Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
California
Tech Softball Falls 7-0 to 2002 Defending National Champions
February 14, 2003 | Softball
Feb. 14, 2003
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - In their second game of the UNLV Classic in Las Vegas, Nev., the Lady Raider softball team lost to the California Bears, 7-0. This game marked California's 20th consecutive win.
Native Californian Kristina Blair took the mound for the Lady Raiders, however, the Bears were strong from the start with their first batter getting a hit. A long single by Eryn Manahan scored the first Bear run. Tech's Esmerelda Perez singled down left center but the team could not capitalize on this, earning no runs in the first.
The second inning showed a good defensive effort from the Lady Raiders. Kelly Rhyne stopped a long fly to left center and two putouts by Kristi Robles would stop the Bears from scoring in the second. A drive to center field by Veronica Nelson in the third, would give her two RBI and the Bears a 3-0 lead. A double play consisting of a tag out by Britney Stolle and throwing the batter out at first concluded the Bear's inning. Tiffany Harrington logged a base hit in the third but could not make it to second with no more Tech hits.
In the top of the fourth, a potential Bears scoring drive was halted when Rhyne caught a fly in left field and fired it into catcher Sigala keeping the a Bear on second and third. Tech stranded three men on base and kept the score 3-0. Rhyne led off for the squad in the fourth with a long double to right field but three Lady Raider strikeouts kept her on second.
The top of the sixth, Cal scored two runs off hits by Lindsay James and Haley Woods to put the Bears back on the board but with bases loaded Harrington in left field caught a fly ball to leave the score at 5-0. Cal would top off their offensive threat with two runs in the seventh and hold the Lady Raiders to a 7-0 finish.
The Lady Raiders (6-8) will take on Purdue at 9 a.m. and UNLV at 11 a.m. The Lady Raiders are 2-0 with Purdue, with tomorrow's meeting marking the first contest at a neutral site. The squad is 1-1 with UNLV, the most recent meeting a 6-0 Tech shutout at the Fiesta Bowl Classic.
