OMAHA—Texas struck first today, manufacturing a run in the top of the first inning. Michael Torres led off with a walk, then reached second when Micah Gibbs threw errantly behind the runner after Torres took a big secondary lead. Gibbs did airmail the throw a bit, but it seemed to me that Gibbs and first baseman Ryan Schimpf weren’t on the same page—not surprising given that Schimpf has spent most of this season in left field and second base. But today, the Tigers moved him to first, benching Sean Ochinko, and inserted Leon Landry in left field. We’ll see if the move pays off. Torres, meanwhile, scored on Brandon Belt’s RBI single after a sacrifice bunt by Travis Tucker.

Texas starter Taylor Jungmann was very sharp in the first, working a quick one-two-three inning. He struck out Schimpf looking on a fastball over the inside corner for the second out, then got Blake Dean chasing a vicious 79 mph changeup down and in for the third out. It’s early, but Texas must be encouraged by that first inning.