Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Missouri
Errors Cost Tech in 5-4 Loss To Missouri
March 30, 2001 | Baseball
March 30, 2001
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Missouri Tigers capitalized on two Red Raider errors in the bottom of the eighth inning by scoring two runs to edge Texas Tech 5-4 in the opening game of the series on Friday night at Taylor Stadium.
With the loss, Texas Tech falls to 21-13 overall and 6-7 in the Big 12 while Missouri improved to 18-10-1 overall and 6-7 in the league.
Missouri took an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first thanks to four consecutive hits and RBI singles by Mick Weiss and Lee Laskowski. The Red Raiders got on the board in the top of the third off a solo home run by Bryon Smith that the gave the junior second baseman his fourth of the season. The Tigers answered in the bottom half of the inning with another RBI single by Laskowski that plated Ryan Stegall who reached base on a right field single.
Trailing 3-1, Texas Tech got two home runs in the top of the fourth inning by Nick Blankenship and Austin Cranford that tied the score. Cranford's homer over the left center field fence was his first home run of the season. Jason Rainey put Tech in the lead with a sacrifice fly to center field that plated Tyler Carson giving the Red Raiders a 4-3 advantage.
The Tech defense was able to escape some pretty hairy situations in the sixth and seventh innings as Missouri had runners on base with just one out but Tech was able to turn the double play ball in both innings to end the Tiger scoring threats.
That same Texas Tech defense came back to haunt the Red Raiders in the bottom of the eighth as shortstop Gera Alvarez committed two costly errors that led to two Missouri runs giving the Tigers a 5-4 lead going into the top of the ninth.
Shortstop Ryan Stegall came in to replace Logan Dale in the top of the ninth and sat down three straight Tech batters to end the game.
Chris Phillips (8-2) suffered just his second loss of the season while Logan Dale(2-2) picked up his second win of the year for the Tigers.
