Tech falters late in Friday loss to No. 17 WVU

Friday, April 10

6:30 p.m.

Texas Tech Athletics

19-14, 5-8

No. 17 West Virginia

23-7, 9-4

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
West Virginia	0	2	1	0	0	0	3	0	6	12	14	1
Texas Tech	0	1	0	0	4	0	0	1	2	8	15	4

Tech falters late in Friday loss to No. 17 WVU

April 11, 2026 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF) Highlights Post Game Press Conference

Deadlocked in a 6-6 game, the Red Raiders saw the nationally-ranked Mountaineers strike for six runs in the ninth

By: Andrew Stern

LUBBOCK, Texas – Down 6-5 heading to the bottom of the eighth, Texas Tech Baseball tied the game at six heading to the ninth before ultimately falling 12-8 to No. 17 West Virginia Friday night at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park.

Trailing 3-1 and 6-5, Texas Tech (19-14, 5-8 Big 12) showed resolve, using a two-run RBI double from Connor Shouse in the fifth to tie the game at three-all.

After a walk and single loaded the bases, Tech freshman Jesse Ruisnek ripped a double down the left field line to give Tech a 5-3 lead.

With two more runners in scoring position, West Virginia's (23-7, 9-4 Big 12) Dawson Montsea cut down a runner at the plate on a comebacker and used a strikeout to hold the game at three-all.

Montsea tossed seven innings on Friday night allowing 11 hits and five runs. The transfer righty threw 125 pitches on the night.

After the teams traded zeros in the sixth, WVU placed the first two batters of the top of the seventh on base with a four-pitch walk and a soft single down the third base line.

With the tying runs aboard, Tech reliever Jonny Lowe used a 6-4-3 double play to put the first two outs of the inning on the board, but WVU used a Gavin Kelly RBI single to pull to within 5-4 and a Paul Schoenfeld single to place the tying and go-ahead runs on base.

Down in the count 3-0, Lowe pulled to within 3-2, before a slicing ball off the bat of Sean Smith landed in the corner, just fair and beyond a running Rusinek in right. The ball scored both
Kelly from second and Schoenfeld from first to give WVU a 6-5 lead.

The game remained 6-5 until the eighth when WVU loaded the bases with two outs, but Logan Addison struck out WVUs Matt Ineich looking to keep the game 6-5 WVU.

Addison who tossed 1.1 innings of scoreless relief struck out all four batters he retired Friday.

Finally going to its bullpen after the starter Montsea tossed the 125 pitches and seven innings, the Red Raiders got a lead-off single from second baseman Tracer Lopez to place the tying run on with nobody out.

After a sac-bunt from SS Coleman Ryan advanced Lopez to second, the Red Raiders used back-to-back four-pitch walks to load the bases with one out for Shouse.
Swinging first pitch, Shouse scored Lopez on an RBI groundout to tie the game at six.

Following an intentional walk issued to Logan Hughes, Perez ultimately kept the game tied when get got Linkin Garcia to line out to third baseman Tyrus Hall.

Hall, who went 3-for-3 at the dish also made four stellar defensive plays throughout the game.

As the game remained tied at 6-all, WVU used a lead-off hit-by-pitch to place the go-ahead run on for Schoenfeld.

On an 0-2 pitch from reliever Heeryun Han, Schoenfeld laced a 102 MPH base hit up the middle. Looking to turn the hit into two bases, Schoenfeld was ultimately throw out at second on a perfect throw by Kyeler Thompson.

With Kelly at third base and one out and a 2-0 count on Smith, the Red Raiders elected to issue back-to-back intentional walks to load the bases for WVU catcher Matthew Graveline.
Graveline ultimately gave his Mountaineers an 8-6 lead on a two-run single.

After a walk placed runners on first and second, Tech summoned reliever Jorden Espinoza who immediately struck out the first batter he faced on three pitches to put the second out of the inning on the board.

WVUs next batter, Hall, worked a five pitch walk to load the bases for Ineich. On the first pitch the Ohio transfer saw, he hooked a bases clearing three-run double into the corner that gave WVU a 12-6 lead.

In the ninth, the Red Raiders put the lead-off man on with a single and ultimately advanced him to second, before a diving stop on a grounder to Hall deep in the hole resulted in the first out of the inning.

After an RBI double from Lopez, his third hit of the night, brought Tech to within 12-7, the Red Raiders used a walk to put runners on first and second with one out.

The mini rally forced a pitching change from WVU who turned to reliever Carson Estridge. Estridge immediately put the second out of the inning on the board before allowing an RBI single to Caden Ferraro to pull Tech to within 12-8.

With runners on the corners and two outs, Estridge ultimately ended the game by picking off Thompson at third base.

In the setback the Red Raiders out hit WVU, 15-14, but ultimately were done in by four errors, seven walks and a pair of hit batters. The Red Raiders are now 16-3 when outhitting their
opponent this season.

The Red Raiders also recorded their 50th crooked number of the season in the fifth inning Friday and with the eight runs eclipsed their 2025 run total. Tech has now scored 346 runs after scoring just 344 times a season ago.

UP NEXT:
The Red Raiders will look to even the weekend series with No. 17 WVU at 1-1 on Saturday afternoon. Looking to dodge predicted inclement weather, the game has been moved up to Noon.