Black Team Wins Red & Black Series Opener, 8-5
October 20, 2014 | Baseball
Smith earned the win in game one of the Red & Black Series as the Black Team takes a 1-0 lead in the series.
LUBBOCK, Texas - Senior Cameron Smith pitched four strong innings and the Black Team scored all eight of its runs in the middle innings while defeating the Red Team 8-5 in Game 1 of the annual Texas Tech Baseball Red & Black Series on Monday afternoon at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park.
The Black Team used home runs from freshman second baseman Michael Davis and junior outfielder Quinn Carpenter and received 2.1 scoreless innings in relief from junior left-handed pitcher Hunter Raley who earned the save.
Smith (1-0) struck out a pair and allowed just one run and three hits while leaving the game after four innings with the Black Team leading 2-1.
Junior first baseman Eric Gutierrez gave the Black Team a 3-1 lead with a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning before the Black Team added five runs on three hits, including homers from both Davis and Carpenter, to extend its lead to 8-1 after six innings.
Red Team starting pitcher Garrett Bruce (0-1) took the loss allowing two runs on four hits with two strikeouts and one walk.
The Red Team attempted a comeback in the seventh inning scoring four runs on three hits, including a three-run homer from sophomore first baseman William Hairston, to cut the Black Team's lead to three runs, 8-5 in the middle of the seventh.
Hunter Raley earned the save while shutting down the Black Team in the eighth and escaping a bases-loaded jam in the ninth while getting a strikeout to end the game after allowing three straight base runners on two walks and a base hit as Ryan Long struck out with the bases loaded to end the game.
Michael Davis led the Black Team going 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and shortstop Cory Raley also added two hits going 2-for-3 and freshman third baseman Tanner Gardner finished 2-for-4 with an RBI.
The Red Team was led by junior center fielder Zach Davis who went 3-for-5 with three stolen bases and an RBI. Hairston went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer.
The Red & Black Series will continue with Game 2 set for Tuesday, Oct. 21 with first pitch scheduled for 3:30 p.m. All games of the series will be played at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park and admission is free.
Fans who aren't able to make it to the ballpark for the Red & Black Series can follow all of the action live on Twitter (@TechGameday) and while using the hashtag: #RedBlackSeries.
NOTES:
- First Pitch: 3:31 p.m.
- Time of Game: 2 hours, 36 minutes.
- Temperature: 75 degrees, 3 MPH, Out to RF.
- Last year the Red Raiders hit three home runs in five games of the Red & Black Series... Tech hit three home runs in game one.
- The Black Team had nine base hits with two home runs and two triples... The Red Team had nine hits with one home run.
- The Black Team scored all of its runs and tallied seven of its nine hits during the middle innings (4th-6th).
- Junior first baseman Eric Gutierrez is now batting .265 (9-for-34) with seven RBI in nine career Red & Black Series games... his teams have a combined 7-2 record in three years (2012-14).
- Michael Davis' two-run homer over the left-field wall marked the first home run of the Red & Black Series... at the time of his homer, three of the last five home runs hit in the Red & Black Series (dating back to 2011) were hit by Red Raider freshmen.
Red & Black Series Dates/Times/Results:
Game 1: Black Team defeats Red Team, 8-5 (Black Team Leads Series, 1-0)
Game 2: Tuesday, Oct. 21 - 3:30 p.m.
Game 3: Tuesday, Oct. 28 - 3:30 p.m.
Game 4: Wednesday, Oct. 29 - 3:30 p.m.
Game 5: Thursday, Oct. 30 - 3:30 p.m.
