Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Kansas St
Two Run Home Run In The Ninth Dooms Texas Tech
April 18, 2003 | Baseball
April 18, 2003
MANHATTAN, Kan. - Kansas State's Zack Saunders hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth to snap a 16-game losing streak by the Wildcats as KSU dropped Texas Tech 10-8 in the opening game of a three-game series at Tointon Family Stadium in Manhattan on Friday.
Texas Tech falls to 23-17 on the year and 5-10 in the Big 12 while Kansas State improves to 11-24 and earned its first win in the Big 12.
Junior third baseman Christian Colonel put Tech on the board in the top of the first inning when he connected on his third home run of the season, a two-run blast that went over the left-center field wall.
The Wildcats jumped on the board in the bottom of the fourth as leadoff hitter Pat Maloney reached on a single and Tim Doty reached on an error by first baseman Doug Beck. Brett Williams singled through the middle to score Pat Maloney and bring Kansas State within one at 2-1. Zack Saunders gave the Wildcats the lead when he hit a three-run home run over the right field wall to give KSU a 4-2 lead.
Texas Tech quickly retook the lead by scoring three runs in the top of the fifth inning with two outs as the top four players in the order recorded hits. Scooter Jordan plated Cody Fuller on a single trough the left side and Fuller was able to score on a fielding error by center fielder Brad Anzman. Junior designated hitter Travis McElroy plated Jordan with double to right center and tied the game at 4-4. Christian Colonel put Tech back in the lead with a hard hit ball down the left field line scoring McElroy from second.
As quickly as Tech retook the lead in the top of the fifth, the Wildcats got it back (6-5) in the bottom half of the inning. Kansas State pounded Steve Gooch for four consecutive hits after a fielding error allowed Pat Maloney to reach with one out.
Kansas State pushed its lead to 8-5 in the bottom of the sixth as Tim Doty plated two runs on a bases-loaded single to center field.
Cody Fuller pulled Tech to within two (8-6) as he connected on his second career home run in the top of the seventh. Both of his home runs have come in the last three games as he picked up his first against Kansas in the Sunday game.
The Red Raiders tied the game in the top of the eighth as leadoff hitter Christian Colonel got things going with his second home run of the game, a solo shot that went over the left field wall. Madison Edwards picked up a one-out double to left field and T.J Bruce scored him with a single up the middle to tie the game at 8-8.
Scooter Jordan got on base in the top of the ninth thanks to a hit-by-pitch charged to KSU reliever Eric Rollins (3-2) but a fly out to left by Travis McElroy and a base running error by Scooter Jordan ended Tech's hope of scoring in the inning.
Tech reliever Jeff Karstens (7-3) gave up a single to Ryan Baldwin to leadoff the bottom of the ninth and a two-run home run by Zack Saunders gave Kansas State the 10-8 win. The win snapped a 16-game losing streak by the Wildcats that dated back to March 21.
Texas Tech and Kansas State will play game-two at 2 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.
