Red Raiders Ride 12-8 Victory to Sixth Straight Win, Series Sweep Over Houston

LUBBOCK, Texas – Gavin Kash launched a third inning grand slam while relievers Josh Sanders and Parker Hutyra combined to allow just one hit in 2.1 innings pitched to propel Texas Tech Baseball to a 12-8 sweep clinching victory over Houston at a windy Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park Sunday afternoon.

With the victory, Texas Tech (24-9, 8-7 Big 12) pulled to above .500 in Big 12 play for the first time all season.

On yet another windy spring day in Lubbock (winds were blowing out to left field at over 20 MPH), Sunday’s game turned to into yet another war of attrition on the mound, as Texas Tech (24-9, 8-7 Big 12) used 2.1 one-hit innings from Josh Sanders and Parker Hutyra to close out the Red Raiders sixth straight win overall and fourth straight Big 12 victory.

Freshman Mac Heuer took the ball Sunday for the Red Raiders and battling through the tough pitching conditions and lack of command gutted his way through four innings. Heuer who allowed four runs including a two-run first inning home run, walked six and struck out seven over his outing.

After heading to the second down 2-1, and the top of third down 3-1, Heuer quickly got run support in the home half of the third inning when the Red Raiders exploded for seven runs as 10 batters came to the plate.

As previously mentioned, down 3-1, Tech quickly erased the deficit on four straight singles, the final two of which came in the form of back-to-back RBI singles from Austin Green and Drew Woodcox.

The single from Woodcox chased Houston’s (16-15, 4-11 Big 12) starter Duncan Howard from the game. Howard, who had allowed seven total runs and just one run in his previous Big 12 start against Baylor, was tagged for five total runs suffering his first loss of the season.

Following the pitching change, the Red Raiders fifth batter of the inning, Owen Washburn, reached on a walk to load the bases with nobody out.

After a popup to center field didn’t score a run, the Red Raiders brought in the innings’ third run on an RBI grounder of the bat of Tracer Lopez.

The innings’ second walk, reloaded the bases with two outs for Kash who ripped the first home run he saw for his eighth home run of the season and 34th-career homer. By reaching 34 home runs, Kash moved into a tie with Keith Ginter for 10th place on the all-time home run list and needs just 11 home runs to tie Clint Bryant’s school record.

Armed with an 8-3 lead, Heuer loaded the bases on a pair of walks and a hit batter, but used three strikeouts to strand the bases loaded.

In the home half of the fourth, Tech used a lead-off double by Bazzell and another RBI hir from Woodcox to plate the first of three runs. The final two runs of the inning came on a throwing error and an RBI single from TJ Pompey.

With his pitch count over 90 and following a lead-off hit-by-pitch the Red Raiders lifted Heuer in the fifth in favor for lefty Zach Erdman.

In his second appearance of the week, Erdman allowed a double and a two-run home run to his first two batters, but ultimately settled down to retire the next three baters in order.

In an 11-6 game, the Red Raiders used four more walks to go in front 12-6 heading to the sixth.

Riding the momentum from the strong close to the fifth, Erdman settled in and worked around a lead-off error by Kash to fire a zero in the sixth.

After Tech went down in order in the sixth, Erdman returned for the seventh, ultimately allowing a two-out RBI single that pulled Houston to within 12-7.

Looking to squash the Cougars rally, Tech turned to the reliable Sanders, who struck out the first batter he faced on four pitches.

Sanders returned to the mound for the eighth and needed just nine pitches to set the Cougars down 1-2-3.

With the game still 12-7 heading to the ninth, Houston used a lead-off home run, a walk and an infield single to put the tying run on deck, but freshman Parker Hutyra retired the final three batters in order to close out the Red Raiders perfect 5-0 week.

UP NEXT:
The Red Raiders open a critical six-game roadtrip on Tuesday night when they make the short trip to Abilene for midweek contest at ACU. First pitch from Crutcher Scott Field in Abilene is set for 6:05 p.m.

–TECH–
Release Provided By Andrew Stern Texas Tech Athletics