No. 9 Tech Completes Midweek Sweep of Gonzaga

LUBBOCK, Texas – For the second time in two nights, No. 9 Texas Tech baseball got a clutch late-inning double to down Gonzaga, 5-4, on Wednesday evening at Rip Griffin Park to complete the midweek sweep.

The Red Raiders (10-3), who beat the Bulldogs (6-7) by the same score Tuesday night, pulled out their third one-run win in three games and have now won 10 in a row overall. Tech also improves to 4-0 in midweek games this season and extends its home winning streak to 19 games.

As Nate Rombach did in the seventh inning on Tuesday night, Jace Jung delivered a go-ahead double on Wednesday night, this time in the eighth inning to score two runs and break a 3-3 tie. He smashed a laser over the center fielder’s head that scored runners from first and second. Jung finished 2-for-5 and leads the Big 12 with 23 RBI on the year.

Ryan Sublette (1-0) gave one of the best performances of his career to earn his first win of the year. He came in during the sixth after the Bulldogs had scored a pair of runs to even the score at 3-3. With the bases loaded, he got Tech out of the inning with a soft liner to Cole Stilwell at first base. Sublette went on to retire six of the first seven he faced and got Tech all the way to the final out of the game, throwing 3.0 frames and allowing only one run.

Connor Queen (1) needed only two pitches to seal the midweek sweep for the Red Raiders and earn his first career save. He entered with two on, two out and a 5-4 lead and got a weak pop up to Jung at second base to end it.

Chase Hampton went 4.0 inning in his second career start, allowing a run on four hits. It marked his longest outing of the season.

The Bulldogs faced adversity early on as starting pitcher Regan Haas collided with Jung on a play at first base and had to exit the game after only throwing five pitches. An inning later, catcher Tyler Rando left the game after a play at the plate with Cody Masters scoring safely on a wild pitch.

Gonazaga got decent work from Michael Spellacy and Brody Jessee to get them to the seventh in a tie ballgame. Spellacy allowed two runs in 2.2 innings as Tech plated runs in each of the first three innings to build a 3-1 lead. Bulldog Stephen Lund was responsible for Gonzaga’s early run as he hit a dinger in the first.

Cal Conley helped the Red Raiders respond in the bottom of the first with an RBI single that scored Jung. The Bulldogs committed two of their three errors in that frame, but Tech would leave runners at second and third as Wilson grounded out to third for the final out.

An inning later, Cody Masters took matters into his own hands, doubling and later scoring on a wild pitch. In the third, Tech took advantage of another error, and Wilson drove in Conley with an RBI single that made it 3-1.

Tech continued its strong play defensively as well with Conley and Jung turning two double plays up the middle. Catcher Nate Rombach also caught a runner attempting to steal in the first soon after the solo home run.

Release provided by Texas Tech Athletics

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