March 24, 2008

Austin, TX (UWIRE) -- It wasn't just another 2-1 series victory for the University of Texas Longhorns. It was a weekend that saw Texas' streaky pitching staff get two encouraging performances from Kenn Kasparek and Riley Boening.

The Longhorn pitching staff has been on and off throughout the season. Starters have struggled at times, and the bullpen has bailed them out. Other times, the relievers have come in and spoiled good starting efforts.

This weekend Kasparek and Boening solidified Texas' starting rotation as the No. 18 Longhorns (16-6, 4-2 Big 12) split games two and three with Texas Tech (11-10, 2-4) to claim their second conference series win of the year.

A day after plating 22 runs against the Red Raiders, Texas couldn't out-hit them Friday, and Tech evened the series at a game apiece with a 7-5 victory.

The Longhorns jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, but their bullpen let the Red Raiders off the hook. Freshmen Chance Ruffin and Stayton Thomas took the hill in the sixth inning and gave away Texas' one-run lead. Ruffin walked two hitters, then Thomas walked two more and hit another. Tech took a 5-4 lead without getting a hit and sent in reliever Zach Stewart to close out the win.

A positive note coming out of the loss: Kasparek made his best start of the season. The senior threw four solid innings and ended with three runs on four hits over five innings of work.

More importantly, he stretched his pitch count to a season-high 85. The right-hander is still working his way back from Tommy John surgery that kept him out all of last season, and he's starting to regain his stamina.

Boening followed with a similar performance Saturday. The junior is completing his comeback from shoulder surgery, and he led Texas to a 4-3 victory in his best outing of the year.

The left-hander scattered eight hits over 6 1/3 innings, allowing just two runs for his first victory. He also threw a season-best 98 pitches and showed newfound endurance.

Boening's start tells Texas coach Augie Garrido and pitching coach Skip Johnson the lefty is ready to step into his starting role. Garrido has said he had hoped all along that Boening would join Kasparek and left-hander Austin Wood as part of the team's weekend rotation.

(C) 2008 Daily Texan via UWIRE