Texas Tech Athletics
Oral Roberts
No. 10 Texas Tech Defeats Oral Roberts, 7-4
March 18, 2015 | Baseball
The Red Raiders open Big 12 play this weekend at Oklahoma, March 20-22.
March 18, 2015
LUBBOCK, Texas - No. 10 Texas Tech turned five double plays and had four relievers post scoreless outings during a 7-4 victory over Oral Roberts in front of 3,327 fans at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park.
The Red Raiders (15-6) improved to 13-2 at home this season and to 5-2 in midweek games. The Golden Eagles (10-9) fall to 3-2 on the road.
Tech turned inning-ending double plays in the second, third, fourth, sixth and seventh innings.
The Red Raiders broke a 1-1 game open with six unanswered runs from the third-to-eighth inning. Tech scored a pair of runs in the fourth and single runs in the third, sixth, seventh and eighth innings.
Tech reliever Jacob Patterson (2-0) picked up the win tossing three scoreless innings allowing three hits with a strikeout and two walks.
Golden Eagles starting pitcher Bryce Howe (0-1) was the losing pitcher going 3.2 innings allowing four runs - all earned - on six hits with two strikeouts and four walks allowed.
Tech took a 4-1 lead in the fourth inning scoring a pair of runs. Junior first baseman Eric Gutierrez drew a bases-loaded walk scoring third baseman Michael Davis - who singled to reach base - and junior outfielder Tyler Neslony was hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded.
Junior designated hitter Cory Raley went 3-for-5 with three runs scored, Michael Davis went 3-for-4 with a run scored and junior outfielder Stephen Smith went 2-for-4 with a run scored and RBI.
Tech right-handed pitcher Matt Withrow made his first start of the season, a no decision, going two innings allowing one run on three hits with a strikeout and a walk.
The Red Raiders will open Big 12 play this weekend at Oklahoma, March 20-22, at L. Dale Mitchell Park in Norman. The series opener is set for 6 p.m. on Friday and will be televised on FOX College Sports Pacific. The middle game of the series is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Saturday with a national television audience on FSN. The series finale is Sunday at 1 p.m. on FOX College Sports Central.
NOTES:
- Texas Tech improves to 12-9 in the all-time series against Oral Roberts ... Tech is now 7-2 all-time at home against the Golden Eagles ... Tech has won 11 of the last 13 overall matchups with the Golden Eagles.
- Tech's five double plays marked its most in a game in over 15 years.
- Eric Gutierrez has started in 143 straight games - spanning his entire three-year Tech career.
- Eric Gutierrez has reached base safely in nine consecutive games.
- Stephen Smith had his Big 12-leading 20th walk of the season.
- Tyler Neslony tallied his fourth multiple RBI game of the season.
- Cory Raley posted his team-leading ninth multi-hit game ... has five three-hit games this season.
- Michael Davis recorded a season-high three hits (3-for-4) ... marks his fifth multi-hit game of the season.
