Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Texas
Big Fifth Inning Bites Red Raiders
March 13, 2008 | Softball
March 13, 2008
HONOLULU, Hawai'i - Five was not a good number for Texas Tech softball Thursday afternoon as the Red Raiders fell victim to five Texas runs in the fifth inning to give the Longhorns an 8-2 win in Tech's second game of the Spring Fling Tournament.
For the fourth consecutive game, the Red Raiders roped out eight or more hits, tallying nine for the contest. Devin Zaragoza led the way once again by going 3-3 with a double and an RBI. Leah Legler picked up her 12th multi-hit game of the season, going 2-4 with a pair of singles. Elizabeth Eimen was 2-3 with a pair of singles, while Alex Watkins (0-2) was saddled with the loss, despite giving up just two earned runs and striking out four in four innings of work.
Texas opened the action by posting three runs in the top of the first, two of which were unearned, to take the lead. Tech responded in the bottom half of the inning with a run of its own. Zaragoza doubled to left with one out and came across a short time later on a double from Jennifer Corkin. The Red Raiders looked to add more to the tally as they put runners at second and third with just one out, but the Longhorns' hurler got the next two hitters in order to halt a potentially promising inning.
Zaragoza did some damage again in the bottom of the second with an RBI single to bring in Robyn Wike and cut the deficit to 3-2. Tech again put two runners on only to see UT put the skids on any more Red Raider hopes. The third and fourth frames moved along quietly with barely a whimper from either squad.
Along came the fifth inning, however, as the Longhorns tacked on five runs on four hits to break open the game. Tech mounted a rally in the seventh by loading the bases with two outs, but it was unable to put anything across as Texas took the victory.
The Red Raiders will play a twin bill tomorrow when they take on North Carolina at 7 p.m. CT and No. 16 Hawai'i at 9 p.m. Fans can follow the action via a link on the Tech softball page at www.texastech.com.
