Texas Tech Athletics
Iowa St
Red Raiders Drop 7-3 Decision to Iowa State
April 28, 2001 | Softball
April 28, 2001
LUBBOCK, Texas - The Texas Tech softball team dropped a 7-3 decision to Iowa State Saturday afternoon at Rocky Johnson Field, as the visiting Cyclones put up five runs in the fourth inning and hung on for the win.
Iowa State (13-25, 2-10 Big 12) got on the board in the fourth, thanks to four hits, one Tech error and one mental error by the Red Raiders.
Lauren Cathey led off the frame with a walk, and one-out later was followed by consecutive singles from Kimi Yoshizawa and Morgan LeCluyse to load the bases. Amberly Lessenger then drove in pinch-runner Ashley Core with a single to left field for a 1-0 Cyclones advantage.
After a fielder's choice by Mindy Ogan recorded the second out for Tech, Rainey Eanes grounded to Red Raiders shortstop Rebecca Eimen, who threw to third for the force out. But Eimen's throw was high and got past Andrea Joachims at third and went into the ISU dugout, allowing LeCluyse and Lessenger to score.
Julia Lindsay then hit a lazy flyball into left center that should have been the final out of the inning, but Tech's Sandy Butler and Eva Harshman allowed the ball to fall between them for a hit. Ogan and Eanes scored on the play, giving ISU a 5-0 lead midway through the contest.
The Red Raiders (30-19, 8-7) cut into the lead in their half of the fourth, as Shauna Briggs beat out an infield single to start the before Joachims tripled past the diving LeCluyse in right field. But Joachims was stranded at third, leaving the Cyclones with a 5-1 advantage after four innings.
The Cyclones got another run in the fifth after Yoshizawa singled with one out, stole second and scored on a two-out single by LeCluyse. Tech cut it to 6-2 after Tracy Cartier tripled past a diving Lessenger in left field and scored on a groundout from Butler.
Lindsay drove in her third run of the game for the Cyclones with a single to left center in the sixth, giving ISU a 7-2 advantage. Harshman drove in a run for Tech with an infield single in the sixth, cutting the deficit to 7-3.
Tech starter Amanda Renfro (27-16) suffered the loss, allowing 12 hits and seven runs, three earned, with one walk and one strikeout in six innings. Maggie Ayres gave up a hit and struck out one in pitching the seventh for the Red Raiders.
ISU's Jen Bice (9-13) went the distance to get the victory, allowing eight hits and three earned runs with five strikeouts.
Lindsay and Yoshizawa each had three hits for ISU, and Erica Martinez, LeCluyse and Lessenger each added a pair of hits for the winners. For Tech, Butler and Joachims each had two hits and one RBI in the loss.
The two teams conclude their two-game series Sunday at noon at Rocky Johnson Field. Three Tech seniors, Shauna Briggs, Sandy Butler and Amanda Renfro, will be honored prior to the contest.
