Freshman Myamie Thompson hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the fifth that sent the Texas Tech softball team to a 10-2 run-rule victory over Abilene Christian on Tuesday to cap off its 2018 home season.

 

Thompson, whose walk-off dinger marked her first career hit as a Red Raider, was one of two freshman to go yard on the day joining Kelcy Leach, who hit a three-run blast in the second inning.

 

The win marks Tech’s fifth in a row, including its fourth consecutive game without committing an error for the program’s best stretch since 2012. Sophomore Kassidy Scott went the distance in the circle, yielding six hits and two runs in five innings of work with a pair of strikeouts.

 

After giving up a run in the first, the Red Raiders (26-24, 5-13) answered with four runs in the bottom of the first and three more in the second to take a commanding 7-1 lead.

 

Redshirt freshman Heaven Burton and junior Jessica Hartwell both had multi-hit games to provide support at the plate. Burton finished 3-for-3 with two runs, while Hartwell went 2-for-3 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored.

 

Reigning Big 12 Player of the Week Karli Hamilton extended her hitting streak to 11 games with a 1-for-3 performance. The Houston native keyed a double steal in the second inning, stealing second and allowing Hartwell to steal home on the throw.

 

The Red Raiders led 7-2 entering the bottom of the seventh and got its first run with more aggressive base running as freshman Erin Edmoundson stole third on a fake bunt attempt at the plate, and then took home as the throw to third beat the shortstop and sailed into left field. One batter later, Thompson went yard to end the game.

 

Peyton Hedrick and Alyson Bishoff led ACU (21-24, 14-11) at the plate. Hedrick hit a solo home run in the first and added a double to finish 2-for-3 with a run and RBI. Bishoff brought in the other RBI for ACU while going 2-for-2. Starter Calie Burris (4-7) took the loss.

 

Tech finishes its 2018 home season with an 11-9 mark, and moves to 3-3 in midweek games. The Red Raiders also avenged an early-April loss at ACU in which the Red Raiders held a seven-run lead before surrendering a walk-off homer in the bottom of the seventh.

 

POST-GAME NOTES

  • The run-rule victory was Tech’s second of the season.
  • Tuesday marked the sixth time this season Tech has scored 10-plus runs in a game and fourth it has stolen four or more bases as a team.
  • Tech improves to 13-3 all-time against Abilene Christian.
  • Scott has gone the distance in each of her last three starts.
  • Scott has won each of her last four decisions.
  • Leach has gone yard in two of the last three games, totaling three home runs in that stretch.
  • Tech had six freshmen in the game along with two sophomores after Myamie Thompson entered the game at shortstop and Claire McKissick came in at second base.

 

POST-GAME QUOTES

Coach Gregory

On Thompson’s walk-off

“It was so cool. She has done such a great job of continuing to work hard and continuing to get better day in and day out. Whether that is at shortstop or whether it’s at the plate, you don’t see a lot of young people continuing to do that. Wanting to get better. Wanting to ask questions. Whether you’re playing or not, she wants to get better every day and that gets her opportunities. I thought she’s swung very well these last three weeks. It’s been fun. It’s fun to her right now, to run into one. It’s just a matter of time and she’s swinging really well.”

 

On winning five in a row

“We have done a better job defensively, we’ve done better in the circle and we’ve continued to hit the ball. When you start sealing up some of those gaps, then you start to get some wins.

 

Myamie Thompson

On the walk-off home run

“I honestly didn’t know what was happening at that moment, but it felt good to finally have a really good at-bat. I think our coaches have prepared us to be ready when our number is called. I was ready, ready to get in the box.”

 

UP NEXT

The Red Raiders close the regular season with a Thursday doubleheader at UTEP (18-31, 7-13). Tech squares off against the Miners at 1 p.m. and again at 3 p.m. in the Sun City. Tech will then head to the 2018 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championships next week in Oklahoma City.

COURTESY OF TEXAS TECH ATHLETICS