Hamilton Shines as Tech Splits Friday Doubleheader

Friday, March 16

Riverside, CA

11 AM

Texas Tech Athletics

17-9

Idaho State

1-15

Texas Tech

Idaho State

Hamilton Shines as Tech Splits Friday Doubleheader

March 16, 2018 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 PDF Box Score vs. Idaho State PDF Box Score vs. Purdue

Red Raiders top Idaho State, fall late to Purdue on first day at UC Riverside.

By: Texas Tech Athletics Communications

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The Texas Tech softball team split its first two games at the Highlander Invitational on Friday, defeating Idaho State 7-1 before faltering late in a 4-3 loss to Purdue.

After cruising to a 7-1 victory in its tournament opener against Idaho State (1-15), the Red Raiders (17-10) carried a 4-1 lead into the seventh against the Boilermakers (5-19), but Purdue mounted a rally behind three hits and an infield error to claim the win.

Redshirt sophomore Karli Hamilton led the Red Raiders on the day, going 4-for-7 with two doubles, a triple, five RBI and two stolen bases. The outfielder matched her career high with four RBI against Idaho State while going 2-for-4 with a double and a triple. She followed that by going 2-for-3 against Purdue with an RBI.

Fellow outfielders Michaela Cochran and Heaven Burton posted strong days at the plate as well. Cochran was a force against the Bengals, going 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Burton smashed her first career home run and finished 2-for-3 against Purdue.

The Red Raiders scored in the first inning of both games. In game one, Tech scored two in the first off a double from Hamilton and held a 3-1 lead through three innings. Hamilton knocked in two more in the fifth with her third triple on the year to make it a 5-1 game.

Two more Red Raiders scored in the sixth to stretch the lead to 7-1. Freshman pitcher Erin Edmoundson would follow a solid three-inning start from senior Cheyene Powell to throw 4.0 innings of scoreless ball and earn her 11^th win of the year.

In game two, redshirt freshman Heaven Burton got the scoring started in the first with a solo home run. The dinger was the first of her career and gives her an RBI in three straight games. The Round Rock, Texas, native has now hit safely in 17 of the last 18 games.

The Red Raiders added a run in the fifth as junior Taylor Satchell led off with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly from freshman Kelcy Leach. In the next inning, back-to-back doubles from Hamilton and junior Kiana Workman extended the lead to 3-0.

After cutting the lead to 3-1 in the sixth, Purdue did all their work in the seventh with two outs. An infield single and a walk put two on for Tayler Wullenweber, who's single to center scored a run and put runners on the corners. Following a walk, Purdue was able to put the ball in play and an infield error allowed the tying run to score, and the Boilermakers would walk it off with a base hit to left in the next at bat.

Starting pitcher Kassidy Scott drew a no-decision after throwing 6.2 innings and giving up three runs, two earned, on seven hits with four strikeouts and a three walks. She exited with two on and two out in the seventh for freshman Erin Edmoundson, who suffered the first blown save of her career.

UP NEXT
The Red Raiders return to Amy S. Harrison field on Saturday to take on the same two opponents. Tech and Idaho State will start at 1:30 p.m. CT followed by Purdue at 4 p.m. CT. Live stats are available through GoHighlanders.com.