Texas erases deficit to even series with Huskers

LINCOLN - Adrian Alaniz pitched Texas' last no-hitter two years ago against Oklahoma. Saturday at Haymarket Park, the junior right-hander was just as dominant against Nebraska.

At least when it mattered.

After allowing seven hits and four runs in the first 2 2/3 innings, Alaniz found control of his slider and allowed no more hits or runs during his remaining five innings of work. His performance helped the Big 12-leading and No. 4 Longhorns to an 8-4 victory before a wind-worn and mostly subdued crowd of 8,656.

“When we give him the lead, watch out,” Texas shortstop Micheal Demperio said, “because it's hitting the mitt every single pitch.”

It was Demperio, who hits ninth and entered with a .152 average, who helped lift Alaniz's spirits following his early struggles. Demperio's two-run single off Johnny Dorn with one out in the fourth inning put Texas ahead, and Alaniz wasn't about to give up the lead a second time.

Although he walked two batters to bring the tying run to the plate with two outs in the eighth, Alaniz finished with 10 strikeouts to earn his 10th win in 12 decisions.

The outing was his second win against the Huskers in Lincoln, as two years ago he allowed two earned runs and fanned nine over 61/3 innings in an 11-4 triumph.

“If he smells that victory,” Longhorns coach Augie Garrido said, “it's instinctive.

“Adrian really found his release point. His breaking ball was breaking later and sharper, and they took a lot of them. They're a good-hitting team, and they're aggressive, and usually when that's happening it's because the hitters are reading fastball and they're surprised by the break.”

Meanwhile, Dorn (6-2) had a lot more trouble fooling a team that Tony Watson handled Friday night. Dorn, who combined with two others to blank Texas in Austin last year, lasted just 42/3 innings Saturday, allowing seven hits and the most earned runs (7) in his career.

Two walks and a single to shallow right field by Bradley Suttle led to Texas' three-run fourth. With one out, Travis Tucker made it 4-3 with a fielder's choice grounder before Demperio hit an 0-1 fastball back up the middle for two more runs.

“He (Dorn) started me off with a breaking ball and I just kind of had a feeling he wasn't going to come back with another one,” said Demperio, who is still regaining strength after having his pituitary gland removed last summer when doctors discovered a benign tumor. “He'd been teasing us with fastballs away all day, so ...”

Nebraska coach Mike Anderson felt Demperio's hit was the turning point, as Nebraska had just scored three runs in the third on Andrew Brown's two-run double and a two-out wild pitch by Alaniz.

Texas - which got Kyle Russell's 22nd homer of the season, a two-run, opposite-field shot to left in the first - scored twice again in the fifth to chase Dorn.

Nebraska still was one Andy Gerch swing away from tying the game in the eighth after Alaniz issued two of his three walks. But the Longhorns then called on Randy Boone, who got Gerch to hit a bouncer to Demperio en route to notching his 10th save for Texas (32-12).

No doubt the end of that inning reminded many in the crowd of how Nebraska began the game, by loading the bases with no outs but scoring just one run.

“At that point, you get that big hit, everybody's confidence just jumps to the next level and it can put (Alaniz) in a little funk and get him out of there in the third or fourth inning,” Gerch said. “It's a matter of coming through with the clutch hits. They did that today and we didn't.”

And then the Texas pitcher got unhittable.

“They were hitting good pitches (early),” Alaniz said. “These guys swing aggressively within the count . . . and the thing was just going their way. I just tried not to do too much that fourth inning and just play within myself.”

The Huskers (23-16) will need similar efforts today, as they try to win their third straight Big 12 series and get back to .500 in the league.

“You try not to look at the numbers, but it's kind of a big deal,” Gerch said. “It's getting to the point of the year where we need wins. We've gotta have every one we can get, so we just need to capitalize on all our opportunities.”

Friday's Game

Nebraska 7, Texas 0

LINCOLN (AP) - Tony Watson threw a complete-game two hitter and three Huskers homered as Nebraska beat Texas, 7-0 on Friday night.

Watson (4-2) had six strikeouts and no walks for Nebraska (23-15, 8-8 Big 12 Conference). Ryan Wehrle had a career high four hits and drove in four runs for the Cornhuskers. Wehrle hit a three-run blast in the fourth inning that scored Andy Gerch and D.J. Belfonte. The home run was Wehrle's fourth this season.

Gerch homered and scored two runs, while Mitch Abeita hit his first home run of the year.

Texas (31-12, 12-4 Big 12) managed only three baserunners the whole game. Jordan Danks had a hit and reached on an error, while Chance Wheeless also singled.

The win bolstered the Cornhuskers' push for the postseason against the fourth-ranked Longhorns, which boasts the Big 12's top pitching staff and second-best offense.

Kyle Russell, who leads the nation with 21 home runs and entered the game hitting .359 with 52 RBIs, was held hitless in four at-bats.

Nebraska played without pitchers Charlie Shirek and Mike Harmelink, who were suspended by coach Mike Anderson for the weekend series after being cited and arrested Friday by university police for vandalism.

Nebraska has 15 games remaining this season, 13 of which will be played in Lincoln.