Texas Tech softball had its season come to an end on Friday, falling to UT Arlington, 5-2, in the NISC regional final at Farris Field in Conway, Ark.
The Red Raiders (31-28) end the season with 30 wins and a winning season for the first time under head coach Adrian Gregory. The postseason berth also marked a first for the program since 2012.
UTA (30-26) advances to the NISC Championship Round next week at a site to be determined.
In similar fashion to UTA’s Thursday win over the Red Raiders, the Mavericks posted one big inning that would be the difference. On Thursday, it was a seven-run fourth inning that propelled UTA to a 9-4 win and a spot in the regional finals. On Friday, Tech gave up five runs in the second that ended up deciding the game.
The Mavericks did all their damage with six singles and one Red Raider error in the frame that allowed UTA to chase Tech starter Kassidy Scott (11-11). The Red Raiders fired back with two runs of their own in the second, but UTA made their own pitching swap with Randi Phillips coming on and holding Tech to just three hits through the final 5.1 innings.
Tech freshman accounted for five of the team’s seven hits on the day, led by a 2-for-3 performance from catcher Kelcy Leach. Her double in the second started a two-out rally that would score her along with fellow freshman Breanna Russell for Tech’s only runs of the game.
Russell tallied a 1-for-3 day with an RBI and run scored. Infielder Myamie Thompson also had a hit, along with redshirt freshman Heaven Burton, who knocked in Russell.
Four Red Raiders were named to the NISC All-Region Team, including outfielders Karli Hamilton and Burton, infielder Jessica Hartwell and pitcher Erin Edmoundson.
Hamilton finished the week with a team-high four RBI, including a two-run home run against Central Arkansas on Thursday. The redshirt sophomore carried a 19-game hitting streak into Friday’s regional championship before going 0-for-3.
Burton led the Red Raiders in batting during the regional at .462 with a double, four runs scored, a walk and an RBI. Burton finishes the year as the team’s leader in hits at 74, one more than teammate Michaela Cochran and tied for the third most in a season by a Red Raider.
Hartwell’s storied junior season comes to an end, hitting .400 in Conway with a double, triple, four runs and two RBI. Hartwell’s 2018 campaign set school records in home runs, slugging percentage and runs scored. The Galt, Calif., native also became the third Red Raider ever to hit .400 in a season.
Edmoundson recorded two shutout wins in Conway while hitting .250 at the plate with three RBI. She closed the week with a 1.69 ERA in 20.2 innings, giving up five runs on 16 hits with 12 strikeouts and a walk.
Texas Tech will lose three seniors to graduation and return all but one position starter for the 2019 season. One of the youngest teams in the nation in 2018, the Red Raiders will add eight incoming freshman for next season.
Keep up with all things Texas Tech softball by following the Red Raiders at @TexasTechSB on Twitter and Instagram and online at www.TexasTech.com.
(Courtesy: Texas Tech Athletics Communication Department)
