Tech Drops Saturday Contest to No. 22 OU Despite Late Rally

LUBBOCK, Texas – Despite a late two-run home run from Tracer Lopez and a two-run single from Gavin Kash, Texas Tech Baseball fell to No. 22 Oklahoma, 7-5, Saturday afternoon at a windy and cold Rip Griffin Park at Dan Law Field.

With temperatures hovering in the 60s, the Red Raiders (30-20, 12-14 Big 12) faced an early 2-0 deficit when Oklahoma (28-17, 17-6 Big 12) used four straight singles to plated the first two runs of the game off Kyle Robinson.

After the rough start, Robinson settled in, firing three straight scoreless frames to send the game to the home half of the fourth.

Tech got a one out double from Kevin Bazzell in the fourth, but Kyson Witherspoon used a flyout and a strike out to strand the Red Raiders catcher in scoring position. Witherspoon pitched six-and-two-thirds innings allowing just four hits and three runs. He walked five and struck out seven.

In the fifth, Robinson allowed a solo home run to Bryce Madron, a hit batter and a single. With runners on first and second and nobody out, Robinson allowed a three-run homer to Anthony Mackenzie that gave OU a 6-0 lead before leaving in favor of Brendan Lysik.

Lysik used a pair of strikeouts and a ground out to end the frame and ultimately pitched two scoreless innings. He has now not allowed a run in his 7.1 innings pitched and his last four appearances.

The game remained 6-0 OU, until the home half of the sixth, when a Kevin Bazzell home run put the Red Raiders on the board.

After a 1-2-3 seventh, the Red Raiders mounted a rally on Witherspoon, using three walks to load the bases for Kash. The second walk of the inning marked the end of Witherspoon’s day, as the righty was lifted in favor of Carter Campbell who issued a four-pitch walk to Lopez.

OU made its second pitching change of the inning, turning to Dylan Crooks. After falling behind 1-2, Kash worked the count even before ripping a 108 MPH single through the shift that plated a pair. The two runs brought Tech to within 6-3.

In the eighth, reliever Jacob Rogers retired the first batter of the inning, before a hit batter and a walk placed a pair on base. The Sooners next batter, Madron, singled home the Sooners seventh and final run of the game.

In a 7-3 game, OU attempted a delayed double steal, sending Madron from first. Instead of throwing down, Bazzell pump faked a throw to second and instead fired to Cade McGee who returned the throw back to Bazzell. The catcher slapped the tag on John Spikerman to end the inning.

Returning for the ninth after recording a pair of outs in the eight, Jack Washburn worked around a walk and a ground-rule double to send the game to the ninth with OU on top 7-3.

A one-out single from Gage Harrelson prompted a pitching change, as OU turned to Kyson Witherspoon’s younger brother Malachi. After allowing the two-run home run to Lopez, Witherspoon struck out Kash to end the game.

UP NEXT:
The Red Raiders will look to snap a five-game Big 12 losing streak tomorrow afternoon when they play OU for the third and final game. First pitch for Senior Day is set for 2 p.m.

–TECH–

Release Provided By Andrew Stern Texas Tech Athletics