LUBBOCK, Texas – The No. 15 Texas Tech softball team out-hit the Longhorns 5-3, but it was not enough as No. 11 Texas claimed a 2-0 decision to open up the series, Friday afternoon at Rocky Johnson Field.
With the loss, the Red Raiders dropped to 2-5 in Big 12 Conference play and 29-7 on the season. Tech and Texas stood neck-and-neck through five full innings thanks to a solid performance in the circle from junior Missy Zoch. Now 12-4 on the season, Zoch tossed seven full innings and surrendered just three hits in the pitcher’s duel.
Breanna Russell paced the Tech offense with two of the Red Raiders’ five hits while Karli Hamilton, Trenity Edwards and Peyton Blythe each tallied one.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Responding to a Longhorn double in the opening inning, Edwards and Russell powered a pair of hits in the bottom of the second. The Red Raiders were unable to bring around their base runners but held off Texas in the top of the third to keep it a scoreless game.
Back-to-back singles from Blythe and Hamilton put immediate pressure on the Texas defense in the bottom of the inning, but Longhorn hurler Miranda Elish responded with two strikeouts to silence Tech’s efforts.
Zoch kept the Longhorns off the board once more in the top of the fourth with a fly ball, strikeout and ground out but Tech was unable to score in the bottom half of the fourth.
After Texas started the fifth with a single, Kelcy Leach threw out her eighth runner of the season to flip the momentum. Zoch followed up with her fourth strikeout of the game and an easy grounder to second ended the fame.
However, one hit, two walks and a hit batter plated two runs for Texas in the top of the sixth. Zoch used two strikeouts and a liner to first to hold the Longhorns scoreless in the seventh and Russell tried to spark the Red Raider lineup with a one-out single through the left side.
Fellow sophomore Olga Zamarripa came in to run at first, but Tech was unable to push across a run and dropped game one, 2-0, to the Longhorns.
COMING UP NEXT
The Red Raiders return to Rocky Johnson Field tomorrow at 3 p.m. for game two of the series. Live stats, as well as a live stream, will be available for the game. For all the latest information on the Texas Tech softball team, visit TexasTech.com or follow @TexasTechSB on Twitter and Instagram.
Courtesy of Texas Tech Athletics Communications Department