Tech Evens Series with Ninth-Inning Rally

Today’s win evens up this three-game series at 1-1 with the rubber match set for 1 p.m. on Sunday.  With the win, Texas Tech snapped a two-game losing skid and improved to 13-12 and 3-5 in Big 12 play while Missouri dropped its first league game of the year and fell to 20-4 and 4-1.

The Red Raiders found themselves trying to rally in the bottom of the ninth for the fifth straight game as they trailed 2-1 heading into the final frame.  Missouri reliever Nick Tepesch quickly gave the Tigers their first out in the inning as he struckout junior right fielder Roger Kieschnick on a 3-2 pitch.  That would be the last out that the Tigers would record as catcher Monk Kreder got the rally going with a walk and Tech Head Coach Larry Hays quickly substituted Kreder for pinch runner Logan Brown.  Senior first baseman Jason Seefeld moved Brown over to second with a single to left, his first hit of the afternoon.  Senior designated hitter Doug Thennis came up big in the next at-bat as he tied the game with a single through the left side that allowed Brown to score easily from second.  Missouri Head Coach Tim Jamieson then went to his bullpen for reliever Scooter Hicks after Tepesch blew the save opportunity.  Sophomore left fielder Taylor Ashby then drove in the winning run with a single to center that scored Seefeld and lifted Tech to the 3-2 win.

For the third-straight game and second-straight of this series, Tech fell behind in the top of the first inning as the Tigers got an RBI single from Aaron Senne that gave them a quick 1-0 lead. 

Tech finally punched out its first run of the series, after suffering a 1-0 shutout in the opener on Friday night, as Kreder delivered an RBI single to right field that scored Joey Kenworthy.  Keworthy reached on a one-out single and moved to second on a balk by Missouri starter Ian Berger.

The game remained tied a 1-1 until the top of the sixth inning when the Tigers staked a 2-1 lead off a bases loaded walk by catcher Trevor Coleman.  The walk was only one of two issued on the afternoon by Tech starter AJ Ramos.  Ramos logged 6 2/3 innings allowing just two runs on five hits and struckout eight in a no-decision.