Texas Tech Athletics
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Kansas
Tech Wins Finale At Kansas
April 23, 2000 | Baseball
April 23, 2000
In a must-win situation, the Texas Tech Red Raiders responded with 12 runs on 16 hits and a strong pitching performance by Cory Metzler to take game three and the series with the Kansas Jayhawks. The Red Raiders blew open a 4-2 game with four runs in the seventh and four in the eighth to go on to the 12-4 victory at Hoglund Ballpark in Lawrence, Kansas.
With the win, the Red Raiders improved their Big 12 record to 15-9 and remained in fifth place in the conference race. Ahead of Tech and tied for third is Nebraska (16-8) and Oklahoma (14-7). The Red Raiders and Sooners will tangle next weekend at Dan Law Field.
Texas Tech jumped out to a 4-0 lead after four innings with one run in the third and three in the fourth off Kansas starter Brandon O'Neal. In the third, Eric McLamore scored on single by Shaun Larkin to put Tech up 1-0.
The Red Raiders sent eight batters to the plate in the fourth and scored three runs on four hits. Marco Cunningham started the inning with a double to right and scored two batters later when Jason Rainey doubled to the right field corner. After a Cory Sellars walk and double steal by Rainey and Sellars, Trey Lunsford single to left to put Tech up 4-0.
The Jayhawks came back with two runs in the fifth on four straight singles off Metzler. With runners on second and third and one out, Metzler pitched out of the jam by inducing two ground outs to end the inning.
Tech broke open the game in the seventh by scoring four runs on three hits. Chaz Eiguren provided the punch with his second home run of the series, a three-run blast to left center that scored Larkin and Cunningham. Rainey welcomed Kansas reliever Sam Gash to the game by hitting the first pitch over the right field fence to make the score 8-2. It was the second time this year that Eiguren and Rainey have hit back-to-back homers.
Texas Tech wasn't finished as they put four more runs on the board in the eighth while sending 10 batters to the plate. Tech used four straight singles and left the bases loaded. McLamore started the scoring on a single by Holzhauer. Holzhauer scored one batter later when Larkin singled to right. Larkin then moved to third on a single by Cunningham and scored on a base hit to left by Eiguren. Cunningham plated the final run of the game for the Red Raiders on a sacrifice fly by Sellars.
Sellars' sacrifice fly tied the single-season team record for Texas Tech at 34. The 2000 squad tied the mark set in 1988.
Metzler earned his fourth win of the year in his second complete game. He allowed four runs on 12 hits and three strikeouts. For the series, Tech pitchers walked just two batters in 26 innings of work. J.J. Newman walked one on Friday night and Kevin Tracey walked a batter on Saturday afternoon.
The Red Raiders will open the final homestand of the season on Tuesday night when they host Wayland Baptist. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. The final home Big 12 series will be next weekend against Oklahoma. Game times for that series are 7 p.m. on Friday, 2 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday.
