Red Raiders Snap Losing Streak

LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech took out two weeks of offensive frustration on Kansas State this afternoon as the Red Raiders snapped an eight-game losing skid with a 19-4 win over the Wildcats on Sunday afternoon at Dan Law Field.  The game was called after the seventh inning due to the Big 12 run-rule policy on travel day.

The win puts to bed an eight-game losing skid and eight-game Big 12 losing streak as the Red Raiders improve to 18-23 and 5-13 in league play.  Kansas State drops to 18-20 and 5-10 in the Big 12.

Junior right fielder Roger Kieschnick came in to today’s game with only five RBIs in conference play and ended the day doubling that total as he went 3-for-5 with five RBIs and a home run.  Doug Thennis and Monk Kreder also added three hits on the day as the Red Raiders tallied a combined 19 on the afternoon.

The game was over from the very beginning as the Red Raiders stormed out to a 9-0 lead in the bottom half of the first inning.  Tech saw three different Wildcat pitchers in the frame and pounded out seven hits.  Kreder delivered the biggest hit of the inning as he blasted a two-run double off the center field wall.

Texas Tech tacked on two runs in the second and three in the third to build a 14-0 lead after three innings of play. 

Kansas State finally got on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth and the run was the only one allowed on the afternoon by Tech starter Nathan Karns.  Karns (2-6) picked up his second win of the season by logging five innings of work and allowing just one run on four hits and struckout five.

The Red Raiders answered the Wildcat run in the bottom half of the fifth as Tech extended its lead to 19-1 with five runs.  Kieschnick picked up his 12^th home run of the season in the frame as he laced a three-run blast over the left field wall.

Chase Bayuk (1-4) suffered the loss for Kansas State as he surrendered six runs on four hits and never recorded an out in the first inning.

Texas Tech returns to action on Tuesday night as the Red Raiders will host the New Mexico State Aggies in a single game beginning at 6:05 p.m.  Tech will travel to Roswell, N.N. on Wednesday afternoon to complete the series with a 6 p.m. (CT) game at Coca-Cola Field.

                                                                                                      R     H     E

Kansas State           000       000       0                                    4      8      2

Texas Tech              923       050       x                                    19   19   0

WP = Nate Karns (2-6)

LP = Chase Bayuk (1-4)

SV = None

(Courtesy: Texas Tech)