Tech drops low-scoring affair to No. 1 Oklahoma

Thursday, April 6

Norman, Okla.

6 p.m.

Texas Tech Athletics

28-13, 0

Oklahoma

34-1, 0

Texas Tech

Oklahoma

Tech drops low-scoring affair to No. 1 Oklahoma

April 06, 2023 | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

The Red Raiders allowed just three hits

By: Hanna Cooper

NORMAN, Oklahoma – Despite holding the nation's batting average leader to just three hits, Texas Tech dropped a low-scoring affair, 3-0, to No. 1 Oklahoma Thursday evening at Marita Hynes Field.

The Red Raiders (28-13, 2-5 Big 12) tossed six pitchers tonight with a pitching change to start every inning. Tech held a potent Sooner (33-1, 7-0 Big 12) offense to just three hits. It marked the fewest amount of hits that Oklahoma has recorded this season. The Red Raider pitching staff help the Sooners to a .142 batting average tonight.

No. 1 Oklahoma took an early lead after Haley Lee hit a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the opening frame.

Tech, looking to change looks for the Oklahoma hitters every inning, held the Sooners scoreless in the second and third as Sage Hoover and Erna Carlin fired a pair of hitless frames.

After a quiet fourth frame for the Tech offense, Kendall Fritz entered in the bottom half of fourth and found herself in danger after issuing a leadoff walk. Fritz continued to battle and forced two groundouts before issuing a two-out walk to put runners on first and second for the Sooners. Alyssa Brito then followed with a double to right center that handed Oklahoma a 3-0 lead. Peyton Blythe would then come up clutch with a diving catch in left field to end the frame.

Kennedy Crites tallied Tech's second hit of the afternoon in the top of the fifth after knocking a single into left field but was left stranded. Olivia Rains checked in the bottom half of the frame and gave up a double and a walk to put runners on the corners with one out. Rains got a boost from Crites when the catcher threw a dime to catch a Sooner runner and fire a zero in the fifth.

The Red Raiders looked to do some damage in the top of the sixth as Abbie Orrick leadoff with a huge double to left center to send the top of the lineup to the plate. A ground out and fly out moved Orrick to third with two outs. Ellie Bailey would only see one strike in her at-bat, earning a five-pitch walk to put runners on the corners.

Blythe then stepped up to the plate and rocketed a missile at the feet of the Sooner first base man, but Cydney Sanders made the snag to end the frame.

As Tech did all night, the Red Raiders gave Oklahoma its sixth different look of the night as Ranci Willis went into the circle. The righty worked around a 10-pitch walk to blank the Sooners in the sixth.

Maddie Kuehl (1-1) suffered the hard loss after giving up the solo shot in the first. Hoover, Carlin and Willis all held the Sooners without a hit while Kuehl, Fritz and Rains each allowed just one.

Alex Storako (12-0) earned the win after scattering three hits in 7.0 innings of work.

Next Up
The Red Raiders will look to even the series in game two tomorrow night. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.