Brown couldn't have asked for a better start. Their first hitter reached on a throwing error by SS Chais Fuller. Their second hitter reached on a mental error by Texas 1B Chance Wheeless, who failed to cover the bag on a bunt. Their third hitter was Ivy League Player of the Year Devin Thomas, who got ahead in the count 3-0.

But after a visit to the mound by UT pitching coach Skip Johnson, Thomas got the green light on 3-0 and popped it up. Texas then got a flyout for out number two, and the third out was recorded by backup catcher Brett Lewis (making his first start in over a month), who picked a runner off first.

Texas scored in the first on Russell's homer, a high opposite-field blast that kept slicing and slicing until it DOOOOONGED off the left field fair pole, about halfway up.

Texas had two in scoring position in the third, but Brown CF Steve Daniels made a really nice running catch on a long blast to end the inning.

Tell me that Brown starting pitcher Jeff Dietz doesn't look like Texas legend Brooks Kieschnick...

He even throws from a low arm angle like Kieschnick did in college, and like Kieschnick, he also bats cleanup!