RECAP: Fritz’s perfect game caps off 2-0 day

Saturday, March 12

Lubbock, TX

1:30 PM

Texas Tech Athletics

9-12

Tulsa

7-13

Tulsa

Texas Tech

Kendall Fritz tosses a perfect game against Texas A&M- Corpus Christi

RECAP: Fritz’s perfect game caps off 2-0 day

March 12, 2022 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Tulsa Box Score Texas A&M- Corpus Christi Box Score

Texas Tech defeated Tulsa 8-5 and Texas A&M- Corpus Christi 9-0 to sweep day one of the Texas Tech Invitational.

LUBBOCK, Texas – It was an eventful day at Rocky Johnson Field as the Red Raiders (10-12) opened the Texas Tech Invitational with a pair of dramatic wins over Tulsa (7-13) and Texas A&M- Corpus Christi (10-14).

Riley Ehlen's walk off three-run blast gave the Red Raiders an 8-5 win over the Golden Hurricane in game one. Kendall Fritz followed suit with the fourth perfect game in program history as the Red Raiders defeated the Islanders 9-0 in five innings.

Texas Tech 8, Tulsa 5
The Red Raiders struck first, taking a 2-0 lead after one inning off a Carson Armijo home run. Armijo's third home run of the season was a two-run shot to left center.

Tech added a run in the second inning as Abbie Orrick doubled to lead off the inning and came home after the catcher threw down to second with no one covering, sending the ball to the outfield. The errant throw allowed Orrick to score easily from second to make it 3-0 Red Raiders.

Tulsa got one run back in the third inning off a Celeste Wood double that scored Kailyn Bearpaw, who singled to lead off the inning.

A wild fourth inning put two more runs up on the board for Tech. Orrick singled to lead off the inning and Molly Grumbo sent a ball over the left field foul pole for a home run but was called out after she passed Orrick at first base. Orrick's run counted but Grumbo was credited with a single and an unassisted out for the base running blunder. Back-to-back two-out doubles from Peyton Blythe and Arriana Villa made it 5-1 Red Raiders.

The Golden Hurricane would tie the game at five after a four-run sixth inning. A leadoff double from Kylie Nash got things going and a walk put runners on the corners with one out. Olivia Rains entered the game for Erna Carlin and gave up a single to load the bases. One run scored on a wild pitch, leaving runners on second and third with one out. Rylee Keith tripled to right field, as Armijo could not come up with the diving grab, clearing the bases to make it a one run game. Bearpaw followed with a double to score Keith, tying the game at five. Rains struck out the final two batters to keep the game even.

Fritz entered in the top of the seventh working a scoreless frame to keep the game knotted at five heading into the bottom of the inning. Armijo singled and Ellie Bailey walked to put two on with one out for Ehlen. Ehlen battled to force a full count, fouling off four pitches before sending a line drive over the left field wall on the ninth pitch of the at-bat for a walk off three-run home run.

Carlin (3-1) picked up the win in the circle, going 5.1 innings allowing three runs on four hits with four walks and eight strikeouts, her second most this season. Armijo, Orrick and Grumbo each went 2-for-3 at the plate, combining for three RBI and three runs scored.

Texas Tech 9, Texas A&M- Corpus Christi 0 (5 inn.)
All the Red Raiders' scoring came in the first inning, as Tech led 9-0 after one frame. Tech strung together five base hits to start the game, scoring three runs to force a pitching change. A passed ball moved runners to second and third and a wild pitch allowed Bailey to score to make it 4-0. Grumbo grounded out for the first out of the inning but brought in Ehlen and advanced Orrick to third on the play. Riley Love walked to put runners on the corners for Villa, who batted around in the inning. Villa singled up the middle to score Orrick and advance Love to third and Payton Jackson brought in both Love and Villa to make it 8-0. Armijo doubled to center field to bring in Jackson for the ninth run of the inning before a line out finally ended the offensive onslaught.

In the circle, Fritz retired all fifteen batters she faced, striking out three while forcing nine outs in the air and three more on the ground.

NOTABLES

All nine batters recorded hits in the Red Raiders' win over Tulsa. The Red Raiders totaled 12 hits, tying their season high, with six extra base hits including four doubles and two home runs.
Riley Ehlen's walk off winner was the 11^th home run of her career, her first as a Red Raider. It was the first home run for the transfer from Loyola Marymount since Feb. 22, 2020, when she hit a two-run shot against Quinnipiac. Ehlen was 0-for-3 at the plate before recording the game-winning hit.
Kendall Fritz's perfect game was the first of her collegiate career and the fourth in program history for Texas Tech. She becomes just the third Red Raider to throw a perfect game, joining Amanda Renfro (2) and Erin Edmoundson. The last perfect game came on March 7, 2020, when Edmoundson and the Red Raiders defeated Fairleigh Dickinson 8-0 in five innings.
Carson Armijo went 4-for-5 at the plate on the day with four RBI. She has successfully reached base in nine of the last 10 games with a four-game reached base streak.
Ellie Bailey added to her hot streak with a hit in each game today, extending her hit streak to six games. Her RBI streak came to an end against Tulsa after seven games, but she recorded two RBI against Texas A&M- Corpus Christi.

UP NEXT
The Red Raiders will face Texas A&M- Corpus Christi and Tulsa again tomorrow to close out the Texas Tech Invitational. Tech will face the Islanders first at 12:30 p.m. followed by Tulsa at 3:00 p.m. for the weekend finale.