Weber Grills Tech Hitters

LINCOLN, Nebraska – Nebraska’s Thad Weber struckout 11 batters and Nick Sullivan delivered a three-run home run in the first to propel the ninth-ranked Cornhuskers to a 5-2 series-clinching win over Texas Tech in front of 6,979 fans at Haymarket Park.

The loss drops Texas Tech to 16-14 overall and to 4-7 in Big 12 play while Nebraska improves to 23-4-1 and 9-1-1 in the conference.

Saturday’s matchup with Nebraska saw plenty of swings and misses as both team’s pitchers were able to record 22 strikeouts combined. Unfortunately for Tech, 13 strikeouts came at their expense with 11 being thrown by Nebraska starting pitcher Thad Weber.   

Nebraska was able to get to Ramos early in the game. In the bottom of the first, the Tech right-hander walked two and then gave up a three-run blast to Cornhusker left fielder Nick Sullivan putting NU on top 3-0.

Tech answered back with a rally in the second which started off when Roger Kieschnick connected for a single off Weber. An RBI double from the next batter Jason Seefeld drove in Kieschnick. Seefeld made it to third on a single from Chris Hall and scored when Taylor Ashby hit into a double play, cutting Nebraska’s lead to 3-2.

Ramos got in trouble again in the second when Nebraska loaded the bases with two outs. With his 3-2 pitch, Ramos was able to induce Nebraska’s Jake Opitz to groundout to first basemen Doug Thennis to end the inning unscathed.

In the fourth Nebraska was able to increase its lead to 4-2 when D.J. Belfonte hit a sacrifice fly to left field plating the runner from third. That would be the last run Ramos would give up in the afternoon. He finished the day with six and 1/3 innings of work in which he gave up four runs on four hits and four walks.

That same cast of characters for Tech that got to Weber in the second again threatened him in the seventh inning. Kieshnick led off with a single and then moved to second with a single from Seefeld. A sacrifice bunt from Hall moved both runners over to second and third. But this time Weber closed the door on Tech as he forced Ashby to groundout and then struck out Jeremy Mayo to end the inning. 

The Red Raiders finally chased off Weber in the eighth as they were able to get runners on the corners with two walks from Joey Kenworthy and Thennis and a passed ball. With two outs, Nebaska called on relief pitcher Dan Jennings to face Kieschnick. Jennings forced a groundout to first to end the inning.

Nebraska added one more in the ninth with a successfully executed hit and run scoring the runner from first making the score 5-2.

AJ Ramos fell to 1-3 on the season after giving up four runs on four hits over 6 1/3 innings and finished with four walks and seven striketouts.  Thad Weber moved to 6-1 on the year after holding Tech to just two runs on five hits and struckout 11 over 7 2/3 innings.

Texas Tech will try and salvage the final game of this series on Sunday afternoon.  First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m.

                                                                                                       R     H     E

Texas Tech              020       000       000                               2      5      0

Nebraska                  300       100       01X                               5      6      1

WP = Thad Weber (6-1)

LP = AJ Ramos (1-3)

SV = Dan Jennings (2)

GAME NOTES

·          With the loss, Tech is now 16-14 on the season and 4-7 in Big 12 play

·          The series now moves to 24-19 all-time and 13-5 in Lincoln, all in favor of Nebraska.

·          Tech starting pitcher A.J. Ramos has hit at least one batter in all seven of his starts this season and was the third straight start Ramos has given up at least one run in the first inning.

--ttu--