Texas edges Boston College 3-2 in 25 innings, longest game in NCAA history

Texas tops BC in longest game in NCAA history

AUSTIN, Texas — Inning after inning, Austin Wood kept heading back out to the mound.

First called on in the seventh in a 2-2 tie against Boston College, the senior left-hander expected to work a few batters, maybe an inning — or two — to help the top-seeded Longhorns on their way in the NCAA tournament Austin regional.

But one batter led to another, one inning rolled into another and Wood stayed on the mound, mowing down batters while working a masterpiece. In the Longest game in NCAA history, Wood pitched 13 innings, including 12 1-3 of no hit ball, before the Longhorns pulled out a 3-2 win in a 25-inning epic.

Wood threw 169 pitches, struck out 14 and gave up two hits. All of that after pitching two innings in a 3-1 win over Army the night before to earn his 15th save of the season.

“I was tired but I put in the work, put in the dues and it showed tonight,” Wood said. “We never doubted that we weren’t going to win that game.”

Texas was scheduled to play again Sunday night in what could be the regional championship game against either Army or Boston College. The late-night loss forced the Eagles into a quick turnaround to play Army in an elimination game.

If the Eagles can stay awake and win, they’ll meet Texas again. The only consolation is that they probably won’t have to face Wood again.

“I’ve never been a part of anything like that,” Boston college coach Mik Aoki said. “I guess no one has, right?”

Texas coach Augie Garrido, the Division I leader in the career victories, called it “the best pitching performance I have ever seen … unbelievable.”

As unhittable as Wood was, Boston College’s Mike Belfiore matched him pitch for pitch. He tossed 9 2-3 innings, allowing three hits and striking out 11 before leaving in the 19th.

“It was based all on adrenaline. It was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done,” Belfiore said. “I’ve never really thrown that much in my life. I’ve just always been in a reliever or closer-type role.”

Texas second baseman Travis Tucker said Boston College hitters were in awe of Wood, who left in the 20th after giving up in a hit and hitting the next batter.

“I’ve never seen a guy on second base who said, ‘Wow, thank goodness he’s out,’” Tucker said. “I’ve never heard that from an opposing team before.”

Tucker’s RBI single in the 25th — in his 12th at-bat — helped Texas end a game that eclipsed the previous record of 23 innings, set in 1971 when Louisiana-Lafayette defeated McNeese State 6-5.

The game began at 7:02 p.m. EDT Saturday and concluded 7 hours, 3 minutes later at 2:05 a.m. Sunday. There were three “seventh-inning stretches” and the teams played nearly the equivalent of three full ballgames.