Texas Tech Erupts for an 8-0 Win
October 14, 2006 | Softball
Oct. 14, 2006
HOUSTON, Texas - Senior third baseman Natalie Kula belted a home run and a double to lead the Red Raiders to an 8-0 win over Blinn College in Texas Tech's opening game at the Collegiate Fall Classic at Spring-Klein Park.
Offensively, the Red Raiders collected 13 hits, including a home run by second baseman Jennifer Bowers, and three doubles (Kula, Devin Zaragoza and Montana Patin), while the pitching staff limited Blinn to two hits over the five and a half inning contest (shortened by virtue of the mercy rule and a scrimmage decision to allow Blinn another half inning of play).
Junior Sarah Losleben got the win as she threw a perfect two innings (a scheduled two-inning start) while striking out two of the six batters she faced. Alex Watkins threw her first two collegiate innings as the sophomore struck out two more and scattered the two hits. Freshmen pitchers Ashly Jacobs and Rachel Wheeler each threw an inning with Jacobs striking out two of three batters faced in a perfect fifth inning.
Impressive as the pitching was, the hitters took the early spotlight plating four runs in the second inning as senior first basemen Brandy Moulin singled before Bowers shot over the left field fence. Senior shortstop Heather Parker reached on a hard-hit error, moved over on consecutive singles by sophomore designated player Liz Eimen and senior center fielder Ashley Parker (who was two for three on the night) and then scored on a ground out by junior right fielder Whitney Riley.
The Red Raiders added a run in the third after a leadoff walk by Moulin preceded the smash double by Kula. In the fifth with one out, freshmen second basemen Danielle Matthews singled, advanced to second on a ground out by sophomore third basemen Brooke Neuman and advanced to third on a single by freshmen shortstop Amanda Myers. Matthews scored on freshmen designated player Leah Legler's single. Sophomore Emily Niederhofer hit a shot that was misplayed by the Blinn shortstop to load the bases. Sophomore left fielder Patin drew a run-scoring walk and then sophomore Megan Shupp knocked in the mercy-run inducing eighth run with a single.
After a brief discussion with umpires, the decision was made to allow Blinn to have a half inning (the sixth) and let the Red Raiders play defense one more time. Each of the 22-person roster saw time in the game which lasted two hours.
The Red Raiders play three games tomorrow beginning at 1 p.m. when the Red Raiders face Mississippi Valley State, followed by a 3 p.m. contest with the University of Houston and then a 7 p.m . match up with the University of North Texas. On Sunday, Texas Tech will play UT-San Antonio at 11 a.m. (Results of that game will likely not be posted to this Web site until Monday because of the team travel schedule.)
