Red Raiders Sweep Doubleheader to Open Home Slate

Friday, February 23

Lubbock, TX

4 PM

Texas Tech Athletics

5-5

Northwestern State

8-4

Northwestern State

Texas Tech

Red Raiders Sweep Doubleheader to Open Home Slate

February 23, 2018 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery Game 1 Box Score (PDF)Game 2 Box Score (PDF)

Tech picks up a pair of 2-1 wins over Northwestern State Friday via walk-off sacrifice flies

LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech softball kicked off its 2018 home campaign by sweeping a doubleheader against Northwestern State with a pair of dramatic 2-1 wins Friday at Rocky Johnson Field.

After a shift to the weekend schedule moved a doubleheader to Friday, the Red Raiders (6-5) made the most of it by walking off on the Lady Demons (8-5) with sacrifice flies in both games. Redshirt freshman Heaven Burton came through in game one, and sophomore Karli Hamilton knocked in the winning run in the tenth inning of game two after the game was sent to extras with a two-out home run from freshman Breanna Russell in the bottom of the seventh.

"I am so proud of our kids for trusting the system and figuring out a way to come out with two wins," head coach Adrian Gregory said. "You can beat yourself up with a million things throughout it; we didn't play perfect by any means but we found a way to win, and that's what it's all about. Our kids are really excited about that. They are celebrating that, and that makes me happy that we are celebrating anyway we can get it done."

Tech received strong pitching performances Friday as freshman Erin Edmoundson (3-1) picked up the wins in both contests. She totaled eight innings of relief work on the day, accumulating nine strikeouts to just four hits and no walks. The lefty has now won each of her last three decisions and sports a 0.94 ERA.

"We relied so much on Erin in the circle," Gregory said. "I don't know how many hits she gave up, but it wasn't many. She saw their lineup over and over throughout the two games. I thought she was relentless on the mound."

Edmoundson followed sophomore Kassidy Scott, who started the first game and delivered 4.2 innings of work and surrendered just one run on two hits with five strikeouts. Senior Cheyene Powell got the start in the nightcap, tossing 4.1 frames of hitless ball before giving way to Edmoundson after a pair of walks in the fifth.

Burton finished 1-for-3 in game one with a triple and the game-winning sacrifice fly. She also scored in the third inning as redshirt freshman Michaela Cochran tallied one of her two hits in the game to score Burton, who tripled over the head of the centerfielder. With the score even in the bottom of the seventh and the bases loaded, Burton hit a fly ball to left field deep enough to plate pinch runner Jessica Hartwell.

Russell made her impact in the nightcap, finishing 3-for-4 with the game-tying home run in the bottom of the seventh. The third baseman from Crosby, Texas, added a single in the fifth and her first career triple in the ninth. She is now hitting .226 on the year with two home runs.

"Breanna Russell came up with a huge hit," Gregory said. "She didn't feel great early in the day, but she continued to compete and look for a pitch she could get into and she got into it. She had really great swings up to that point, and I was trying to help her get it done. She put the bat on the barrel of a really great ball, and it went out of the park."

Northwestern State got solid outings from a trio of pitchers. Freshman Emma Callie Delafield (2-2) was pegged with her first career losses as she followed strong starts from Mikayla Brown and Micaela Bouvier.

After a leadoff walk to start the bottom of the tenth in game two, Burton and Cochran both singled with perfectly placed bunts, loading the bases for Hamilton. The Houston, native stroked one to left field and freshman Claire McKissick beat the throw home to capture the doubleheader sweep.

NEXT UP
Texas Tech faces Northwestern State in the series finale at 1 p.m., Saturday at Rocky Johnson Field. Tickets can be purchased online here.