Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Iowa State
Extra Inning Win Gives Tech Softball Sweep of ISU
April 09, 2006 | Softball
April 9, 2006
LUBBOCK, Texas - Sophomore outfielder Whitney Riley drove in the game-winning run with an eighth inning single on Sunday at Rocky Johnson Field to lift the Texas Tech softball team to a come from behind 4-3 victory over Iowa State and a sweep of the two-game series.
The win improves the Red Raiders' overall record this season to 15-23 and helps them remain in fifth place in the Big 12 conference standings with a 4-4 league mark. The Cyclones, meanwhile, fall to 16-18 overall this season and 1-5 in conference action. The game was the first extra-inning affair for Tech this season.
The Red Raiders got going early in the contest as leadoff batter Ashley Parker singled to begin the bottom of the first inning and scoring later in the frame on a RBI single off the bat of second baseman Jennifer Bowers. The run batted in was the team-leading 20th of the season for Bowers, who ended the day 2-for-4 at the plate.
Iowa State countered with a run of its own in the top of the second on knot the game at 1-1 on a RBI double by second baseman Jennifer Bigbee.
In the top of the third inning, the Cyclones took their first lead of the series as they scored in the frame on sacrifice fly off the bat of first baseman Jessica Quade.
Jennifer Corkin led off the home half of the fourth inning with her first triple of the season, a slicing hit that found its way into the left field corner. The sophomore first baseman was threaten to be stranding in the inning, until pinch hitter Alex Watkins was able to bring her home with a single through the left side.
After ISU put up a run in the top of the sixth inning, Texas Tech came to bat in the bottom of the seventh needing a run to prolong the game. Freshman Brooke Neuman, who entered the game as defensive replacement in the top of the inning, turned heroine in the frame, connecting on the first home run of her young career over the wall in left field to tie the game at 3-3.
Senior pitcher Erin Crawford, who entered the game in the fifth inning in relief of Tech starter Julie Hauck, retired the side in order to send the game into the bottom of the eighth inning tied at 3-3.
Junior designated player Brandy Moulin singled off the ISU pitcher's leg to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning and after Corkin reached on an error in the next at bat, Riley stepped to the plate with runners on first and second with nobody out. Riley sent a ball through the middle of the infield to end the game and pick up her 13th run batted in of the season.
Crawford earned her second win of the series to improve her record this season to 10-9. The Leander, Texas, native tossed 11 innings against Iowa State over the weekend without yielding an earned run. Crawford won Saturday's contest in the circle with a two-hit complete game shutout effort.
Texas Tech softball is back in action next week as they head to the Dallas/Fort Worth area for a pair of midweek non-conference doubleheaders against Texas-Arlington on Wednesday and North Texas on Thursday. The Red Raiders jump back into Big 12 play next weekend against the Kansas Jayhawks in Lawrence, Kan.
