Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
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Kansas
Red Raiders Win Series Opener With Kansas 19-7
May 01, 2004 | Baseball
May 1, 2004
LAWRENCE, Kan. - Junior Barrett Pliler pitched five shutout innings of relief without allowing a hit while the offense pounded out 17 hits and five home runs leading No. 25 Texas Tech to a 19-7 win over Kansas in the series opener at Hoglund Ballpark on Saturday evening.
The win improves Texas Tech to 29-13 overall and 9-6 in the Big 12 and have won four straight while Kansas falls to 25-23-1 and 2-13 in league play.
After a scoreless first inning between the two teams, the offenses started to heat up quickly and the Jayhawks struck first with a leadoff solo home run by catcher Sean Richardson in the top of the second.
The Red Raiders answered the Kansas run with one of their own in the top of the third thanks to an RBI single by Cameron Blair that plated Cooper Fouts who drew a one-out single earlier in the frame. The single by Blair extended his hitting streak to 15 games.
Kansas put up three runs in the bottom of the third on a Richardson RBI single and a two-run home run by Andy Scholl.
Tech pulled to within 4-3 in the top of the fourth thanks to a two-run homer by Michael Mask that he deposited over the fence in center. Kansas once again answered Tech's runs with three more in the bottom of the fourth and took a 7-3 lead.
The Red Raiders took control of the game in the top of the fifth as Tech put up seven runs and took a 10-7 lead that they would never relinquish. Junior designated hitter Dallas Braden got Tech going with a two-RBI single and then Mask picked up his second home run of the game when he belted a three-run dinger over the right field wall. Junior outfielder Madison Edward picked up his seventh home run of the season in the same inning as he delivered a two-run job to right.
Texas Tech went on to score nine runs in the seventh and eighth and those innings saw two-run homers by both Josh Haney and Matthew Coco. Coco entered the game as the designated hitter in the eighth and sent the first pitch he was given to straightaway center field.
The hero of the night for the Red Raiders came in the arm of left-hander Barrett Pliler who settled down the Tech pitching staff by shutting down the high-powered Kansas offense in the last five innings. Pliler (5-1) didn't allow a single hit in five innings of work while striking out four in what turned out to be his longest outing of the season. Kansas starter Ryan Knippschild was tagged for the loss as he allowed eight earned runs on nine hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Mask paced the Tech offense with a 2-for-5 day at the plate with five RBI and two home runs while Haney went 4-for-5 with two RBI.
Texas Tech and Kansas will wrap up the three-game series on Sunday afternoon with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. The two teams were forced to play the Sunday doubleheader after having the Friday game postponed due to inclement weather.
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