Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Purdue
Tech Softball Falls 7-5 to Purdue
February 15, 2003 | Softball
Feb. 15, 2003
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - The Lady Raider softball team (6-9) took on the Purdue Boilermakers in the second day of competition at the UNLV Classic in Las Vegas, Nev., but a slow first inning for the Lady Raiders left them battling the whole game to a 7-5 finish.
Amie Stines took the mound and took awhile to warm up, walking the first three batters. A single by Purdue's Heide Foster scored the first Boiler run. Two more runs were scored in the first, the second on a passed ball and a fly would score the third.
A drive to left center field which hit the wall by Tricia Lilley put another run up for the Boilermakers.With bases loaded and the score 5-0, Erin Crawford came in to relieve Stines, who gave up five runs in 1.1 innings of play. Crawford struck the Boilermakers out for the remaining two outs, halting the Purdue hitting streak
The bats struck hot in the third beginning with a Shayne Gipson bunt of which landed her on first. Kristi Robles, who was a perfect four of four in the game, singled down right center pushing Gipson to second. On a full count Kelly Rhyne, hitting two of four, came up to bat and logged the team's first double and RBI of the game on a hit to right center to advance Robles home. Arlene Newton kept it going with a long drive to center, scoring Rhyne. Defensively, Tech kept Purdue scoreless into the fourth inning.
In the fifth, lead off batter Robles single down the line and was followed by Rhyne to single the same spot but Tech would not turn these hits into runs and the team entered the sixth in a 6-3 loss position. The Boilermakers scored another run in the sixth off a long ball to center field. Perez fired it in to Lisa Lawler, who logged seven putouts, but the runner was called safe.
Tech batting began to take the steam out of the Boilermakers with two homeruns in the sixth and seventh inning. Amanda Douglas, logged her third homerun of the week in the top of the sixth. In the seventh, Kristi Robles would slam one out of the park for her fourth homerun of the season. These two runs would cap off Tech's offensive strike, leaving the squad with a 7-5 loss. Crawford finished the game after pitching 5.2 innings, giving up only one run.
