Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
South Dakota St.
Tech Softball Completes Doubleheader Sweep of SDSU
March 17, 2006 | Softball
March 17, 2006
ALBUQUERQUE, N. M. - After run-ruling South Dakota State in the first game of a doubleheader to open the Lobo Classic, the Texas Tech softball team's bats remained hot in the night cap as they set a school record with five home runs in a 16-9 victory over the Jackrabbits.
The win improves Tech's overall record this season to 10-18, while SDSU falls to 12-9 on the year.
Just as they did in the first game, the Red Raiders were able to jump out to an early lead, plating two runs in the bottom of the first. Sophomore left fielder Devin Zaragoza was able to come around to score the game's opening run on a wild pitch. Freshman Alex Watkins was able to bring home the second run of the frame with a RBI single to right center field.
The Jackrabbits got on the scoreboard in the top of the second as third baseman Kassy Hernandez connected on a home run to center field.
In the bottom of the third the Red Raider offense erupted for five runs to take a commanding 7-1 advantage. Sophomore right fielder Whitney Riley led off the frame with her second home run of the year. Shortstop Heather Parker added a two-run double later in the inning and scored in the next at bat when sister Ashley Parker also doubled to right center.
South Dakota State was able to cut into the Tech lead with three runs in the top of the fourth on RBI base knocks by Kiley Schwedhelm and Amy Wittgenstein.
Riley led off the bottom of the fourth with a single but was eliminated when she was caught trying to steal second base. Second baseman Jennifer Bowers followed in the next at bat and connect on her team-leading fifth home run of the season opposite field over the right field wall. Freshman Elizabeth Eimen, who was 2-for-2 in the ballgame, was able score later in the inning on a past ball and the Red Raider also threw two runs on the scoreboard on a SDSU error.
The Jackrabbits struck back with a two-run home run by Chris Pesqueira in the top of the fifth inning cutting the Tech lead to 11-6.
Redshirt freshman Montana Patin led off the bottom of the fifth as a pinch hitting and drove a pitch out of the park in center field for the first home run of her Texas Tech softball career.
The home run derby continued in the top of the sixth as after a pair of Tech errors allowed the first two SDSU batters to reach, Wittgenstein connected on a three-run shot off Tech reliever Sarah Losleben, who was replaced by Erin Crawford who record the next three outs to escape the inning with Tech still leading 12-9.
Montana Patin went deep for the second time in the game in the bottom of the sixth inning, connecting on a three-run shot over the centerfield wall. Patin was followed by Riley who also slammed a pitch over the wall, this time in right field, for her second home run of the contest. The back-to-back home runs are the first such event in Red Raider softball history.
The five home runs by the team in the contest break the previous school record of three long balls in a game which had been set several times, the last being against Dayton on Feb. 23, 2003.
Texas Tech softball will continue play at the Lobo Classic on Saturday when they square off in a doubleheader with UC-Riverside.
