd each had three hits and combined for three of Texas's four runs batted in on the day.

The Big 12 Player of the Year Belyeu stayed hot at the plate, extending his hitting streak to five games to open the Big 12 Tournament. Belyeu also has consecutive multi-RBI games, combining for four runs batted in since the regular season finale win over Kansas last weekend.

Head coach David Pierce and the three-seeded Longhorns are now on the brink of elimination with another loss in the Big 12 Tournament. Texas will look to stay alive in the Big 12 Tournament in an elimination game against the five-seed Cincinnati Bearcats on May 22.

This will be the first time Cincinnati and Texas meet on the baseball diamond this season. It is also potentially the first and only time the Longhorns and Bearcats will square off as Big 12 foes before Texas and the Oklahoma Sooners leave for the SEC next year.

The first pitch time between Texas and Cincinnati in Game 7 of the Big 12 Tournament is 4 p.m. CT at Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX, on May 22.

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