Texas Tech Athletics
Missouri
Missouri Escapes Texas Tech Softball, 7-5
April 29, 2006 | Softball
April 29, 2006
COLUMBIA, Mo. - On a cool, rainy afternoon in Columbia, Mo., the Texas Tech softball team dropped a 7-5 decision to the Missouri Tigers, falling in the first game of the Red Raiders' final regular season series of the season.
The setback drops Texas Tech's overall record this season to 19-33 and its conference mark to 4-12, while the Tigers improve to 22-23 and 6-9 in Big 12 action.
Missouri took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as centerfielder Micaela Minner was hit by a pitch and was able to come around to score later in the frame on a RBI single by pitcher Jen Bruck.
The hit by pitch was the first of the game for Minner, who was stuck three times in the contest, as three Tech pitchers struggled in the wet conditions and hit five batters as well as unleashing a wild pitch.
The Red Raiders responded in the top of the third inning, scoring three runs to take a 3-1 advantage. Shortstop Heather Parker got the rally going with a one-out single and was followed by sister Ashley Parker, who slapped a single to left field putting runners at first and second for sophomore outfielder Devin Zaragoza. The Alamogordo, N.M., native singled to drive in the first Tech run of the ball game. After a RBI fielder's choice by Whitney Riley pushed across the second run of the inning, Zaragoza and Riley executed a double steal, with Zaragoza swiping home for the season time this season.
In the home half of the third, MU cut the Tech lead to 3-2 on a RBI double off the bat of right fielder Janessa Roening, but Tech countered in the top of the fourth to regained its two-run advantage with a RBI single by third baseman Natalie Kula.
A Red Raider error in the bottom of the fourth inning allowed the Tigers to plate a pair of runs and tie the game at 4-4. Later, in the fifth frame, Missouri recaptured the lead for the first time since the third inning scoring on a RBI single by shortstop Andee Allen, who also scored later in the inning on a wild pitch from Tech reliever Sarah Losleben, who took the loss to drop her record this season to 2-9.
After Missouri plated another run in the bottom of the sixth to take a 7-4 lead, Texas Tech came to bat in the seventh needing three runs to prolong the contest. Riley was able to bring home another run on a fielder's choice. But the Red Raiders could not cap the comeback leaving a pair of runners on base as the inning ended.
The series finale between Texas Tech and Missouri is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday if weather permits.
