Tech Sees Mixed Results on Day One
September 27, 2008 | Softball
Sept. 27, 2008
SUGAR LAND, Texas - Texas Tech softball produced mixed results Saturday in Houston. The Red Raiders tied the Bearkats of Sam Houston State in game one 2-2, before falling to the Bobcats of Texas State, 5-2.
Tye Coats drilled a two-out double in the top of the sixth to drive in Leah Legler for a game-tying run and pitched three scoreless innings in relief to highlight game one against Sam Houston State.
Sam Houston State got to Tech starter Ashly Jacobs early, scoring two runs in the second after a single and a pair of walks loaded the bases and were followed by a two-out double. (It would be swell of us to report the names of those players for Sam Houston State, but these games feature open substitution, intermittent batting orders of 10 or 11 players and no reporting of player changes to lowly scorers by the umpires, so names would only be made up.)
After Jacobs settled down and pitched four complete innings allowing the two runs and three hits, the Red Raiders (the designated visitors by virtue of a coin toss) pushed a run across in the fifth when, with two outs, second baseman Emily Bledsoe was safe on an error by the shortstop. She stole second and came around to score on an RBI single by center fielder Megan Shupp. Jacobs gave way to Coats who allowed only a hit in three complete innings and struck out five, including the rare four-fan seventh. (You should have come to the ballpark if you'd like to know how that happens!)
Legler, who had a stolen base after getting on with a single in the sixth setting up Coats' heroics, and right fielder Ashley Hamada where the only other Red Raiders to collect hits in game one.
Against Texas State, Tech posted two runs early when shortstop Legler singled, was sacrificed to second by Stephanie Drewry (nicknamed "Rocket") and scored when Tye Coats crushed a one-out offering over the fence in left center field. But the lead would last only a few innings before Texas State got a single, a pair of walks, a run-scoring single, and a goofy play to plate three runners in the third. With one out and the bases loaded, Tech catcher Holley Gentsch was called for a catcher's interference which forced a run and frightened nearby onlookers (that double flick of the gloved hand when it hits the bat can be unnerving, but Gentsch was fine!).
Texas State picked up single runs in the fifth and sixth in more traditional ways, walks and hits mostly, to earn the final 5-2 tally.
Alex Watkins (four innings) and Karli Merlich combined to allow five runs (four earned), six hits, seven walks and three strike outs in a game which did feature several fine defensive plays by both squads.
Texas Tech will continue competition tomorrow (Sept. 28) as it faces St. Mary's at 9:30 a.m., followed by the reigning Conference USA Champion Houston Cougars at 11:30 a.m. All games are being played at Imperial Park in Sugar Land, Texas.
Fans can follow the action live via gametracker at the Texas Tech softball page at www.texastech.com, provided the computers don't melt as they appeared to on Saturday.
