Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Red vs. Black (Game 1)
Red Victorious to Open Red & Black Series
November 01, 2019 | Baseball
Fulford, Baker, Klein all homer as Red takes 10-4 win Friday afternoon.
LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech baseball opened its annual Red & Black Series on Friday afternoon with the Red club scoring the final six runs of the game to run away with a competitive 10-4 win at Rip Griffin Park.
The Red team took a 4-0 lead into the bottom of the fourth, but Black fought back with a pair of home runs over the next two innings to even the score at 4-4. Red, however, would go back in front with a run in the sixth before extending its lead with three more in the seventh and two in the eighth.
Several familiar faces made an impact at the plate as senior Brian Klein and sophomore Dru Baker homered for Black while junior Braxton Fulford went yard for Red as part of a multi-hit day.
Sophomore Cole Stilwell and junior Dylan Neuse had clutch two-out hits for Red in consecutive innings to bust open the game. With the bases loaded in the seventh and Red up 6-4, Stilwell squared a liner to left that drove in two runs. The next inning, Neuse blasted a double to left center to score two and make it 10-4.
A pair of newcomers recorded three-hit games in shortstop Jared Cushing for the Red team and right fielder Bo Willis for Black. Cushing went 3-for-5 with a stolen base and run scored while Willis finished 3-for-4.
Overall, seven newcomers received time in the lineup and one more came out of the bullpen. For Red, it was Cushing joined by freshmen Dillon Carter and Jace Jung. For Black, Willis was joined by redshirt freshman Cal Conley, who hit leadoff and flashed with a couple of acrobatic plays at short, redshirt freshman T.J. Rumfield  and freshman Nate Rombach. Right-hander Steven Vazquez pitched a scoreless ninth.
Both squads sent four pitchers to the mound on Friday as senior John McMillon got the start for Red and sophomore Hunter Dobbins got the nod for Black. Both right-handers tossed four innings before yielding to their respective bullpens. McMillon allowed one run (earned) on two hits with five strikeouts and no walks while Dobbins allowed four runs (one earned) on four hits with four strikeouts and four walks.
Ryan Sublette received the win for the Red squad as he delivered two scoreless innings over the sixth and seventh. He struck out three, including a key swing-and-miss of Kurt Wilson with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh that preserved an 8-4 lead.
Both catchers provided solid support defensively as Rombach threw out two runners at second while Fulford claimed another.
The five-game series resumes Saturday at 2 p.m. Follow @TTU_Baseball on Twitter for news and updates.
