By Robert Fulton

Kevin Keyes and his University of Texas baseball teammates don’t need to be reminded of how the 2009 season ended. It’s something that has driven the Longhorns well into 2010.

Last June, Texas fell in a three-game series to LSU to lose the College World Series. Knotted at one game a piece, the Tigers exploded with an 11-4 victory to deny Texas a seventh national championship.

“It showed me a lot of things to work on in the offseason,” said Keyes, a junior, and a product of local Connally High School. “We were that close to winning a national championships. It made us hungrier.”

Not that Keyes didn’t step up last June. The outfielder had three RBIs and two home runs in the three-game series against LSU. He also finished last season with a .305 average, nine homens, 46 RBIs, and 46 runs scored.

Keyes said that practices last Fall were intense, and that intensity has carried over into the regular season. After a recent victory against Louisiana Tech, the Longhorns now sit at 43-8 with a three game-series at Missouri remaining this weekend to wrap up the regular season. The Big 12 Championship starts May 26.

“It’s a complete team effort,” said Keyes, 21. “Get out, work hard, it will take care of itself. Have fun, but work hard between the lines. It’s one of the things we preach.”

The top-ranked Longhorns have been blistering this season. The team won 21-straight games at one point, and has come out ahead in 25 of the last 26.

“It’s all about doing to the small things, doing the fundamentals,” Keyes said. “We practice game experience in practice. That why we practice so hard.”

Keyes has been stellar this season. He’s batting .318 with 13 Hrs and 50 RBIs through 51 games.

“I think it’s gone alright,” said Keyes. “I think I’ve done well. I feel I’ve helped the team.”

Keyes was a four-year varsity letter winner at Connally, and the Texas Rangers drafted him in the 26th round of the 2007 MLB draft. Keyes instead elected to attend Texas, where he has excelled, consistently batting over .300 with a combination of speed and power.

Last summer, Keyes participated in the Cape Cod League, arguably the best summer league in the country. Other locals such as Pflugerville High grad and current University of Houston standout Blake Kelso also participated in the Cape Cod League last year.

“The Cape Cod league is one of the best leagues in the country,” said Keyes. “You see where you stand. There’s good competition every night. A lot of players make a name for themselves.”

Keyes has attributed this season’s success to a steady approach at the plate.

“It’s one of those things,” he said. “The difference between a major league and a minor leaguer is consistency.”

That difference between minor and major may be realized sooner than later for Keyes. He’s eligible for the draft again this year, and with the season he’s having, there’s no doubt he’ll draw quite a lot of attention from the pros. Not that he’s concerned about that. He’s focused on making up for last year.

“I don’t know how that’s going to go,” Keyes said. “I’m not concerned with the future. I’m taking it day by day and trying to win a national championship.”