Texas Tech Athletics
Oklahoma
Tech Earns a Split on the Day
May 15, 2010 | Softball
May 15, 2010
OKLAHOMA CITY - The easiest way for Texas Tech (36-16) to earn a postseason berth would have been to win the Big 12 tournament. But the squad beat Kansas, 5-3, and then lost to No. 2 seed Oklahoma, 2-0, and so hopes to earn an at-large spot tomorrow night when the NCAA softball committee selects its 64-team bracket.
Texas Tech, coming off a two-week absence from competitive play while the team took finals, posted a run in the first inning against the Jayhawks in game one, but then failed to convert on several scoring opportunities until the offense put up four in the fifth inning. Ashly Jacobs (14-8) went the distance earning her 50th win in a Tech uniform as the venerable senior worked out of a few jams in the damp game.
The tournament, which was to have begun on Friday evening, was re-vamped after pounding rain drenched the region on Thursday and Friday. Jacobs drew the 11 a.m. start and was effective blanking Kansas until the sixth and seventh innings when they mounted challenges. Emily Bledsoe, Logan Hall and Holley Gentsch each collected a pair of hits against Kansas, with Hall and Gentsch both doubling. Stephanie Drewry got a key double with bases loaded in the four-run fifth and knocked in a pair of runs for Tech. Ashley Hamada got the other hit for Tech, and knocked in a run as well and Raven Richardson picked up the game's first RBI as she drew a walk with bases loaded in the first to score what was the eventual game-winner.
Game two, which began at 2 p.m., featured No. 11 Oklahoma's Keilani Ricketts and Karli Merlich in somewhat of a pitcher's duel as the lefties combined for a 10-hitter which only featured the Sooner's two runs. There were several sparkling defensive plays in the game that never was comfortably put out of reach by either offense. Richardson, Mikey Kenney and Gentsch each singled for the Red Raiders and no hitter managed more than a single in the game.
Tech, who posted the 43rd-best RPI (ratings power index) based on results, opponents and strength of schedule, awaits the decisions of the NCAA softball committee to determine if a 36-win season in a power conference, with key wins over six ranked opponents, is good enough to draw an invitation to the sports postseason. (The Big 12 had seven teams in the tournament in 2009.)
The selections will air on ESPNU at 9 p.m. CT on Sunday night.
