26th-Ranked Texas Tech Holds on to Beat #24 KU, 8-6
April 8, 2006
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
No. 26 Texas Tech (23-12, 5-5 Big 12) scored all eight of its runs after the third inning and held on to beat the 24th-ranked University of Kansas Jayhawks, 8-6, Saturday night at Hoglund Ballpark. With the loss, KU drops to 21-13 overall and 5-6 in the Big 12.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
Texas Tech’s junior lefthander Colt Hynes pitched 8.1 innings allowing six runs (five earned), while scattering seven Jayhawk hits to pick up the victory and improve to 4-0 on the season. Dustin Richardson worked out of a bases loaded jam in the ninth inning to pick up his first career save.
With the Red Raiders up 8-5 heading into the ninth, Hynes allowed a one-out walk and Kyle Murphy to reach on an error before being relieved by Richardson. Richardson got senior Ritchie Price to hit a grounder back to the pitchers mound but his throw to second was low allowing Murphy to slide in safely to load the bases.
Senior Matt Baty worked a walk to bring in a Kansas run. With the bases still loaded, Richardson got senior Gus Milner and sophomore Erik Morrison to go down swinging to preserve the win.
Milner led off the second inning with a single and sophomore John Allman was hit by a pitch. After a successful double steal followed by a Preston Land RBI groundout plated KU’s first run.
Sophomore Matt Berner walked to lead off the third inning for the Jayhawks. A sacrifice bunt by Murphy moved Berner to second base. Ritchie Price singled through the left side to plate Berner and give KU a 2-0 lead.
Texas Tech took a 4-2 lead with four runs in the fourth inning. Roger Kieschnick knocked in Blair Wilkins with a single. After Tyler Reves singled Trey Stewart reached on a fielder’s choice. James Leverton stepped to the plate and hit a three run homer off KU’s starter Ricky Fairchild.
KU responded with two singles and two doubles that scored three runs in its half of the fourth inning. Morrison led off with a single and then stole second and third base. Allman and Land roped back-to-back RBI doubles to plate KU’s first two runs. After Dylan Parzyk’s sacrifice bunt moved Land over to third, Berner drove in Land with a single to left field.
TTU scored a run in the fifth inning and an unearned run in the sixth before Fairchild was relieved by freshman Andy Marks. Marks gave up a two-run homer to Tyler Revers in the seventh frame, giving the Red Raiders an 8-5 cushion. Junior Ryotaro Hayakawa pitched the final inning for KU.
Allman ended the day 2-for-3 with a RBI and a run while Land chipped in two. The Red Raiders out-hit the Jayhawks 15 to 7.
The rubber match of the three-game series will be played Sunday at 1 p.m. Senior Kodiak Quick (5-2, 2.64 ERA) will take the mound for Kansas while Texas Tech counters with freshman AJ Ramos (1-1, 5.18 ERA).
Game Notes: Ritchie Price was hit by a pitch for the 51st time of his career … Ricky Fairchild recorded his first pick off of the year and KU’s second as a team.
