Recap: Tech picks up two shutout wins Saturday

Saturday, March 5

Lubbock, TX

1:30 PM

Texas Tech Athletics

6-11

North Texas

9-3

North Texas

Texas Tech

Recap: Tech picks up two shutout wins Saturday

March 05, 2022 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 North Texas Box Score Southern Box Score

Tech outhit its opponents 15-4 and combined for eight runs while holding opponents scoreless.

LUBBOCK, Texas – The Red Raider softball team came away with a pair of two-hit shutouts on day two of the Jeannine McHaney Memorial Classic. Texas Tech (7-11) defeated North Texas (9-3) by a score of 3-0 and Southern (2-14) by a score of 5-0 Saturday at Rocky Johnson Field.

Tech's pitchers gave up four total hits on the day and struck out 19 batters while the Red Raider offense totaled 15 hits and eight runs.

Texas Tech 3, North Texas 0
After three hitless innings each side broke through in the fourth. The Mean Green recorded the first hit of the game, a double off the right field wall; however, the runner was thrown out by Peyton Blythe as she attempted to take third on the play.

Tech answered with a couple of hits of its own in the bottom half of the inning, starting with a single from Payton Jackson. Carson Armijo walked to put two runners on for Ellie Bailey who doubled to left center, scoring Jackson to give Tech a 1-0 lead.

The Red Raiders added some insurance in the bottom of the sixth bringing in two more runs to make it 3-0. Armijo singled and Bailey walked to put two on for the Red Raiders. A sac bunt from Molly Grumbo moved both runners into scoring position for Maddie Westmoreland who hit the ball hard to third base, scoring Armijo. Abbie Orrick singled to shortstop in the next at bat to score Page Mindedahl, running for Bailey.

Carlin (2-1) went the distance for the Red Raiders, pitching a complete game shutout with nine strikeouts and just two hits allowed.

Texas Tech 5, Southern 0
Riley Love started the scoring for Tech, knocking a two-run home run to left field in the bottom of the second. Love's home run brought in Kennedy Crites who reached on a two-out single.

After a couple of scoreless frames, Tech finally added to its lead in the fifth with a three-run inning to make it 5-0. Jacee Hamlin walked to open the inning and stole second to get into scoring position for Riley Ehlen who entered the game for Arriana Villa. Back-to-back doubles from Ehlen and Mindedahl scored two more runs to make it 4-0 Tech. One last run came across on a single from Bailey that plated Mindedahl.

Tech's pitchers combined for the second two-hit shutout of the day, as Kendall Fritz (5-3) came away with the win, pitching 4.0 innings giving up one hit and one walk while striking out seven. Morgan Hornback, who entered for Fritz in the fifth inning, pitched the final three frames, allowing just one hit while striking out three.

NOTABLES

Erna Carlin recorded a career-high nine strikeouts against North Texas, the most by any Red Raider pitcher this season. The freshman started the game by striking out six of the first eight batters she faced.
Riley Love tallied her first home run of the season with her two-run shot against Southern. It was the second home run of Love's career, her first coming on May 2, 2021, in the regular season-finale against Iowa State. Her home run against the Cyclones tied the game at two in the fifth inning as the Red Raiders would eventually go on to win in walk off fashion.
Kendall Fritz combined for the shutout win against Southern with Morgan Hornback. Fritz now has two solo shutouts and two combined shutouts this season. In her last six outings she has not allowed more than two earned runs and struck out 30 while walking just five.
With hits in both games today, Payton Jackson extended her hit streak to six games and her reached base streak to 11 games.

UP NEXT
The Red Raiders close the Jeannine McHaney Memorial Classic on Sunday with a couple of games. Tech will face Southern at 12:30 p.m. before facing North Texas at 3:00 p.m. for the finale.