Irvine jumped on Texas before most of the huge crowd had even settled into their seats. Leadoff hitter Taylor Holiday kept fouling off two-strike pitches from Adrian Alaniz, and finally, he cranked the eighth pitch of the at-bat off the centerfield wall for a triple. Texas showed immense respect for Irvine starter Scott Gorgen by bringing the infield in, and Ben Orloff lined an RBI single to left; quicker than you can say "Pflugerville," it was 1-0.

Alaniz really slowed down the pace of the game and regrouped, though, striking out the next three Anteaters.

Irvine kept Texas off the board in the first thanks to an incredible running catch by CF Ollie Linton. With runners at the corner and two outs, Russell Moldenhauer smoked a liner deep into the right-center alley, but Linton snagged the ball while running full-tilt.

Catcher Aaron Lowenstein's defense kept the Horns off the board in the second. Opponents are only 16-for-35 stealing against Lowenstein, and he also showed the ability to block the ball. Texas worked a runner around to third with two outs, and then Gorgen bounced two pitches in the dirt that Lowenstein absolutely smothered.

Irvine used their considerable speed, a Texas error, and good old-fashioned California Smallball to add to their lead in the third. Leadoff hitter Taylor Holiday reached again when SS Chais Fuller made a high throw, moved to second on a sac bunt, and then to third on a single. Cleanup hitter Matt Morris then laid down a bunt to third, and Holiday initially held, but was far enough off the base that he was able to break home on the throw to first and beat the return throw.

Texas scored their run with two out in the third on a Brad Suttle homer, an opposite field drive that just cleared the wall near the fair pole.