Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Dallas Baptist
Red Raiders Earn Twinbill Split Against Dallas Baptist
May 13, 2008 | Baseball
May 13, 2008
LUBBOCK, Texas - Roger Kieschnick went 2-for-5 with a game-high three RBIs to lead Texas Tech to a 9-8 win over Dallas Baptist on Tuesday afternoon in the second game of a doubleheader that gave the Red Raiders a twinbill split with the Patriots. Dallas Baptist won the first game of the day 8-4.
The win pushed Texas Tech to 23-29 on the season while Dallas Baptist fell to 34-17. The Red Raiders return to the diamond on Friday evening at Dan Law Field for the start of a three-game series against the Baylor Bears. First pitch on Friday is set for 6:05 p.m. and will be the biggest series of the season for the Red Raiders as the final spot in the Big 12 Conference Championship is up for grabs.
After spotting the Patriots three runs in the top of the second, the Red Raiders came firing back in the bottom half of the inning with five runs of its own to grab a 5-3 lead. Sophomore shortstop Chris Hall drove in the first two runs with a double to left center and then fellow infielder Willie Rueda plated the tying run with a sacrifice fly to center. Joey Kenworthy broke the tie with an RBI single and then Roger Kieschnick made it a two-run game with an RBI double down the right field line.
The Patriots regained the lead in the top of the fourth as they plated three runs of Tech starter Robbie Kilcrease. Just as they did in the second inning, the Red Raiders responded as they put up three runs of their own to regain the lead (8-6) and one they would not relinquish. Kieschnick fueled the Red Raiders in the inning with his second double of the game, one that plated two runs and gave Tech a 7-6 lead. Chris Richburg's RBI double made the score 8-6.
The Red Raiders got what turned out to be the game-winning run in the fifth when Rueda plated Hall from first with an RBI double down the left field line. Hall reached on a one-out walk to set up the RBI opportunity for Rueda.
Dallas Baptist made a comeback in the top of the eighth off Tech left-handed reliever James Leverton. The Patriots roughed up Leverton for two runs on four hits and had the go-ahead run on first base when Tech went to its bullpen for right-hander Brian Cloud. Cloud came in and closed the door by retiring the next two batters to end the threat.
Cloud retired DBU in order in the ninth to pick up his first career save. Robbie Kilcrease picked up the win in what was his longest outing of the season. He held the Patriots to six runs (three earned) on nine hits with three strikeouts over nine innings of work.
