Hargrove Pushes No. 5 Texas Tech to Series-Clinching Win

Friday, May 20

Lubbock, Texas

2:00 PM

Texas Tech Athletics

40-13, 19-4

West Virginia

32-21, 11-11

West Virginia

Texas Tech

Hargrove Pushes No. 5 Texas Tech to Series-Clinching Win

May 20, 2016 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score Postgame Notes

LUBBOCK, Texas -- No. 5 Texas Tech utilized a seventh-inning rally for the second-straight day Friday afternoon as the Red Raiders overcome another one-run deficit to top West Virginia, 4-2, at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park.

Hunter Hargrove blasted a three-run homer in the seventh to help push the Red Raiders (40-13; 19-4) to the 40-win mark for the 13th time in program history and the second time already in Tim Tadlock's four seasons. The victory also clinched the series against the Mountaineers (32-21; 11-11), who arrived in Lubbock with the nation's longest winning streak at 10 games.

Hargrove fouled off six-straight pitches before he was able to lift his second home run of the season over the left-field wall and into the West Virginia bullpen. It was Hargrove's second home run over Tech's last four games as he connected on a solo shot on May 8 in the series finale at Kansas.

The Red Raiders previously overcame a similar one-run deficit in the seventh inning Thursday evening, scoring two runs in the frame for a 2-1 victory over the Mountaineers.

Hargrove was the first hitter to face West Virginia reliever Ross Vance in the seventh after the left-hander came on as the Mountaineers' second pitcher out of the bullpen. Tech started the frame with a leadoff single from Cory Raley and a walk to Tyler Neslony.

Raley led the Red Raiders offensively, finishing 2-for-4 overall for his 21st multi-hit performance of the season. Raley, who totaled two of Tech's five hits in the win, is now tied with Tanner Gardner for the team high in multi-hit games.

Both of Raley's hits came against West Virginia starter Chad Donato (3-4), who suffered the loss after allowing three runs, two of which that were earned, off four hits and 10 strikeouts. Donato had retired 13-straight hitters before Raley opened the seventh with a line-drive single into left field.

Tech's first run of the afternoon went unearned to Donato as Raley sent a leadoff single to right field and then moved to third on a failed pickoff attempt. He scored moments later on an Eric Gutierrez RBI single through the left side, his Big 12-leading 50th RBI already this season.

Robert Dugger (4-0) picked up the win in relief for the Red Raiders after tossing 1.2 shutout innings where he gave up four hits, three of which that came in the top half of the seventh inning.

West Virginia loaded the bases quickly in the seventh thanks to an infield single from KC Huth and a pair of bunt singles. Dugger worked out of the jam, however, inducing a ground ball to third for the out at the plate and then a 6-4-3 double to end the inning.

Ryan Moseley relieved Dugger with two outs in the eighth for his fifth save of the season and second already in the series. Moseley surrendered a two-out walk in the ninth but came back with Tech's seventh and final strikeout to end the game.

Both of West Virginia's runs came in the fourth inning when the Mountaineers took advantage of back-to-back bases loaded hit-by-pitches from Steven Gingery. The southpaw managed to escape further damage, though, thanks in part to a liner back to the mound that Gingery snagged in enough time to make the throw to second for the double play.

The Red Raiders will look for the series sweep Saturday afternoon when Tech closes the regular season with a 2 p.m. first pitch against the Mountaineers. It will be Senior Day at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park as Tech's six seniors will be honored in a pregame ceremony.