Softball Splits Day Two of Tiger Classic

Saturday, March 16

Memphis, TN

11:15 AM

Texas Tech Athletics

26-1

North Alabama

13-7

North Alabama

Texas Tech

Softball Splits Day Two of Tiger Classic

March 16, 2019 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Tech picked up a win against North Alabama but dropped a narrow decision to Memphis.

By: Texas Tech Athletics Communications

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The No. 10/13 Texas Tech softball team (26-2) ground out a 5-2 victory over North Alabama to start the day but dropped its second game of the season in a 5-3 decision to Memphis on day two of the Tiger Classic.

The Red Raiders finished the day with 12 hits – six against both North Alabama and Memphis – and outscored their opponents 8-7.

GAME 1 – Texas Tech 5, North Alabama 2
The Red Raiders got off to a slow start but put together five late runs to extend its win streak to 13 games. Missy Zoch improved to 9-0 as she fanned eight hitters in her third complete game of the season.

Taylor Satchell and Zoe Jones registered back-to-back singles in the top of the second, but it was not until the fourth inning that the Red Raiders broke the scoreless deadlock.

Karli Hamilton drew a leadoff walk to start the bottom of the fourth and heads-up base running on an infield grounder put the junior on third base with just one out. Bringing in Tech's first run of the day, Breanna Russell lifted a sacrifice fly to center field and Hamilton came trotting home to put Tech up, 1-0.

Using the long ball once again, Satchell crushed a 2-1 pitch off North Alabama starter Jensen Strickland and sent it sailing over the fence to give the Red Raiders a two-run advantage.

A bases-loaded walk to Hamilton brought in Tech's third run of the game in the bottom of the fifth and Hartwell produced a fielder's choice that scored Heaven Burton from third – giving the Red Raiders a 4-0 lead.

The Lions tried to claw their way back into the game and used two hits and one error to cut Tech's lead in half to start the sixth, but the Red Raiders answered back with one run in the bottom half of the inning.

Sophomore Olga Zamarripa came in to run at first after Jones singled up the middle and she tore up the bases with a pair of steals. Freshman Peyton Blythe drew a walk in the next at-bat and Zamarripa made it a 5-2 ball game when she slid into home on a wild pitch.

North Alabama tried to make things interesting in the top of the seventh, but Zoch and the Red Raider defense held on to clinch the 5-2 victory. Satchell and Jones led Tech with two hits apiece while Burton and Blythe both collected one.

GAME 2 – Memphis 5, Texas Tech 3
Tech got off to a slow start against Memphis and struggled early on the offensive side of the ball. Burton led the lineup with two hits while Hamilton, Russell, Morgan Hornback and Leach were the only other Red Raiders to record hits.

Burton singled up the middle to start the game and she immediately stole second in the next at-bat. A fielding error allowed Jessica Hartwell to reach base safely, but Tech came out of the first empty-handed as Burton was thrown out at the plate. The Red Raiders fell behind later in the first when Memphis used a walk, single and two-run home run off Hornback – Tech's starting pitcher – to take an early 3-0 lead.

Tech sent in Erin Edmoundson after the Tiger home run and she ended the opening inning with a ground ball and strikeout.

Both teams were held silent in the second but Tech jumped on the board in the top of the third thanks to a two-run blast from Hamilton.

Edmoundson kept the Tigers at bay in the third and fourth but another two-run homer in the fifth gave Memphis a 5-2 advantage.

Back-to-back Tiger singles put immediate pressure on the Tech defense in the bottom of the sixth. However, Tech sent in hurler Missy Zoch with runners on second and third and she ended the threat with two consecutive strikeouts to send the Red Raiders back into the dugout.

Needing three runs to tie up the game, Russell began Tech's seventh-inning efforts with a scorched single up the middle. Zamarripa came in to run at first and she advanced to second on a wild pitch. On two outs, Hornback kept the inning alive and drilled an RBI double off the left-field wall to cut into the Tigers' lead, 5-3.

A Kelcy Leach single and walk to Trenity Edwards loaded the bases, but Tech was unable to overcome the two-run deficit and fell to Memphis, 5-3. With the loss, Hornback fell to 4-1 on the season and the Red Raiders dropped to 26-2 overall.

COMING UP NEXT
The Red Raiders close out the Tiger Classic tomorrow morning with a 9 a.m. contest against the Maine Black Bears. Live stats will be available for the game. For all the latest information on the Texas Tech softball team, visit TexaTech.com or follow @TexasTechSB on Twitter and Instagram.