Softball Splits Against No. 13/11 Michigan, Grand Canyon

Saturday, February 29

Fullerton, CA

7:00 PM

Texas Tech Athletics

10-9

Michigan

11-5

Michigan

Texas Tech

Softball Splits Against No. 13/11 Michigan, Grand Canyon

March 01, 2020 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

The Red Raiders fell to No. 13/11 Michigan but snapped its six-game losing streak against Grand Canyon.

By: Texas Tech Athletics Communications

FULLERTON, Calif. – The Texas Tech softball team suffered an 8-2 setback to No. 13/11 Michigan to start the day, but the Red Raiders bounced back later in the evening with a 6-2 victory over Grand Canyon on Saturday, Feb. 29, at Titan Sports Complex.

Karli Hamilton and Zoe Jones led the day with two hits and two RBI apiece while Tori Whillock was the only Red Raider to record an extra-base hit. Chloe Cobb broke up a no-hitter against the Wolverines with the first hit of her collegiate career and Breanna Russell, Yvonne Whaley and Heaven Burton were the other Red Raiders to record hits.

After a rough start in Tech's first game of the night, Erin Edmoundson took the loss against Michigan and dropped to 6-4 on the season. Missy Zoch, now 4-3, led the Red Raiders to victory in Tech's final game of the tournament and limited the Antelopes to four hits.

GAME ONE: MICHIGAN 8, TEXAS TECH 2
The Red Raiders hoped for a solid start, but a leadoff home run off Edmoundson put Tech in an immediate 1-0 hole. Back-to-back singles followed the blast before Edmoundson racked up a strikeout for her first break of the frame. She fielded a bunt for the next out and a bases-loaded pop up helped the Red Raiders out of the jam.

Tech was unsuccessful in its first trip to the plate and Michigan kept the pressure on with six runs in the top of the second. Redshirt senior GiGi Wall took over the circle after Michigan went ahead, 3-0, but four runs off two errors and a hit put Tech at a 7-0 deficit.

Tech was once again unable to respond in the bottom of the inning, but the defense held strong and blanked the Wolverines in the third. Cobb broke up Alex Storako's no-hitter with the first hit of her career in the bottom of the third, but Tech was unable to advance the freshman.

After a leadoff single put a Wolverine on base, a single and an error in left field allowed Michigan's eighth run of the game to score. However, Tech responded in the bottom of the inning and the Red Raiders took advantage of a leadoff walk to Whaley. Russell laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move her over to second and Hamilton ended the shutout with an RBI single to right center. A throwing error on the play allowed the senior to advance to second and a passed ball two batters later moved her over to third.

Westmoreland drew a walk in the next at-bat and an error at first base allowed Hamilton to score and cut into Michigan's lead, 8-2.

Wall and the Red Raiders recorded their first three up, three down frame to hold off the Wolverines in the top of the fifth but the offense hit a wall and couldn't produce in the bottom of the inning. Wall continued to keep Michigan off the board, but the Red Raiders ran out of time and couldn't make up ground.

With the loss, Tech dropped to 10-9 and Edmoundson moved to 6-4 on the season.

GAME TWO: TEXAS TECH 6, GRAND CANYON 2
Following a leadoff single from Burton, Yvonne Whaley moved an early runner into scoring position off a textbook sacrifice bunt. After Russell drew a walk, Hamilton produced her second RBI of the day and gave Tech an early 1-0 lead on a single to center field.

Missy Zoch was able to hold off the Antelopes for the next two innings, but two hits an and error made way to one run for Grand Canyon in the bottom of the third. Zoch responded with a 1-2-3 frame in the next inning and a four-run top of the fifth added some much-needed separation for the Red Raiders.

A leadoff walk to pinch hitter Shelby Henderson sparked a Red Raider rally and another bunt from Whaley put runners on first and second. Delivering the go-ahead run, Russell stepped up and smoked an RBI single through the left side and Myamie Thompson motored home to put Tech at a 2-1 advantage.

A fielder's choice, prompted by Hamilton, allowed Tech's third run of the game to cross the plate and Jones made it a 5-1 game when she sat on a changeup and blasted a two-RBI single through the right-center field gap.

Two hits plated one run for the Antelopes in the bottom of the inning, but the Red Raiders did not panic and they added to their lead in the following frame.

Freshman Tori Whillock showed maturity at the plate and blasted a leadoff triple to start the sixth inning. After a minor strikeout, Burton grounded out to the second baseman, but the play gave Whillock just enough time to score and give Tech a 6-2 lead.

Zoch and the Tech defense held off the Antelopes once again in the bottom of the sixth and she used two grounders and her ninth strikeout of the night to clinch the Red Raiders' 6-2 victory.

COMING UP NEXT
The Red Raiders return home to Rocky Johnson Field for five games in the Jeannine McHaney Memorial Classic against Delaware State, Fairleigh Dickinson and Marist on Mar. 6-8. Live stats, as well as live streams, will be available for all five games. For all the latest information on the Texas Tech softball team, visit TexasTech.com or follow @TexasTechSB on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.