AUSTIN, Texas—Propelled by a strong start from junior Chase Shugart of Bridge City, No. 21 Texas Baseball (28-14) defeated New Orleans, 3-1, on Saturday afternoon at UFCU Disch-Falk Field to clinch the nonconference series win.
The Longhorns got on the board in the first inning of New Orleans starter Brayson Smith. David Hamilton led off the inning with a walk before swiping his 25th bag of the season. The next batter, Masen Hibbeler, drove a single to right-center to score Hamilton and put Texas up 1-0. After a Zach Zubia double, Andy McGuire lifted a sac fly to center and Texas led, 2-0, after the first.
New Orleans got one back in the top of the fourth off Shugart, but the Bridge City native was solid through a career-high 7.2 innings of work. Shugart (4-2) scattered eight hits and just one walk while striking out five in the ballgame.
With the Privateers threatening in the top of the eighth, David Pierce called on freshman Bryce Elder from the bullpen. With two away in the inning, Elder got a strikeout but the batter reached on a passed ball to put runners on the corners. Elder responded by catching the next batter looking to escape the jam.
In the bottom of the eighth, Zubia doubled once again, his third hit of the night, and Michael McCann pinch-ran. With two away in the inning, Ryan Reynolds singled to right-center to score McCann and Texas went on top, 3-1.
Elder (2) closed out the ballgame for his second career save with a scoreless ninth inning.
Hamilton later stole his 26th base of the season, the most stolen bases for any Longhorn since Drew Stubbs in 2005 (26). Zubia’s three hits extended his reached base streak to 41 games on the season.
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