Tech Grabs 4-2 Win To Take Series Over Texas
By: Scott Lacefield-Texas Tech Communications
Updated: March 17, 2013
Texas Tech scored four unanswered runs and used seven scoreless innings from its
bullpen to win its Big 12 opening series 4-2 over Texas on Sunday at UFCU
Disch-Falk Field in front of 6,373 fans in attendance.
The Red Raiders (14-8, 2-1 Big 12) won their first
conference series over the Longhorns (12-7, 1-2 Big 12) since 2002 and claimed
its first series win in Austin since 2001.
Junior left-handed pitcher Jonny Drozd (3-1) earned the
win pitching 5.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen while retiring 13 of the
first 14 batters he faced from the third to seventh inning.
Senior right-handed pitcher Jerad McCrummen picked up
his third save of the season - and second save of the series - striking out
three batters in a scoreless 1.2 innings and not allowing a hit to finish the
game.
Texas' starting pitcher Nathan Thornhill (1-2) took the
loss while giving up three runs on five hits with seven strikeouts.
Texas took an early 2-0 lead, scoring its only runs of
the game in the second inning on designated hitter Ben Johnson's two-run homer
over the left-field wall.
Tech immediately answered scoring a pair of runs in the
third inning on an RBI single through the left side by second baseman Bryant
Burleson and tying the game on right fielder Devon Conley's safety squeeze
bunt.
By the time Tech took the lead in the sixth inning,
Drozd had allowed only two batted balls to leave the infield as he limited Texas
to just one base runner from the third to sixth inning. In addition, Drozd went
to a two-ball count on just two occasions - both coming in the seventh
inning.
Freshman designated hitter Jarrard Poteete delivered the
eventual game-winning RBI with a two-out single through the right side in the
sixth, scoring Conley who singled and stole second base earlier in the
inning.
The Red Raiders added an insurance run in the seventh
inning when third baseman Jake Barrios hit a one-out triple to deep center
field. Moments later, a passed ball allowed Barrios to score giving Tech the
two-run advantage, 4-2.
McCrummen entered in the eighth inning with a runner at
second base and followed with a pair of strikeouts around a full-count walk to
end the Longhorns' eighth-inning.
McCrummen retired Texas in order in the ninth with
back-to-back groundouts and then struck out Johnson looking to end the
game.
Texas Tech will return home on Tuesday, March 19 to host
No. 14 Arizona State for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin
Park. It marks the first time since 2006 that the Sun Devils will travel to
Lubbock.
In addition, Tech head football coach Kliff Kingsbury
will be in attendance at the Arizona State game while throwing out the
ceremonial first pitch.
