Softball Run-Rules Kent State in Home Opener

Tuesday, February 18

Lubbock, TX

5 PM

Texas Tech Athletics

8-3

Kent State

7-3

Kent State

Texas Tech

Softball Run-Rules Kent State in Home Opener

February 18, 2020 | Softball

Box Score

The Red Raiders opened up action at Rocky Johnson field with a 9-1 victory.

By: Texas Tech Athletics Communications

LUBBOCK, Texas – After two straight weeks on the road, the Red Raiders opened up action at Rocky Johnson Field with a 9-1, five-inning run-rule over Kent State on Tuesday night.

Kelcy Leach launched the game-winning home run to give Tech early lead it needed, and the Red Raiders kept their foot on the gas pedal through five full innings. Leach and Breanna Russell led the Tech lineup with two hits and two RBI and five other Red Raiders – Heaven Burton, Tori Whillock, Zoe Jones, Erin Edmoundson and Myamie Thompson – recorded hits.

Thompson recorded her first hit of the season against the Golden Flashes and Whillock collected the first hit of her young career. The Red Raiders out-hit Kent State, 9-2.

Junior Erin Edmoundson earned the home-opening win and moved to 5-1 on the season. The lefty fanned six hitters while allowing just two hits and one run. With the win, the Red Raiders improve to 8-3 on the season and 1-0 at Rocky Johnson Field.

HOW IT HAPPENED
A slow start plagued the Red Raiders in the first inning and Kent State was able to jump on the board first. A walk and a wild pitch put a Golden Flash in scoring position and an RBI single down the left-field line put Tech at a 1-0 deficit with no outs. However, Edmoundson rallied the troops and recorded three straight outs to end Kent State's charge.

Burton tallied Tech's first hit of the game, but Tech was unable to answer the run and the junior was stranded to end the first. The Red Raider defense stood firm for a three up, three down frame to start the second and a two-run home run from Leach sparked a myriad of Red Raider runs for the remainder of the game.

The Golden Flashes used a pair of errors to load the bases in the top of the third, but Edmoundson buckled down and used a key strikeout to escape the jam unscathed. A one-out walk to Burton got the Red Raiders rolling in the bottom of the inning and Russell's first double of the night pushed runners to second and third. A timely error on a bunt allowed Burton to score from third and a sacrifice fly from Zoe Jones allowed pinch runner Payton Jackson to cross home plate, extending Tech's lead, 4-1.

One quick grounder and a pair of strikeouts sent the Red Raiders to the plate in the fourth and Edmoundson helped her own cause with a leadoff single up the middle. Leach was plunked by a pitch in the next at-bat and a grounder to the pitcher allowed the pair to move into scoring position.

Another walk to Burton juiced the bases and a two-RBI double from Russell – her second of the game – powered Tech to a 6-1 lead. In her first collegiate at-bat, freshman Tori Whillock furthered Tech's lead and powered an RBI single to short to make it a 7-1 game.

The Red Raiders posted another 1-2-3 frame in the top of the fifth and, after Brianna Cantu drew a walk, pinch runner Amanda DeSario stole second. In her first at-bat since suffering a devastating shoulder injury last season, Myamie Thompson pushed Tech one run closer to the run-rule when she smoked an RBI single through the right side that scored DeSario from second.

Leading 8-1, Leach picked up her second hit of the game to put runners on first and second. A grounder to short moved the pair into scoring position and Kent State's pitcher threw a wild pitch in the next at-bat. The ball went rolling by the Golden Flashes' catcher and Thompson came sliding home to score Tech's ninth and final run of the game.

COMING UP NEXT
The Red Raiders head back out on the road for five games the 2020 Houston Challenge on Feb. 21-23. For all the latest information on the Texas Tech softball team, visit TexasTech.com or follow @TexasTechSB on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.