Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Nebraska
No. 12 Nebraska Edges Texas Tech 3-1
April 09, 2004 | Baseball
April 9, 2004
LINCOLN, Neb. - Nebraska's Jake Mullinax and Curtis Ledbetter connected on back-to-back home runs in the second inning to help lead the 12th-ranked Huskers to a 3-1 win over Texas Tech on a rain soaked Friday night in Lincoln, Neb.
The win extends the Husker win streak to nine games as they move to 24-5 on the season and 6-1 in the Big 12. The loss marked Tech's fifth in the last seven games as the Red Raiders fall to 18-12 and 1-5 in league play.
Texas Tech jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first as Cameron Blair led off the game with a double to right-center field and later scored on an RBI single by designated hitter Dallas Braden. Tech had runners on the corners with just one out as Josh Haney moved Braden to third on a single that went just over the head of Husker first baseman Curtis Ledbetter. Michael Mask fouled out and Haney was picked off to end the inning.
Nebraska took over the lead in the bottom of the second as the Huskers got back-to-back home runs from Jake Mullinax and Curtis Ledbetter, making the score 2-1.
The score remained 2-1 in Nebraska's favor until the bottom of the sixth when Daniel Bruce reached on error by Jose Delgado and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Mullinax. Bruce hit a high fly ball to shallow right and was covered by three Tech defenders but Delgado let the fall out of his glove and marked Tech's first of two errors in the inning.
Despite a shaky first inning, Zach Kroenke (6-1) held Tech to just seven hits on the night and struckout nine in eight innings of work (134 pitches). Mike Sillman recorded his fourth save of the night as he struckout one batter in the ninth.
Senior right-hander Steven Thomas had a stellar night on the mound for the Red Raiders but the back-to-back home runs in the second gave him his fourth loss of the season. Thomas (2-4) allowed just four hits on the night and struckout three in his second complete game of the season.
Texas Tech and Nebraska will play the second game of the series at 2:05 p.m. on Saturday afternoon at Hawks Field here in Lincoln. The game will be televised nationally by CSTV (College Sports Television - DirectTV 610) with Kevin Kugler and Adrian Fiala calling the action.
Game Notes:
- The complete game effort by Steven Thomas was his second of the season and the third by a Tech pitcher. The complete game loss was the second by a Tech pitcher in the last four games as Dallas Braden went the distance in a 4-0 loss to Texas on April 3.
- The four hits by Nebraska was a season-low for the Huskers. The back-to-back home runs by Mullinax and Ledbetter was the first since the second game against Kansas on March 28.
- Junior shortstop Cameron Blair has now hit safely in 21 of 28 games this season and leads the team with a three-game hitting streak.
