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Texas Tech Softball Drops Heartbreaker to No. 5 LSU
February 27, 2016 | Softball
Red Raiders fall to No. 5 LSU on late game home run.
Feb. 27, 2016
BATON ROUGE, La. -Texas Tech softball (5-9) fell to the fifth-ranked LSU Tigers (12-2) 3-2 in extra innings Saturday night at the 2016 Purple and Gold Challenge held at Tiger Park."I am so proud of this team," said head Texas Tech softball coach Adrian Gregory. "We don't talk about wins and losses at all. We talk about our fight, our mentality and our guts. We had all of those things today. It's a heart breaking result, but we did everything we thought we could. Our fight was right today and I am proud of these girls."
The Red Raiders got off to a great start, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Jordan Bettiol led the game off reaching first on an error by the Tiger's shortstop. She would later come in to score on a sacrifice fly to left field by Kierra Miles.
hey @TTUSB, this game is BONKERS! #pewpew
- Karlyn Wilkes (@Karlyn_Wilkes) February 28, 2016
Clinging to a one read lead, the Red Raiders would find themselves in a bit of trouble in the fifth as the Tigers would load the bases with just one out. Maisel would keep her composer on the mound and force a fly out to center and a ground out to Brooke Scott at shortstop to end the inning.
The Red Raiders would tack on an insurance run in the top of the sixth as Kiani Ramsey would record a one out triple and then come in to score on a wild pitch to give Texas Tech a 2-0 lead heading to the final frame.
The Tigers would come storming back in the seventh, as Sahvanna Jaquish blasted a two run home run over the fence in left center tying the game and sending the it into extra innings.
The Red Raiders threatened in the top of the eighth, but the stingy LSU defense would hold firm and strand a pair of runners.
The fifth-ranked Tigers would put the game away early in the final half inning, as Bailey Landry made a game ending play, turning on a pitch and homering to left.
With Saturday's loss, the Red Raiders fell to 0-5 all-time against the Tigers including a 0-2 mark in one run games. The loss also moved Texas Tech record to 1-7 in games featuring a team in the top-25 this season.
"This is such a great atmosphere and such a great place to play," added Gregory. "Our kids really haven't experienced anything like this before. To get them this experience today and the opportunity to get back in here tomorrow with the confidence that they have right now is a blessing."
The Red Raider will return to the field on Sunday for a pair of games to close out the 2016 Purple and Gold Challenge. Texas Tech will begin the doubleheader with a 10 a.m. game against Illinois State followed by a 12:30 tilt with No. 5 LSU. Fans can follow all of the action from the 2016 softball season by following @TTUSB on twitter.
