Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
TCU
Tech Wins Slugfest With TCU 14-13
February 19, 2002 | Baseball
Feb. 19, 2002
FORT WORTH, Texas - No. 24 Texas Tech was able to overcome a seven-run bottom of the ninth rally by TCU as the Red Raiders prevailed in a slugfest 14-13 over the Horned Frogs in their home opener on Monday afternoon at the TCU Diamond in Fort Worth.
With the win, Texas Tech improves to 9-4 overall and has won all three meetings with TCU so far this season. The Red Raiders also extended a win streak over TCU to six straight games dating back to last season. TCU suffered its fifth loss of the season and fell to 3-5 overall.
The Red Raiders took the lead out of the gates when leadoff hitter Jon Slack scored on a groundout by two-hole hitter Scooter Jordan. Slack led off the game with a single up the middle and then stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by TCU catcher Jonathan Marshall.
Tech tacked on four more runs in the top of the second thanks to an RBI single to left field by Tyler Carson that plated Willie Durazo who led off the inning with a single to center. Scooter Jordan delivered his biggest hit of the season when he hit a three RBI double to left center field to give Tech a 5-0 lead.
TCU made a comeback in the bottom half of the second thanks to a two-run home run by Jake Duncan and a solo home run by Levi Robinson to bring TCU within two, 5-3.
Jonathan Marshall evened the score at 5-5 in the bottom of the sixth when he hit a solo home run over the left center field wall after Mike Settle scored earlier in the inning on a ground out by Walter Olmstead. The Horned Frogs took the lead on an RBI groundout by Will Lewis as Jake Duncan crossed the plate to give TCU the 6-5 lead.
The Red Raiders tied the score in top of the eighth when Willie Durazo led off the inning with a double to right field. Durazo tied the score when TCU reliever Aaron Tims tried to pick off Travis McElroy at first but his throw went into the TCU dugout allowing Durazo to knot the score at 6-6.
Tech blew the game open in the top of the ninth inning as the Red Raiders scored seven runs and loaded the bases two different times before the Frogs were able to record the first out of the inning. Nick Blankenship hit an RBI single to left field that scored the first two runs of the inning as Jon Slack and Scooter Jordan scored to give Tech an 8-6 lead. The Red Raiders responded with six straight hits and scored six more runs that included a three-run home run by Jake Brown. Brown's three-run shot was the first home run of the season and the first of his career at Texas Tech.
Leading 14-6 going into the bottom of the ninth inning, Texas Tech reliever Stephen Leist loaded the bases and TCU's Mike Settle took advantage and hit a grand slam over the left-center field fence to pull the Frogs to within four. The grand slam was the fourth home run of the game for the Horned Frogs.
TCU got within one as the Frogs picked up three more runs on three singles and a walk by Texas Tech reliever Chad Ertel. Gera Alvarez ended TCU's hope of winning as he made a spectacular play came up with a lineout from Marshall Wilson.
The two teams combined for 34 hits, 27 runs and seven errors. A total of seven Tech pitchers got action on the mound while four pitchers took the hill for TCU.
Junior right fielder Scooter Jordan went 2-for-5 at the plate and had a team-high five RBI to lead the Red Raiders. Steve Rowe was the winning pitcher for Texas Tech and improved to 2-0 while Chad Ertel picked up his first save of the season. Former Red Raider Aaron Tims (0-2) took the loss for TCU which was his second loss of the year to Texas Tech.
Texas Tech and TCU will square off again tomorrow in the final game of this two-game set. Game time is set for 2:05 p.m. at the TCU Diamond.
