Texas Tech Athletics
Iowa
Tech Sweeps Pair of Contests at Capital Classic
March 16, 2001 | Softball
March 16, 2001
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The Texas Tech softball squad swept its opening two games of pool play in the Capital Classic Thursday night, defeating 13th-ranked Iowa 9-1 in five innings before coming from behind to defeat BYU 5-4 in eight innings.
In the nightcap, before a host of friends and family, Sacramento native Shauna Briggs homered in the sixth to tie the contest before Carmen Grindell's RBI single in the eighth drove home Sandy Butler with the winning run.
Amanda Renfro (16-7) came on in relief to pitch four hitless innings, striking out 11 of the 12 batters she faced to pick up the victory. BYU's Marian DeWitt-Wallentine took the loss, allowing five runs, three earned, on five hits with eight strikeouts.
Tech got off to a quick start versus BYU, with Grindell and Briggs both scoring on an RBI double by Jana Baker in the second. Grindell drove in Tracy Cartier with a sacrifice fly in the third, giving the Red Raiders a 3-2 advantage.
But the Cougars took the lead on Oli Keohohou's second RBI single for a 4-3 lead before Briggs' solo shot with one out in the sixth knotted the contest at four.
In the opener, Tech got eight runs in the second to defeat the 13th-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes 9-1 in five innings.
Cartier started the first with a single, stole second and went to third on Sandy Butler's single to right. Cartier scored when the throw from the outfield hit Butler and rolled away.
The Red Raiders broke the game open in the second with eight runs on eight hits, including a bases-clearing triple by Cartier.
Emily Bone started the rally with a one-out double, and Rachelle Biber followed with an infield single. After an error loaded the bases, Cartier ripped a double over the head of the Iowa centerfielder, clearing the bases for a 4-0 Tech advantage.
Butler bunted her way on to put runners on the corners, and Eva Harshman singled to left, plating Cartier with the game's fifth run. Grindell walked before Briggs plated two runs with a double to right. Andrea Joachims and Bone drove in the final two runs of the frame with singles, giving Renfro a 9-0 advantage to work with.
Renfro allowed the Hawkeyes a run in the fourth, but the senior struck out seven and gave up just four hits in picking up the win.
The Red Raiders pounded out 11 hits versus the 13th-ranked Hawkeyes.
Tech plays Ole Miss and San Jose State Friday to finish pool play before bracket play begins in the 15-team tournament on Saturday.
