Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Mississippi Valley State
Hopson Homers Twice in 16-4 Rout of Mississippi Valley
March 14, 2015 | Softball
March 14, 2015
Hopson connected on a solo home run in the third and then powered a two-run shot in the fifth, giving her nine home runs already this season. She also added a two-run double in the first en route to finishing 3-for-3 overall and matching her career high with five RBI.
Hopson's only other multiple home run game in her career came on Feb. 8, 2014, when she belted two dingers against UMKC in what was just her fourth game ever as a Red Raider. She is the first Red Raider to homer twice in a game this season as Hopson now has 16 long balls in her career, moving her into a tie for 10th all-time in Tech history with Cydney Allen (2011-12).
Her big day at the plate was matched throughout the lineup as Devon Thomey, Kierra Miles and Ashley Fultz all recorded at least two RBI to help lead Tech (14-15) to its most runs in a game this season.
Thomey finished a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate after a bunt single in the first and then RBI singles in the second and fourth innings. She concluded the day with another single in Tech's five-run fifth as well.
The Red Raiders totaled five runs in each of the fourth and fifth innings, marking the first time this season where Tech has totaled four of more runs in back-to-back innings.
Fultz drove in three runs during that span with a two-run double in the fourth and then a RBI single in the fifth as well. She finished 2-for-4 at the plate for her eighth multiple-hit game this year and seventh multiple-RBI performance.
Miles also ended with three hits, going 3-for-3 with three RBI after plating Tech's first run off a RBI double in the opening inning and then a two-run double in the fifth. She reached in all of her four plate appearances with a single in the second and a hit by pitch in the fourth.
Jordan Bettiol put together Tech's other multiple-hit performance with a 2-for-2 day that included a pair of walks and four runs scored, the most for a Red Raider since Mikey Kenney came across a school-record five times on April 10, 2011, at Iowa State.
Tech chased Mississippi Valley (5-18) starter Sydney Coe early in the fourth inning after the right-hander allowed eight runs off nine hits and two strikeouts. She was relieved by Rebekah Clinton, who fared no better with eight earned runs off seven hits in just two-thirds of an inning. Haley Young recorded the final three outs in the fifth for the Devilettes.
Chandler Moore (6-5) garnered the win for the Red Raiders as she allowed just two runs off three hits in her five innings. She was relieved briefly by Susan Welborn to start the fourth but reentered the game soon after as Welborn gave up two runs early in the frame.
The victory marked Tech's fifth via run-rule already this season. The Red Raiders previously topped Mississippi Valley, 8-0, on Friday afternoon.
