Baseball Drops Opener

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Louisiana-Lafayette's Hunter Moody and Matt Broussard combined for a one-hit shutout as the 19th-ranked Ragin' Cajuns dropped Texas Tech 4-0 in the Red Raiders' 2008 season opener on Saturday morning at Wolff Stadium in San Antonio.

The loss drops Texas Tech to 0-1 on the season while Louisiana-Lafayette improves to 2-0.

Tech junior right-hander AJ Ramos had some opening day jitters as he gave up a lead-off single to Josh Logan and a two-run homer to two-hole hitter Matt Hicks. Ramos settled down after giving up the two hits and retired the next three Cajun hitters on consecutive strikeouts.

After the first inning fireworks by Louisiana-Lafayette, both teams settled into a pitcher's dual as Ramos and Moody battled toe-for-toe over the next four innings. Both pitchers combined for 19 strikeouts in the first six innings of the game and gave up a combined five hits.

The Cajuns added insurances runs in the both the sixth and the eighth innings to take a 4-0 lead.

Despite a valiant effort on the mound for the Red Raiders, Ramos (0-1) was tagged with the loss after giving up three runs on four hits while striking out 10 and not allowing a walk. Hunter Moody (1-0) picked up the win for Louisiana-Lafayette as he held the Red Raiders to just one hit over six innings and struckout nine. Matt Broussard picked up his first save after pitching three shutout innings of relief.

Texas Tech continues play in the 2008 UTSA Baseball Classic on Sunday morning as the Red Raiders will face the Army Black Knights at 10 a.m. and then the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles at 2 p.m. Freshman right-hander Chad Bettis is expected to get the start against Army while sophomore RHP Nate Karns will get the call against Oral Roberts.