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Tech Falls to Texas in Big 12 Championship Opener
May 20, 2015 | Baseball
Smith struck out a career-high eight during 6.1 innings during first career start at the Big 12 Championship.
May 20, 2015
TULSA, Okla. - Senior Cameron Smith struck out a career-high eight batters in 6.1 innings, but it was Texas who defeated Texas Tech in the opening game of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship on Wednesday morning at ONEOK Field.
With the loss, Tech (30-23) will face TCU on Thursday morning at 9 a.m. in an elimination game. The Longhorns (27-25) advance and will play Baylor at 4 p.m. tomorrow.
Smith (6-5) struck out at least one batter in all six innings pitched while allowing two runs (1 ER) on five hits and two walks in the loss.
Texas starter Parker French (4-3) earned the win pitching a complete game allowing eight hits, one run and a walk with six strikeouts.
Texas scored the first run of the game in the second inning with a triple from Collin Shawn and an RBI double from Zane Gurwitz with two outs in the inning to take a 1-0 lead.
The Longhorns took a 2-0 advantage with an unearned run in the seventh on a throwing error by Tech second baseman Bryant Burleson, which allowed the base runner to score from second base with one out.
The Red Raiders scored their only run of the game in the bottom of the seventh when freshman third baseman Orlando Garcia hit an infield single to the shortstop scoring junior first baseman Eric Gutierrez.
The Red Raiders left seven runners on base - Texas left eight on base - while leaving runners stranded in scoring position in the first, fourth, seventh and ninth innings.
Junior designated hitter Cory Raley extended his hit streak to 15 games going 1-for-4, Burleson went 2-for-4 and Garcia went 2-for-4 for Tech.
Senior right-handed pitcher Dominic Moreno pitched 2.2 scoreless innings in relief of Smith while striking out three and allowing three base hits.
TEXAS TECH - BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP NOTES -
- Dropped to 15-29 all-time at the Big 12 Championship while making 15th appearance.
- Dropped to 2-5 all-time against Texas in the Big 12 Championship (0-5 in openers).
- Lost its seventh straight tournament opener - dating back to 2006 - three of which against Texas.
- Allowed its fewest runs in a Big 12 Championship opener since 1998 (1 - Oklahoma).
- Dropped to 0-3 as a No. 4 seed in the Big 12 Championship ... was also No. 4 seed last season (0-2).
- Head coach Tim Tadlock dropped to 1-5 all-time at the Big 12 Championship.
TEXAS TECH - ALL-TIME SERIES WITH TEXAS -
- Dropped to 43-110 all-time against Texas ... Red Raiders are 2-2 against the Longhorns this season ... dropped to 4-7 against Texas all-time on a neutral field ... fourth straight game holding Texas to three or fewer runs.
PLAYER NOTES -
- Cameron Smith struck out a career-high eight batters ... previous high was seven (twice).
- Cameron Smith lowered his career ERA to 2.81, which ranks eighth in school history.
- Cameron Smith pitched at least five innings for the 12th start this season ... only once has he not thrown five innings in a start this season.
- Cameron Smith allowed just two walks for the fifth consecutive start.
- Dominic Moreno tallied his 14th scoreless outing of the season ... six of his last seven appearances have been scoreless.
- Dominic Moreno lowered his career ERA to 3.00, which ranks ninth in school history.
- Dominic Moreno struck out three batters - marks the 15th outing this season to strike out multiple batters.
- Bryant Burleson posted his seventh multi-hit game this season (51st career).
- Bryant Burleson now has 15 career base hits against Texas during his 13th career game vs. UT.
- Bryant Burleson had four at-bats giving him 705 for his career which ties him for sixth place in Texas Tech history (Scott LeJeune, 2009-13).
- Bryant Burleson played in his 205th career game as a Red Raider ... is 1-of-4 players in school history with 200 career games played (Clint Bryant - 240 ... Taylor Ashby - 216 ... Madison Edwards - 212).
- Cory Raley has a 15-game hit streak (.354 average during streak).
- Cory Raley has reached base safely in 24 consecutive games.
- Orlando Garcia posted his seventh multi-hit game of the season - which leads all Red Raider freshmen.
- Orlando Garcia has hit safely in 3-of-4 games against Texas this season.
- Eric Gutierrez has started in 175 straight games - spanning his entire three-year Tech career ... streak ranks him ninth among active players in NCAA Division I baseball.
- Stephen Smith has reached base safely in 22 consecutive games.
