Ninth inning rally comes up short vs. UTRGV

Wednesday, April 30

Lubbock, Texas

6:30 p.m.

Texas Tech Athletics

15-26

UTRGV

30-15

UTRGV

Texas Tech

Ninth inning rally comes up short vs. UTRGV

April 30, 2025 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

The Red Raiders placed the tying runs on base in the ninth before falling 7-4

By: Andrew Stern

LUBBOCK, Texas – Down 7-0 heading to the bottom of the ninth, Texas Tech Baseball nearly completed an epic comeback Wednesday as the Red Raiders brought the tying run to the plate in three-straight at-bats, before falling 7-4 to UTRGV.

The ninth inning rally was sparked by an RBI triple from Robin Villeneuve and a three-homer run from substitute Kyeler Thompson. Thompson, who entered as a pinch-hitter in the Red Raiders (15-26) in the seventh launched his second home run, while the three-base hit was Villeneuve's first-career triple.

After first pitch was delayed 30 minutes due to inclement weather in the Lubbock area, the game got off to a tough start for the Tech as UTRGV (30-15) used a pair of two-out runs in the first and three-spot in the second to take a 5-0 lead after 1.5 innings of play.

The two runs in the first were especially frustrating for Tech, as both came with two outs and after starter Zach Crotchfelt used a strike-them-out-throw-them out to move to within one pitch of escaping the first unscathed. UTRGVs two runs came on single and a two-base error in centerfield that allowed the second run to score unearned.

In his first start as a Red Raider, Crotchfelt recorded just three outs, and allowed four hits and four runs (three earned).

Like they did on Tuesday afternoon, the Red Raiders got a lead-off knock from Tracer Lopez. With a full-count and Lopez on the move, Tech's two-hole hitter, Peyton Schulze sent a ground ball that looked to be destined for centerfield.

Instead, with UTRGVs Thomas Williams breaking to cover the back, the ball found his mitt, for a 4-3 double play. The two-ball was the first of three that the Red Raiders would hit into over the first four innings of the game.

In the second, UTRGV used an infield hit, two doubles and three consecutive walks (the final walked in a run) to take the aforementioned 5-0 lead.

Following a scoreless top of the third from reliever Zach Fetchel, Tech used a hit-by-pitch, a single and a walk to load the bases with two outs. The mini threat forced the Vaqueros to make a pitching change, as UTRGV turned to reliever Jack Lopez.

Behind in the count 2-1 and with Damian Bravo at the plate, Lopez coaxed a fielders choice from the 2024 Big 12 Batting Champion that got the Vaqueros through the third unscathed.

Lopez stranding the runners proved to be a bit of foreshadowing as the reliever ended up tossing five more innings of scoreless before running into trouble in the ninth.

In the end, Lopez allowed two runs over his 5.1 innings of work, needing just 53 total pitches.

Down 7-0 heading to the ninth, the Red Raider bats came alive in their "last-licks" as a lead-off double from Antonelli Savattere followed by a triple from Robin Villeneuve cut the UTRGV lead to 7-1.

The triple by Villeneuve was the final pitch that Lopez would throw on the night, as the Vaqueros summoned EJ Miramontes from the pen, who after losing freshman Jace Souza to a walk, the 0-2 three-run blast by Lopez.

Once down 7-0, the Red Raiders brought the tying run to the plate with nobody out two batters later in the form of Schulze who with defensive-replacement Hudson Parker (HBP) and Lopez (single) on first and second base respectively got ahead in the count 2-1 before popping up to short.

Again, Tech brought the tying run to the plate, this time in the former of its RBI and home run leader Logan Hughes, who ultimately struck out on a pair of close strike calls. Hughes went 0-for-4 on Wednesday night as the Stetson transfer saw his 13-game hitting snapped. The walk did however extend his on-base streak to 27 games.

The Red Raiders again brought the tying run to the plate in the form of Bravo, but the outfielder struck out on a 1-2 pitch to end the game.

In the setback, the Red Raiders did get three strong innings of relief from junior Zach Erdman as well as three scoreless innings from Jonny Lowe and JT Drake.

UP NEXT:
Tech will hit the road for another key Big 12 series at No. 16 West Virginia. The three-game set begins on Friday afternoon with a 5:30 p.m. (CT) first pitch.