Henderson Homer Highlights 5-0 Shutout of Hawaii

Wednesday, March 11

Honolulu, HI

10:00 PM

Texas Tech Athletics

17-9

Hawaii

9-14

Texas Tech

Hawaii

Henderson Homer Highlights 5-0 Shutout of Hawaii

March 12, 2020 | Softball

Box Score

Senior Shelby Henderson blasted her first home run as a Red Raider.

By: Texas Tech Athletics Communications

HONOLULU – The Texas Tech softball team kicked off the Rainbow Wahine Classic with a bang as the Red Raiders shut out host Hawaii in a 5-0 decision on Wednesday at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

Karli Hamilton led the Tech lineup with a 3-for-4 effort at the plate and Shelby Henderson followed closely behind with a single and the first home run of her Red Raider career. Zoe Jones and Kelcy Leach were the other Red Raiders to record hits and Jones led the day with two RBI.

Erin Edmoundson, who improved to 10-4, picked up the win after holding the Rainbow Wahine scoreless through seven full innings. The southpaw tallied five strikeouts and limited Hawaii to five hits.

With the victory, Tech extends its win streak to seven games and the Red Raiders move to 17-9 overall.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Red Raiders wasted no time getting to work and capitalized on a one-out walk to gain early momentum. After walking, Whaley successfully stole second and Breanna Russell moved her over to third base with a fly out to deep right field. With a runner on third, Hamilton gave Tech the go-ahead with a smoked RBI single into right field and Whaley trotted home safely.

The Rainbow Wahine tried to strike back in the bottom of the inning and used a one-out double and a walk to put runners on the corners. Needing just one out to escape the jam, Heaven Burton laid it all on the line and used a phenomenal diving catch in right field to end the inning.

Tech kept the pressure on in the top of the second and a two-out solo home run from Henderson, her first since the 2018 season, powered the Red Raiders to a 2-0 advantage.

After the Red Raiders posted a 1-2-3 frame in the bottom of the second, Burton drew a leadoff walk. Whaley moved her into scoring position with a textbook sacrifice bunt and Russell drew a walk in the following at-bat. Hamilton's second hit of the day juiced the bases and Jones smacked a two-RBI double to deep right field to put Tech ahead, 4-0.

Edmoundson picked up her first strikeout of the day for the first out of the bottom of the third, but a wild pitch on another strikeout allowed a Hawaii base runner. A bloop single placed runners on first and second and a ground out moved the pair into scoring position. However, Edmoundson narrowed her focus and struck out Hawaii's cleanup hitter to end the threat.

Leach poked a single to begin the fourth and a walk in the next at-bat forced a pitching change. Hawaii's Emily Klee replaced starter Ashley Murphy and Klee immediately walked the bases loaded with no outs.

Stepping in to pinch hit, Morgan Hornback reached on a fielder's choice however, a throwing error on Hawaii's double-play attempt gave Henderson enough time to motor home to give the Red Raiders a 5-0 lead.

The Red Raiders held strong in the final two innings and Edmoundson sealed the 5-0 shutout with her fifth and final strikeout of the game.

COMING UP NEXT
The Red Raiders will return to action tomorrow afternoon to face No. 19 Minnesota (6:30 p.m. CT) and Drexel (8:30 p.m. CT). Live stats will be available for both games. For all the latest information on the Texas Tech softball team, visit TexasTech.com or follow @TexasTechSB on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.