Longhorns' Season Ends on Stanford 7-6 Walk Off Stunner

The Longhorns season comes to an end in heartbreaking fashion, walked off by the Cardinal on the verge of Omaha.

Baseball can be one of the most beautiful and rewarding sports. At the same time it can be a cruel mistress, and which side you see can change on one single pitch or swing of the bat. 

Unfortunately for the Texas Longhorns they saw the latter side of the sport on Monday night. After winning game one of the Stanford Super Regional, they needed just one win to get back to Omaha. 

That win didn't come on Sunday, as the Cardinal steamrolled past Texas in easy fashion, cruising to the 8-3 win. So, once again on Monday night the Longhorns were win away from Omaha. 

Once again, though, things started off poorly for the Longhorns. After a scoreless first inning, Tanner Witt struggled in the second. He lasted only one inning, as Zane Morehouse entered in relief. After the second inning the Longhorns found themselves trailing 3-0. 

They got some momentum back themselves in the fourth, when Jack O'Dowd smoked a bases clearing double into the right field corner to knot the game up at 3-3 in the fourth. Unfortunately for Texas, that momentum shifted right back.

Stanford put up its second three-run inning of the game in the bottom of the fourth, putting them back ahead at 6-3. From there, it appeared that the Cardinal would cruise to the win. 

However, this game was far from over as the final two innings set themselves up for a plethora of chaos. 

First, the top of the eighth saw the Longhorns pull off yet another improbable rally. A Mitchell Daly sacrifice fly and Peyton Powell RBI double brought Texas within one, and Dylan Campbell to the plate. Campbell came through, delivering a two out RBI single up the middle and brought it back to a deadlock at 6-6. 

Heeding the call for another clutch play in the bottom half of the inning, Campbell drifted to his left for a routine fly ball before uncorking an absolute missile to double the runner off at third. 

Texas' good luck ended there, though, as Stanford got two men on in the bottom of the ninth. Drew Bowser then proceeded to launch a pop up a mile high, one that neither Eric Kennedy or Campbell could see - falling for a bloop single, walking off the Longhorns 7-6 in heartbreaking fashion to bring an end to their season. 

What's next for Texas?

Now, the Longhorns await to see who will enter the draft, who will stay and what players they can get via the transfer portal as they look to retool once again for the 2024 season.

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You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98

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