Texas Tech University Athletics
Softball Opens Season with Split
June 21, 1999 | Softball
February 9, 1999
Illinois-Chicago Feb. 12 at 9:00 a.m.
Southwest Texas State Feb. 12 at 1:30 p.m.
Nicholls State Feb. 13 at 9:00 a.m.
LUBBOCK, Texas - The Texas Tech softball team opened its 1999 season this weekend with a three-game series against New Mexico in Albuquerque, N.M. Tech, returning after a 45-19 season in 98, looked to regain their winning ways against the Lobos. In game-one of the series, Tech pulled off a 1-0 defeat after Shauna Briggs singled and Kim Martinez scored to start off the first inning. Texas Tech held New Mexico to their first scoreless game of the season. In the second game of the doubleheader, the Red Raiders fell to the Lobos 4-2 after falling behind early 2-0. They would rally in the fifth and sixth innings as Tech would would score one run in both innings.
In the final game of the series, Texas Tech was unable to counter an early Lobo offensive onslaught as New Mexico hit two home-runs on their first two hits of the day. Texas Tech brought the score to within one in the fourth inning when catcher Shauna Briggs scored off a Tamara Harrington single.
Red Raider Notes
Techs 1-2 start equals the worst season start since 1996 when the team went 1-2-0 (first season of play).
Game 1 Highlights:
Junior Shauna Briggs led all batters with three hits on three at-bats and one RBI
Junior Tamara Harrington tallied 10 putouts.
Senior Jenny Kohler recorded four assists.
Game 2 Highlights:
Kim Martinez - two at-bats, one run, one hit
Aimee Weathers - three at-bats, one run, one hit
Looking ahead to UTA Pepsi-Cola InterCollegiate Classic, Feb 12-14
The Red Raiders will look to improve upon their previous outings as they will face the University of Illinois-Chicago on Friday, Feb 12, at 9:00 a.m. Texas Tech enters the weekend with a 1-2-0 season record. Illinois-Chicago is coached by Mike McGovern (Illinois 65, record at UIC, 418-160) and sports a #24 national ranking and has a 2-4-0 record on the season. All four of their losses came to #2 Arizona and #4 Washington.
Tech will resume play on Friday afternoon at 1:30 against Southwest Texas State. The Bobcats are coached by Lea Ann Jarvis (Louisiana Tech 86-record at SWT, 62-162). On Saturday, Tech will face Nichols State in a 9:00 a.m. matchup. The Lady Colonels are coached by Pattie Holthaus (Texas A&M 84, record at Nichols, 43-16, 1 year).
Texas Tech will be competing in Pool C of the four-pool tournament and Sundays game will be determined as a result of previous pool play. The UTA/Pepsi-Cola InterCollegiate Classic will feature 18 teams from around the nation including Big 12 rivals Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M.
Fastpitch to have new home in 2000
On Friday, January 29, Texas Tech University broke ground on a new softball stadium. The stadium will be Techs first on-campus softball facility and is expected to be completed in time for the 2000 season. Special guests at the ceremony included; Big 12 Associate Commissioner Dru Hancock, Tech Chancellor John Montford, Congressman Larry Combest; Athletics Director Gerald Myers, Associate Athletics Director Judith Henry, HSC President Dr. David Smith, Head Coach Renee Luers-Gillespie and Tech President Dr. Donald Haragan.
Returning for her fourth season as head coach is Renee Luers-Gillispie. A 1984 graduate of West Texas State University in Canyon, Texas, Gillispie has a record of 216-173-2 over her seven-year career.
Prior to coming to Tech, Gillispie was head coach at Bradley University in Peoria, Ill. There she had the highest winning percentage in the schools softball history. She took a team with only 13 wins in 1992 and reconstructed a program that boasted 35 wins in 1995.
Gillispie performed the same program turnaround during her stay at Joliet College in Joliet, Ill. During her two-year stint, Gillispie took a team that was 2-29 and improved their record to an impressive 32-12 before leaving for Bradley.
Gillispie began her softball career as a pitcher from Danville, Iowa. She then went on to play at Kirkwood Community College where she pitched in two NJCAA National Championship Tournaments. In 1981, she ranked ninth nationally in NJCAA pitching. From there, she went to West Texas State. In Division I play, she recorded nine career pitching records, including most wins, most strikeouts, and most saves.
Assisting Gillispie this season is pitching coach Bobby Reeves and assistant Jessica Karenke. A three-time Mens ASA All-American pitcher, Reeves helped his team to two National Championships.
Texas Tech Superlatives
Overall 1-2 Home games 0-0 Away games 1-2 Neutral games 0-0 Big 12 games 0-0 Big 12 home games 0-0 Big 12 away games 0-0 Non-conference 1-2 Day games 1-2 Night games 0-0 Doubleheaders 1-1 Single games 0-1 Extra inning games 0-0 Shutouts 1-0 February games 1-2 March games 0-0 April games 0-0 Sunday games 0-1 Monday games 0-0 Tuesday games 0-0 Wednesday games 0-0 Thursday games 0-0 Friday games 0-0 Saturday games 1-1Record when... Scoring first 1-0 Opponent scores first 0-2 Committing fewer errors 1-0 Committing more errors 0-2 Hitting a homerun 0-0 Ahead after 5 innings 1-0 Behind after 5 innings 0-2 Tied after 5 innings 0-0 Games decided by one run 1-0 Games decided by 2-5 runs 0-2 Games decided by 6-10 runs 0-0 Games decided by 11+ runs 0-0 vs. Top 5 teams 0-0 vs. Top 10 teams 0-0 vs. Top 25 teams 0-0 vs. Midwest Region 0-0 vs. Divison I opponents 1-2 vs. Division II opponents 0-0 vs. NAIA opponents 0-0
Texas Tech 1999 Game Highs
TEAM
Hitting/Fielding
At Bats 26, at New Mexico (2/6) Runs 2, at New Mexico (2/6) Hits 6, at New Mexico (2/6) RBIs 3, at New Mexico (2/6) Doubles 3, at New Mexico (2/6) Triples Homeruns Total Bases Walks 4, at New Mexico (2/7) Strikeouts 5, at New Mexico (2/6) Sacrifice Hits Stolen Bases 1, at New Mexico (2/6) Hit by Pitch Runners LOB 6, at New Mexico (2/6) Putouts 21, at New Mexico (2/6) Assists 10, at New Mexico (2/6) Errors 1, twice
Pitching
Innings Pitched 7.0, twice Earned Runs 4, twice Walks 3, at New Mexico (2/6) Strikeouts 4, at New Mexico (2/7)
INDIVIDUAL
Hitting/Fielding
At Bats 4, Sandy Buter at New Mexico (2/6) Hits 3, Shauna Briggs at New Mexico (2/6) RBIs 1, four times Doubles 1, three players tied Triples Homeruns Total Bases 3, Shauna Briggs at New Mexico (2/7) Walks 2, Shauna Briggs at New Mexico (2/6) Stolen Bases 3, Lauren Warner at New Mexico (2/6) Putouts 10, Tamara Harrington at New Mexico (2/6) Assists 4, Jenny Kohler, twice
Pitching
Innings Pitched 7.0, Renfro/Hayes at New Mexico (2/6) Earned Runs 4, Renfro/Hayes at New Mexico (2/6) Walks 3, Emily Hayes at New Mexico (2/6) Strikeouts 4, Amanda Renfro at New Mexico (2/6)
* designates TTU school record
