Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
UNLV
Berry Leads Tech Past UNLV 10-6
April 21, 2009 | Baseball
April 21, 2009
LUBBOCK, Texas - Freshman third baseman Justin Berry went 4-for-5 with four runs scored and two RBIs to lead Texas Tech to a 10-6 win over UNLV on Tuesday night at Dan Law Field.
The win moves Tech to 19-24 on the season while UNLV falls to 20-19. The Red Raiders will try for the two-game sweep of the Rebels tomorrow afternoon when the two teams meet for a noon first pitch.
The Rebels took advantage of a shaky Nate Karns in the first inning and built a 2-0 lead. J.J. Sferra led off the game with a single and later scored the first run on an RBI double by Jarred Frierson. Ryan Thornton then drove in Frierson with an RBI single to round out the scoring.
Tech cut the UNLV lead to one with a single run in the bottom of the second. Berry picked up the first of his career-high four hits on the night with a one-out single and scored on an RBI groundout by left fielder Michael Reed.
The Red Raiders took the lead for good with a three-run outburst in the bottom of the third. Berry drove in the tying and go ahead runs with a two-RBI single to left and freshman second baseman Garrett Totten brought him home with an RBI single that gave Tech a 4-2 lead.
Tech plated six runs in the middle innings to take a commanding 10-2 lead and got solid relief pitching from Robbie Kilcrease in the sixth and seventh. Kilcrease pitched two shutout innings and held the Rebels to just one hit.
UNLV made a comeback in the eighth and ninth as they tagged Tech reliever Jordan Stern for four runs on five hits in just 1 2/3 innings. With two outs in the ninth, Tech went to closer Chad Bettis who gave up an RBI single to Anthony Morel but retired the next batter to end the game.
Karns recovered nicely from the first inning and went on to post four shutout innings en route to his third win of the season. In all, he allowed two runs on three hits and one walk and struckout four. Matt Hutchinson took the loss for UNLV as he allowed four runs on eight hits over three innings.
