Tech baseball drops first Big 12 game
By: Scott Lacefield
Updated: March 16, 2013
USTIN, Texas -
Texas Tech dropped game two of its three-game series to Texas on
Saturday as a ninth-inning, walk-off double gave the Longhorns a 2-1
victory
in front of a season-high 6,842 fans in attendance at UFCU Disch-Falk
Field.
The
Red Raiders (13-8, 1-1 Big 12) scored its only run in the third inning
while the Longhorns (12-6, 1-1 Big 12) improved to 12-3 at home this
season.
Texas
Tech freshman Johnathon Tripp (0-1) took the loss allowing the
game-winning run in the ninth inning on a walk and then a double by
catcher Jacob Felts, which
was a line drive over the head and glove of center fielder Brett Bell,
which allowed first baseman Madison Carter to score all the way from
first base.
UT reliever Corey Knebel (2-1) earned the win as he struck out both batters he faced in the ninth inning with the bases loaded.
Both
starting pitchers took no decisions as Texas Tech's Trey Masek and
Texas' Dillon Peters faced off in a pitcher's duel from the start.
Masek
saw his 32 consecutive scoreless innings streak come to an end in the
first inning as the Longhorns scored their first run of the series on
three base hits.
The big hit in the first came from third baseman Erich Weiss' RBI single
to center field which drove in lead-off hitter Weston Hall, who led off
the Longhorns first with a single to left field.
Peters,
meanwhile, gave up his only run of the game in the third inning as Tech
had its first two runners reach base on a walk and hit-by-pitch and
then manufactured
a run on Devon Conley's chopper out in front of home plate to the
catcher to even the game at 1-1.
From the second to eighth inning, both teams combined for just five base hits.
Masek
pitched eight innings allowing just one run on six hits with six
strikeouts and allowed four walks. Peters pitched 8.1 innings with seven
strikeouts and three
walks while scattering five base hits.
Tech
had an opportunity late to take the lead in the eighth inning while a
one-out rally consisted of second baseman Bryant Burleson's double down
the right-field
line, an intentional walk to first baseman Eric Gutierrez and a single
to center field by catcher Jarrard Poteete to load the bases.
That's
when Texas made a pitching change and brought in Knebel, who followed
with back-to-back strikeouts while getting shortstop Tim Proudfoot and
catcher Mason Randolph
swinging to end the inning.
The
Red Raiders and Longhorns will play the third and deciding game of the
series on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin.
