No. 17 Red Raiders Drop Big 12 Opener to No. 24 Texas, Friday

LUBBOCK, Texas – In the opening game of Big 12 Conference play, No. 17 Texas Tech Baseball fell 22-8 to No. 24 Texas Friday night at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park.

With the loss, Texas Tech (10-3, 0-1 Big 12) saw its seven-game winning streak snapped.

In the setback, Damian Bravo went 1-for-3 with a home run. The blast for Bravo was one of three Red Raider home runs on Friday as sophomore Will Burns and senior Austin Green also hit solo shots. The homer for Burns was the first of his career.

Texas (8-5, 1-0 Big 12) got off to a quick start in Friday’s opener, using three-straight one-out singles to take an early 1-0 lead off Tech starter Kyle Robinson.

Robinson rebounded to record the second out of the inning, but Max Belyue lifted a three-run home run that gave the visitors a 4-0 lead.

Facing the Big 12 Preseason Pitcher of the Year in Lebrron Johnson, Tech would answer the Horns four-spot in the first using back-to-back walks from Bravo and Tracer Lopez to set the table for catcher Dylan Maxcey.

Johnson ultimately pitched just 4.1 innings allowing three hits and five runs (four earned). The righty walked six, struck out three and needed 110 pitches to record the 13 outs.

Maxcey hit an 0-2 offering from Johnson right back to the lanky righty. The ball ticked off his glove and bounced toward first base. Johnson wheeled and fired an errant throw down the first baseline that scored Bravo, and placed runners on the corners with nobody out.

After a wild pitch followed by a passed ball plate the second run of the inning, centerfielder Gage Harrelson walked. The third and final run of the frame came across on a TJ Pompey groundout. The RBI for Pompey was his 20th of the season. The freshman did however go 0-for-2 and saw his 11-game hitting streak snapped.

Following a scoreless top of the third, the Red Raiders tied the ballgame at four-all in the home half of the third on a home run down the right field line from Bravo.

In a new ballgame, UT seized control of the game for good in the decisive fourth inning using a walk and a double to spark a seven-run frame that featured a pair of two-RBI hits and a three-run home run from Porter Brown.

In the end, the Red Raiders exited the fourth trailing 11-4.

Tech would advance Harrelson to third base in the fourth, but a full-count strikeout ended the frame.

Texas would deliver the final blow in the fifth, when designated hitter Rylan Galvan hit a grand slam into his leftfield bullpen. The blast gave UT a 16-4 lead.

The Longhorns used two more runs in the sixth and four runs in the ninth to take a 22-6 lead into the bottom of the ninth.

Tech used a pair of singles and two-out double from freshman Davis Rivers to close to within 22-8.

Robinson took the loss for the Red Raiders on Friday night after allowing 11 runs on 11 hits in 3.2 innings pitched.

UP NEXT:
The Red Raiders will look to even the weekend series tomorrow afternoon against the Longhorns when freshman Mac Heuer takes the ball. First pitch from Rip Griffin Park at Dan Law Field is set for 2 p.m.

–TECH–

Release Provided By Andrew Stern Texas Tech Athletics