Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
New Mexico
New Mexico Wins Slugfest Against Texas Tech 13-11
April 16, 2003 | Baseball
April 15, 2003
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - New Mexico scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth and Joe Salas pitched a perfect ninth inning to give the Lobos a 13-11 win over Texas Tech on Tuesday afternoon at Lobo Field in Albuquerque.
The loss drops Texas Tech to 23-16 on the season while New Mexico improves to 26-15 and ties the season-long series between the two teams at 2-2.
The Red Raiders took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Tech picked up four hits in the inning including two bunt singles by Scooter Jordan and Josh Haney. Travis McElroy plated the first run of the game with a bloop double that fell into left field scoring Scooter Jordan. Christian Colonel plated a run with an RBI groundout and Josh Haney plated the final run of the inning with an RBI bunt single that scored Travis McElroy.
New Mexico picked up a run in the bottom of the first as Tanner McElroy walked the New Mexico leadoff batter Josh Jezek and he later scored on a bloop RBI single by Chris Alexander.
Josh Jezek tied the game for New Mexico with a wind-aided two-run home run that went over the center field fence in the bottom of the third.
Texas Tech loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the fifth but a quick popup by Madison Edwards and a sacrifice fly by Sean Alexander ended what was set up to be a big inning for the Red Raiders. Tech ended up with just one run in the inning as Travis McElroy ended the frame with a groundout to second base.
The Lobos took their first lead of the game as they scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth and chased away Tech starter Tanner McElroy.
Texas Tech quickly tied the game in the top of the sixth when Christian Colonel led off the inning with a triple and Josh Haney scored him with a sacrifice fly to center field. Junior shortstop T.J. Bruce tied the game when he hit a solo home run over the right field wall. The home run is his second of the season.
New Mexico regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth as Mike Svetlic led off the inning with a triple and Josh Jezek followed with an RBI single. Chris Alexander plated the final run of the inning with a single to center scoring Jezek.
Senior designated hitter Travis McElroy tied the game in the top of the seventh when he connected on a two-run home run over the right-center field wall. The home run is his third of the season.
After surrendering two runs to New Mexico in the bottom of the seventh, Texas Tech got a big three-RBI triple with the bases loaded from Madison Edwards to put Tech back in the lead 11-10. Sean Alexander and Travis McElroy stranded Edwards at third as both were retired on strikeouts to end the inning.
As has been the case all afternoon, the Lobos put up three more runs in the bottom of the eighth to take the lead at 13-11. Joe Salas moved to the hill in the ninth and pitched a perfect ninth inning to record his second save of the season.
Texas Tech returns to action on Friday as the Red Raiders will travel to Manhattan, Kan., as the Red Raiders will play Kansas State in a three-game series beginning at 7 p.m. on Friday.
