Texas bullpen stumbles in seventh inning of series-opening loss to Washington

Doomed by the worst inning of its season, No. 23 Texas was beaten by Washington on Friday night in the first meeting between the two baseball programs.

Washington scored six runs in the seventh inning of a 9-3 win at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. Texas had won three of its previous four games but dropped to 10-7 after Friday's stumble.

Washington (5-7-1) was led by first baseman Jeter Ybarra, who went 5-for-5 with three doubles, four RBIs and two runs scored.

Behind run-scoring hits from Kimble Schuessler and Jack O'Dowd, Texas built a 3-1 lead. But the Huskies rallied in the seventh against UT relievers David Shaw and Gage Boehm. Washington collected six hits in the inning and benefited from a leadoff walk and an error later committed by shortstop Jalin Flores.

Shaw leads the Longhorns with eight relief appearances, and Boehm recorded a four-inning save against Texas Tech last week. So what went wrong Friday?

"David walked the first guy, and we've got to come out of the bullpen throwing strikes and attacking. He's struggling with some stuff, but he's just got to become more reliable right now," said UT coach David Pierce, whose bullpen allowed two more runs in the ninth. "Gage's stuff was pretty much what his stuff has been. I really credit (Washington). I'll take a hard look at the film to see if we were tipping some stuff as well."

The implosion by the Texas bullpen spoiled Lebarron Johnson Jr.'s bid for his second win of the season. Johnson allowed five hits, three walks and one run over six innings, and his 10 strikeouts were a season high. He threw 107 pitches.

Texas and Washington will return to UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Saturday afternoon for the second game of their series. That game is scheduled to get underway at 2:30 p.m.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas baseball team loses first meeting ever with Washington Huskies