Close But No Cigar

LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas reliever Brandon Workman retired Jason Seefeld on a ground ball with the tying run at second in the bottom of the ninth and the Longhorns escaped Dan Law Field with a 4-3 series-clinching win over Texas Tech on Saturday afternoon in front of 3,304 fans.

The loss leaves Texas Tech with a 2-4 mark in Big 12 play and they now stand at 11-10 on the year. Texas improves to 16-6 and 4-2 in league play.

The Longhorns did all their scoring with two outs in the first inning as they capitalized on a couple of mistakes by freshman right-hander Chad Bettis. Bettis (3-1) allowed two, two-run home runs to Brandon Belt and Preston Clark that gave Texas an early 4-0 lead. That would be it for Bettis but unfortunately the Tech offense could not come up with enough clutch hits as he suffered his first loss of the season despite going 6 2/3 innings.

The Red Raiders cut the Longhorn lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the second thanks to a sacrifice fly by designated hitter Taylor Ashby and an RBI single by second baseman Willie Rueda. Rueda's single scored catcher Monk Kreder who reached on a double to left.

Ashby came up big for the Red Raiders in the bottom of the eighth as he delivered a clutch two-out double to left that scored Doug Thennis who reached on a two-out walk. Ashby's double gave Tech runners at second and third with two outs but reliever Keith Shinaberry induced Tanner Rindels into a fly out to right to end the threat.

Willie Rueda led off the bottom of the ninth with a walk and shortstop Chris Hall executed a perfect bunt to move him into scoring position. Reliever Brandon Workman picked up his first save of the season by retiring Joey Kenworthy on a strikeout and Jason Seefeld on a ground ball to end the game.