Texas Tech Athletics
Oklahoma
Texas Tech Baseball Defeats Oklahoma 9-3 In Series Opener
April 20, 2001 | Baseball
April 20, 2001
NORMAN, Okla. - Senior Jason Rainey broke a 3-3 tie in the top of the seventh inning with a two-run home run over the left center field wall to spark Texas Tech to a 9-3 win over the Oklahoma Sooners on Friday night at Dale Mitchell Park in Norman.
With the win, Texas Tech (31-14) pushed its win streak to nine games and improved to 14-8 in the Big 12. The Oklahoma Sooners fell to 15-27 with the loss and 9-13 in the Big 12.
Austin Cranford led off the game with a double to left center field and Gera Alvarez was able to bring him home with a double down the left field line to give Tech a 1-0 lead. Oklahoma seemed destined to an equally good start in its half of the first as the first two batters singled to lead off the inning. Oklahoma placed a runner on third with no outs and was unable to score him as Tech pitcher Brandon Roberson sat down the next three batters to end the Sooner scoring threat.
Oklahoma tied the score in the bottom of the second when Denver Kitch hit a sacrifice fly to center field that plated Charlie Frasier. The Sooners took the lead in the bottom of the third after holding Tech scoreless in the top of the inning as Sean Smith hit an RBI single up the middle to plate Sergio Garcia.
Tyler Carson tied the game for Texas Tech with this second straight hit of the game in the top of the fourth when he hit a single to right field that pushed Tony Arnerich across the plate. The Red Raiders took a 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth on an RBI sacrifice fly by Chad Landry. Oklahoma answered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning on an RBI fielder?s choice by Jerome Godsey.
Jason Rainey opened up the game in the top of the seventh went he hit his seventh home run of the season, a 415 foot two-run shot over the left center field wall. Nick Blankenship and Bryon Smith got their first hits of the game in the next two at-bats forcing Oklahoma head coach Larry Cochell replace starter Rocky Cherry with reliever Brandon Hankins. Tech was able to score another run in the inning off a passed ball by catcher Sean Smith that plated Blankenship.
For the second inning in a row, Tech batted all the way through its line-up and scored three more runs to take a 9-3 lead going into the bottom of the eighth. The inning was highlighted by a center field lead-off double by pinch hitter Brent Fossum and an RBI single by Tony Arnerich.
Senior Brandon Roberson (9-3) picked up the win for Texas Tech after pitching 8 1/3 innings scattering three runs on 11 hits and striking out eight batters. Rocky Cherry suffered the loss for Oklahoma despite striking out a season-high six batters. Cherry gave up six runs on 11 hits in 6 1/3 innings of work.
| ? | ? | ? | ? | R | H | E |
| TEXAS TECH | 100 | 101 | 330 | 9 | 14 | 0 |
| OKLAHOMA | 011 | 001 | 000 | 3 | 11 | 0 |
Win - Brandon Roberson (9-3),Loss - Rocky Cherry (6-5)
Time of Game: 2:55, Attendance: 1,104
