Lopez shines in Friday setback at Utah

Friday, April 17

Salt Lake City, UT

7 p.m. (CT) / 6 p.m. (MT)

Texas Tech Athletics

20-17, 6-10

Utah

17-15, 7-10

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Texas Tech	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	10	1
Utah	2	0	2	0	3	0	0	3	X	10	11	0

Senior Tracer Lopez Celebrates one of his three hits in Friday's game at Utah

Lopez shines in Friday setback at Utah

April 18, 2026 | Baseball

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The senior reached 200 games and pulled to within one hit of cracking the top-10

By: Andrew Stern

SALT LAKE CITY – Already at 200 career hits, senior Tracer Lopez notched his second milestone, as the infielder played in his 200th career game in Friday's 10-3 setback to Utah at America First Ballpark.

With his 200 career games and his 214 career hits after a 3-for-5 day, Lopez became just the fourth all-time player in Texas Tech (20-17, 6-10 Big 12) history to reach both 200 games played and 200 hits, joining current assistant coach Eric Guttierrez (264 hits in 244 games), Taylor Ashby (228 hits in 216 games) and Clint Bryant (341 hits in 240 games).

Lopez needs just one more base hit to record his 215th career hit and tie the veteran infielder for 10th on the all-time list with Scott LeJune.

Looking to set the tone early, Tech got a one-out first inning single from Lopez and a two-out knock from outfielder Logan Hughes to put two on and two out against Utah's (18-15, 7-9) Ryan Kitteridge.

Hughes' home run was his 29th career home run and 15th career Big 12 longball. The 15 Big 12 only home runs tie him for fifth all-time with Gutierrez, Barett Barnes and Joe Dillion.

Hughes needs seven more home runs to tie "Gute" for 10th all-time on the Red Raiders home run list.

Facing third baseman Linkin Garcia, Kitteridge coaxed a 6-4 fielders choice ground out to fire the important zero in the top of the first.

In the bottom half of the inning, Utah loaded the bases with no out against Tech starter Jackson Burns.

After a single to left gave the Utes a 1-0 advantage, Burns limited the damage, using a 6-4-3 double play and a flyout to hold Utah to just two runs.

Down 2-0 until the third, the Red Raiders struck for their lone three runs of the night when Connor Shouse doubled home Coleman Ryan and came around to score on a two-run home run one batter later from Hughes.

The longball from Hughes gave him the team lead in home runs at 10 and traveled 418 feet, It marked the first home run for the Red Raiders since a Mar. 31st game against ACU, a span of nearly 74 innings.

Armed with the lead for the first time on the night, Burns retired the lead-off batter in the third, before Utah used a single, a hit-by-pitch and an RBI single to tie the game at three.

After striking out a batter looking, Burns allowed another single to left that gave Utah the lead for good at 4-3.

In their half of the fourth, the Red Raiders got a single and stolen base from Jesse Rusinek to place the tying run in scoring position with two out, but Kitteridge stranded the freshman at second on a foul out to first.

Following a 1-2-3 fourth from Burns, the Red Raiders loaded the bases in their half of the fifth on a single and two walks, for DH Caden Ferraro.

On the second pitch he saw from Kitteridge and with two outs in the inning, Ferraro pulled a ball deep into the right-center gap that was rundown by Utah's CF Jet Gilliam.

Ferraro's line drive putout was the last good chance the Red Raiders had to take the lead, as Utah immediately used a lead-off walk and a one-out two run home run to take a 6-3 lead.

The Utes ultimately added a seventh run in the frame and three more in the eighth to close out the Friday night win.

UP NEXT:
The Red Raiders will look to even the weekend series at one-game all on Saturday afternoon when Connor Mohan takes the ball. First pitch from America First Ballpark is set for 3 p.m. (CT)/2 p.m. (MT).