Tech Softball Slips up against IPFW
By: Matt Dowdy - Texas Tech University
Updated: March 8, 2013
LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech raced out to a three-run lead in the first before allowing IPFW to rally with three runs in the third and two
more in the fourth in a 5-4 loss Friday afternoon at Rocky Johnson Field.
The
loss drops Tech (14-8) to 1-1 through one day of the Jeannine McHaney
Memorial Classic. The Red Raiders, who will play a total of seven games
through Monday, previously defeated UMKC, 8-0, in five innings earlier
in the day.
"We
got a few hits early but couldn't keep it together," Tech head coach
Shanon Hays said. "We are still working to find that core group who is
going to play well for us and right now we look like a young team. We
made too many mistakes and IPFW is a good team and made us pay."
Tech
took an early lead in the first with a Mikey Kenney leadoff home run
that was her fifth of the year and second to open a game. Kenney also
drew a walk in the fourth before finishing 1-for-3 at the plate.
Katelyn
Williams added to the Tech lead with the first of two doubles in the
game as she drove a first-pitch liner to the gap in left center to
score Adriana Perez and pinch runner Marisa Malazzo.
Williams
put Tech back in the lead in the third as well, lining another double
to nearly the same exact spot to score Sandy James. Williams and
James were the only Red Raiders to record at least two hits as they both
finished 2-for-4.
The
Mastodons (8-4) rallied in the third to tie the game off starter Cara
Custer as Dani Pugh powered a two-run single to right while Kayti Hanson
dropped a squeeze bunt in front of the plate to score another.
Alex
Bousquet and Hillary Kartman gave IPFW the lead for good an inning
later with a RBI groundout to short and then a single just inside the
chalk
in left field. Both runs were charged to Brittany Talley (5-4), who
relieved Custer to start the fourth before the right-hander returned
with one out in the inning.
Miranda
Kramer (6-3) shut down the Red Raiders from there as she retired Tech
in order in the fifth and sixth before leaving the game with two
outs in the seventh after a liner from James went off her arm.
Megan
Flenniken came on to intentionally walk Perez and then strike out
Williams to close the game. Kramer had previously allowed four runs,
three
of which were earned, off seven hits while striking out six in 6.2
innings.
Tech
moved a runner into scoring position earlier in the seventh after
Shelby Johnson drew a one-out walk and then followed by stealing second.
She was caught trying to swipe third just before James' single, however.
Tech
and IPFW will face each other again Saturday afternoon in a scheduled
1:30 p.m. first pitch at Rocky Johnson Field. The Red Raiders will close
the day at 4 p.m. against UMKC.
--TECH--
