Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Drake
Drake Drops Texas Tech in Cowgirl Classic Opener
February 27, 2015 | Softball
Feb. 27, 2015
The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Red Raiders (9-7), who came into the weekend having scored 40 runs combined in their last four outings.
Drake (7-6) right-hander Nicole Newman (4-1) frustrated the Tech offense as she fanned nine hitters over her 4.1 innings before giving way Kailee Smith for the final two outs in the fifth. Her nine strikeouts matched the most for Tech this season.
Brittany Lee connected on the only hit off Newman as she lined a liner back up the middle to start the third inning. Newman recovered, though, to record back-to-back strikeouts and then struck out the side in the fourth.
Newman's only struggle, however, was walks as she issued six, five of which that came in the fourth and fifth innings. Tech loaded the bases with just one out in the fifth but scored no runs thanks to a pair of infield ground balls that ended the inning.
Drake, meanwhile, had no trouble scoring runs as the Bulldogs plated at least one run in three of the first four innings before breaking the game open with a six-run top of the fifth. It matched the most runs Tech has allowed in an inning this year.
Kelsey Wright, Megan Sowa, Laura Brewer and Tasha Alexander all finished with two hits for a Drake offense that had all but one starter record an RBI in the rout. Drake totaled 11 hits overall, the second-most for a Tech opponent this season.
Sowa drove in Drake's first run with a RBI single in the top of the first, scoring Wright, who led off the game with the first of her two doubles. Wright also connected on a RBI double in the fourth.
Brewer added another run for Drake in the first with her first home run of the season, a solo shot to left field. She joined Hayley Nybo with two RBI after also driving in a run-scoring single in the third.
Nybo put the finishing touches on Drake's six-run fifth inning with a two-run single to center field. The hit followed a RBI triple from Tasha Alexander and a RBI double from Sarah Ryan earlier in the inning.
All six runs in the fifth went unearned to Tech relievers Cara Custer and Mattison Maisel as the Red Raiders committed a pair of fielding errors early in the inning.
Chandler Moore (4-2) took the loss Tech as the right-hander lasted three innings, giving up five runs off six hits and two strikeouts. Custer relieved her to start the fourth inning but managed to surrender six runs, only one of which that was earned. Maisel allowed just one unearned run in her two-thirds of an inning.
The Red Raiders will look to rebound later this evening when Tech faces host McNeese State in a 6 p.m. scheduled first pitch at Cowgirl Diamond.
