Longhorns, McCrory win Big 12 tournament
Will play St. John's on Friday; Savony, UT finish softball season
By MITCH LUCAS sports@kilgorenewsherald.com

McCRORY

The University of Texas baseball team, already champions of the conference variety, is headed to Houston on a quest for something more.

And a former Kilgore High School standout is going with them.

The Longhorns captured the Big 12 Conference title with a title game win over Kansas State over Memorial Day weekend, and won a No. 2 seed in the upcoming round of NCAA baseball regionals as a result. Texas is seeded second in the Houston regional, with Rice the top seed. Former KHS star Pat McCrory now suits up for the Longhorns (37-20), who open the regional against St. John's on Friday at 2 p.m. at Rice's Reckling Park. St. John's and Texas haven't met since 1966, believe it or not, in the College World Series.

Should UT have to face No. 1 Rice, though, they'll do it without the confidence of winning this year's series. That went to Rice, which beat the Longhorns two out of three games this year.

The 'Horns beat K-State on Sunday, 15-7, and will be competing this weekend in their 10th straight regional. Each of the 16 regionals around the country is a double-elimination tournament with four teams at each. Winners of the regionals advance to eight Super Regionals, to be announced Monday.

McCRORY

Joining Rice, UT and St. John's in the Houston regional is Sam Houston State.

The Longhorns lost to Missouri in the opening round of the Big 12 tournament over the weekend in Oklahoma City, but then won three straight, beating Texas A&M, 15-9, beating Oklahoma in a close one (11- 10) and then the title game win over K-State.

McCrory, an NJCAA All-American at Navarro and before that and All-

State selection at KHS, has been used in his career at UT as both an infielder and relief pitcher. McCrory played at third base for a while during the UT-OU game, but didn't get an at-bat. McCrory has played in 16 games this season. In 13 appearances on the mound, he's pitched 13 innings and has 15 strikeouts. He's in his second season at UT, and wears No. 28. McCrory is the son of Pat and Johnnie McCrory of Kilgore.

The ultimate goal, of course, is the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.

• Savony, UT softball team finishes in Houston: The UT baseball team will try to avoid the fate of the university's softball team, which had a good season but finished it in the regional round at Houston.

The Longhorns' softball team lost a 2-1 opener to Washington at the regional, beat Delaware State, 3-2, then lost once again to Washington, 5-3, to wind up the year.

Kilgore native Shelby Savony, also a former KHS standout, didn't play in what turned out to be UT's season finale. The freshman did have an at-bat in the 'Horns' win over Delaware State, but struck out. On the season, though, she was pretty impressive. Savony had a .353 batting average, appearing in 34 games and starting 12. In 51 atbats, she had 18 hits - two of them were home runs, four of them doubles. She had a slugging percentage of .549, and an on-base percentage of .411. She was 2-for-2 in stolen-base attempts.

Savony, the daughter of Diana and Steve Schnarr, wears No. 21 at UT.