Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Wisconsin
Tech Softball Rallies Past Wisconsin, 5-4
February 20, 2009 | Softball
Feb. 20, 2009
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Texas Tech softball dropped game one to Drake, 5-2, before rallying past Wisconsin, 5-4, in extra innings to earn the victory in game two. Megan Shupp went 4-4 against the Badgers and Ashly Jacobs picked up the win as the Red Raiders improved to 3-7 on the season.
In game one, Drake got on the board early courtesy of a solo home run to make the score, 1-0, before adding four runs in the second to make the score, 5-0. Tech tried to rally in the second when Danielle Matthews singled to score Stephanie Drewry, followed by an Ashley Hamada single to score Holley Gentsch to pull within three runs, 5-2.
The Red Raiders were unable to get any more runs on the board and fell to Drake, 5-2. Drewry went 2-3 with a run scored, while Matthews and Hamada each had a hit and an RBI. Pitcher Alex Watkins, who came on in relief of Jacobs, struck out seven in five innings of work and earned the right to start game two.
Texas Tech jumped out to an early lead over the Wisconsin Badgers on a double by Watkins in the first to score Shupp, who had singled. In the second, Skyler Peterson drew a walk and came home when Emily Bledsoe tripled to right field upping Tech's lead to, 2-0. Wisconsin was able to get a run in the bottom of the second on a triple to pull within one, 2-1. All remained quiet until the fifth, when Leah Legler singled and scored on an error charged to the Badger shortstop making the score, 3-1.
Wisconsin did not go away easily as the Badgers rallied to score three runs in the bottom of the sixth to take the lead, 4-3. Tech tied the game in the seventh on a pinch hit single by Tye Coats to score Shupp, and force extra innings. With the international tiebreaker rules in effect, Matthews was placed on second and scored courtesy of a hard hit sacrifice fly to right field by Peterson. In the bottom half of the inning and with Wisconsin threatening, Peterson made a nice defensive snag of a line drive to get the third out and secure Tech the win, 5-4.
Shupp went 4-4 with two runs scored, while Watkins had a hit and two RBI. Jacobs, who came on in relief of Watkins, picked up the win and moved to 2-5 on the season.
Texas Tech will face Wisconsin and New Mexico tomorrow as it continues play in the Lobo Invitational. Fans can follow the action live at www.texastech.com and RaiderVision All-Access.
Note: Because of operator error by the old gal on the media relations team with softball, statistics and box scores will not be available until a return trip to Lubbock can secure certain secret files which will make the stats computer functional again. Alas, even McGuyver could not fix the bungle this time.
