Tech Baseball Trounces UTSA

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Junior left-hander Cory Large pitched five perfect innings and the Red Raider offense plated 10 runs in the first inning as Texas Tech cruised to a 16-6 win over UTSA on Monday afternoon in the final game of the UTSA Baseball Classic at Wolff Stadium.

The win moves Texas Tech to 2-2 on the season while UTSA falls to 2-2.  The Red Raiders now lead the all-time series with the Roadrunners 4-0.

Texas Tech jumped on UTSA right out of the gate as junior first baseman Doug Thennis delivered the first offering from Kris Ruepke over the left field wall for what was his first home run of the season.  The rest of the lineup followed Thennis’ lead as Tech pounded out eight hits in the inning and drew four walks.  Sophomore second baseman and two-hole hitter Joey Kenworthy was the only Red Raider to not get an RBI in the frame but he did reach both times he came to bat (single and a walk).  Junior right fielder Roger Kieschnick put the finishing touches on the 10-run outburst as he blasted a two-run triple to the gap in right center field.  The triple was his second of this tournament.

Tech tacked on two more runs in the top of the second to take a 12-0 lead.  Sophomore shortstop Chris Hall laced an RBI double down the left field line while Thennis added his second RBI of the game with a single to left.

After the Red Raiders scored a single run in the third, they tacked on two more in the top of the sixth to grab a 15-0 lead.  Kieschnick plated the first run of the frame with a RBI fielder’s choice while third baseman Jason Seefeld drove in the second with an RBI single to left.

Cory Large’s attempt at perfection was dashed in the bottom half of the sixth as he allowed his first base runner of the game when he hit Lance Brown on a 3-2 pitch.  His attempt at a no-hitter was taken away in the next at-bat as he gave up a single to lead off hitter James Keithley.  The Roadrunners went on to plate three runs in the inning, all with tow outs, thanks to a pair of back-to-back doubles by Tim Palincsar and Michael Rockett.  Large (1-0) picked up the win after logging six innings of work, allowing three runs and struck out four.

UTSA’s Kris Ruepke (0-1) was tagged with the loss after allowing seven runs on six hits and never recording an out in the first inning.

Texas Tech returns to action on Wednesday afternoon as the Red Raiders travel to Albuquerque, N.M. to face the New Mexico Lobos at Isotopes Park.  First pitch is set for 4 p.m. (CT).

                                                                                                      R     H     E

Texas Tech              1021     002       010                               16   16   1

UTSA                          000       003       300                               6      9      4

WP = Large (1-0)

LP = Ruepke (0-1)

SV = None

(courtesy: texas tech)