Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Texas State
Hopson, Moore Power Texas Tech Past Texas State
February 13, 2015 | Softball
Brittany Warnecke drove in Texas Tech's first run of the night Friday as the Red Raiders won their second game of the day with a 5-2 victory over Texas State. (Photo courtest of Peter Vives)
Feb. 13, 2015
The victory was the second of the day for the Red Raiders (4-3), who rallied to top UTSA, 9-5, in their tournament opener. Tech was the only team to wrap the first day of the CenturyLink Classic with an unblemished record.
The Red Raiders (4-3) controlled a one-run lead before Hopson belted a deep fly over the fence in center field. The two-out grand slam was the first for Tech since former Red Raider Cassie McClure connected on one in the April 26 series finale with Iowa State last year.
Hopson also homered earlier in the day with a solo shot against UTSA. She is one home run shy of reaching double digits for her career as she is Tech's active leader with nine in just over a full season.
Tech plated its first run in the third inning off a two-out RBI single from Brittany Warnecke. It was the third RBI on the day for Warnecke after she drove in a pair of runs against UTSA.
The five-run lead was more than enough for Tech starter Chandler Moore (2-1), who picked up her second win of the season after tossing a career-high six innings. Moore controlled a shutout the until the seventh inning where Texas State (3-4) plated both of its runs.
Moore was charged with both runs in the seventh that came from a two-run single from Kelli Baker. The hit was the third of the night for Baker as she finished 3-for-4 at the plate overall.
Cara Custer relieved Moore following back-to-back doubles from Isabelle Barnes and Braegan Hamilton to open the frame. The Bobcats were eventually able to load the bases with one out against Custer but the right-hander fought out of the jam with a strikeout and pop out to end the game.
The Tech pitching staff benefited from a flawless defense behind them as the Red Raiders failed to commit an error for the first time this season. Tech had not previously gone error-free in a game since the second-to-last contest of the 2014 season against Oklahoma.
Texas State had a runner reach base in all but the second inning but failed to convert with 10 runners stranded on base, seven of which that were left in scoring position. Tech, meanwhile, only left six runners on base.
Ashley Wright (1-1) took the loss for Texas State after surrendering all five runs off five hits and four walks in four full innings. She was relieved by Taylor Webb to begin the fifth inning. Webb gave up just two hits and a pair of walks over the final three frames.
The Red Raiders resume the CenturyLink Classic on Saturday morning with a 10 a.m. first pitch against Grand Canyon. Tech will face Texas State again later in the afternoon in a scheduled 3 p.m. start.
