Texas Tech drops Tulsa in final game of Maverick Invitational

ARLINGTON, Texas – An eight-run opening frame powered Texas Tech to a 12-1 win over Tulsa in the final game of the Maverick Invitational Sunday afternoon at Allan Saxe Field.

Abbie Orrick jump started the Red Raider (3-2) offense yet again with a three-run blast over the left-field wall; she has now homered to score the first runs of the contest in back-to-back games.

The scoring frenzy continued as Kailey Wyckoff, Peyton Blythe and Chassety Raines all drew walks to load the bases. After a first pitch strike to Alanna Barraza, relief pitcher Kaiya Luneckas threw four straight balls to walk in a run for Tech.

A pair of wild pitches and an error by the Golden Hurricane (1-3) second baseman capped off an eight-run opening frame for Tech.

A returned bases-loaded walk for Tulsa plated its lone run of the contest in the top of the second, but a two-run shot by Blythe and a double from Barraza in the bottom half of the frame tacked on three more runs for the good guys.

With a 12-1 lead heading into the top of the fourth, Makinzy Herzog (1-0), who entered in the third for starter Erna Carlin, struck out the side to keep Tulsa at bay. Herzog earned the win in 2.0 innings of relief work. The fifth-year senior fanned a team-high five batters and allowed just one hit.

After a quiet fourth frame on the offensive end, Ranci Willis closed out the fifth in the circle, again striking out the side to end the game in five innings.

Riley Grant (0-2) suffered the loss for Tulsa after giving up two hits, three walks and six runs in just 0.2 innings of action.

Notable

Seven of Texas Tech’s eight pitchers saw action this weekend. Sage Hoover led the way with 9.1 innings of work and a 0.00 ERA.
Ellie Bailey led the squad offensively, going 5-for-11 with a double, a home run and a team-leading seven RBIs.
Four hitters tallied a slugging percentage over .700 this weekend – Bailey, Abbie Orrick, Makinzy Herzog and Arriana Villa.
The Red Raiders smashed six home runs this weekend, marking the second straight opening weekend that Tech has tallied six home runs.
Freshman Kailey Wyckoff was the lone freshman to see starts in multiple games this weekend.

Next Up
Texas Tech will travel south to El Paso for a six-game tournament featuring Buffalo, Santa Clara, UTEP and New Mexico. The Red Raiders will open the tournament Thursday, Feb. 16 against Buffalo. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.

–TECH–

Release provided by Hanna Cooper Texas Tech Athletics

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