Current Longhorns use huge 6th to top alumni squad 7-4

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Peyton Powell smashed a 3-run home run as part of a 5-run sixth inning to lift the No. 16 Texas Longhorns past the alumni team 7-4 Saturday at UFCU-Disch Falk Field.

Along with the alumni game, Saturday was Fan Appreciation Day at the ballpark before the Longhorns get started for real Feb. 16 when they host San Diego. Many of the alumni playing are with Major League clubs, and with Spring Training around the corner for them, they took this as an opportunity to get a taste of game action before heading to camp.

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“It gets the juices flowing a little bit and it’s nice to see some of the guys again,” Texas alum Trey Faltine said. He’s currently in the Cincinnati Reds organization. “To be back out here with the guys and in the dugout, it’s fun.”

The alumni team played defense and hit while the current Longhorns pitching staff split to throw for both teams. Charlie Hurley worked through a rough first inning to throw 60 pitches in four innings of work. Murphy Stehly, now in the Washington Nationals farm system, took Hurley deep for a solo home run in the fourth inning. Hurley allowed three runs in the first inning.

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After Powell ripped a full count pitch off Andre Duplantier over the right field wall to tie the game at 4-4 in the fifth, Max Belyeu delivered a two-run single off Heston Tole to give the Longhorns a 6-4 lead. Casey Cummings belted a solo home run off David Shaw in the bottom of the seventh to conclude the scoring for both teams. The game went a full seven innings.

Alum Mike Antico, now with the St. Louis Cardinals organization, had two hits for the alumni team.

Kody Clemens (Phillies) and Dylan Campbell (Dodgers) each had hits for the alumni squad. Belyeu had a pair of hits while Seth Werchan, Porter Brown and Jack O’Dowd also notched hits.

“I’ve been a mega-Longhorn my whole life,” Clemens said. “It’s always fun to see the fans again and play on the Longhorn turf.”

Duke transfer Storm steps away from baseball

Luke Storm, who head coach David Pierce was expecting to play at first base this season after transferring in mid-year from Duke, won’t play this year.

He said via X that “my journey playing baseball has come to an end for personal reasons,” and that “it wasn’t the path I envisioned, yet I’m profoundly thankful for the individuals it brought into my life.”

Storm played all 60 games for the Blue Devils last year with 13 home runs and 51 RBIs with a .492 slugging percentage.

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