Texas Tech University Athletics
Thursday, May 25
Arlington, TX
7:30 p.m. CT
Texas Tech Athletics
39-19
10
vs
9
Oklahoma
31-25
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Oklahoma
1
2
0
2
1
3
0
0
0
9
7
2
Texas Tech
0
0
0
4
1
0
2
0
3
10
17
1
Red Raiders walk-off OU, advances to Big 12 semis
May 25, 2023 | Baseball
ARLINGTON, Texas – Texas Tech is moving on to the Big 12 tournament semifinals. The Red Raiders defied the odds late Thursday night at Globe Life Field, scoring three runs in the bottom of the ninth to defeat Oklahoma 10-9 and advance to a Saturday semifinal game at 12:30 p.m. The Red Raiders overcame deficits of 5-0 and 9-5 as they scored the final five runs with two runs in the seventh and three more in the ninth for a walk-off victory.
"It's a lot of fun watching them," said head coach Tim Tadlock. "I mean we've told these guys that throughout the whole year. We've got the ability, a lot of tools on our roster. That being said, all the respect in the world for Oklahoma and their whole staff. They went to [Will] Carsten there late, and those guys can really pitch, and to come back against those guys says a lot about just the grittiness of our guys, how tough they are."
By virtue of winning the first two games in the tournament, the first time in the Tadlock era and the first time overall since 1998, Texas Tech will have Friday off and await the winner of an elimination contest between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State on Friday at 6:30 p.m.
After clawing back from a 5-0 deficit against OU, and closing the gap to 5-4 using a four-run bottom of the fourth, the Red Raiders found themselves in a hole again, trailing 9-5 after the top of the sixth.
Junior relief arm Josh Sanders steadied a turbulent day on the mound for the Red Raiders. Tech walked nine batters prior to taking over, six came from starter Taber Fast and three more from Bo Blessie; six of those free bases turned into runs scored for the Sooners. With Sanders on the mound, he retired the side in order in the seventh, eighth and ninth allowing the offense to make its late push.
"Sanders was outstanding," said Tadlock. "[Ryan] Free came in and got us out of an inning right before that but without him doing that, you definitely don't have the opportunity to come back and win the game."
Dylan Maxcey, who had already produced a pair of doubles, gave Texas Tech life in the bottom of the seventh, smacking a two-out two-run home run to cut the Oklahoma lead in half to 9-7. Hudson White extended the inning on the previous at-bat, recording a two-out base hit.
Despite owning a 0-14 record when trailing after the eighth inning this season, the Red Raiders were not to be denied this time when it mattered most. Down to their last out, but baserunners on first and second base, a barrage of four consecutive base hits would ensue.
"We were never out of it," said Maxcey. "We have guys that can hit it out of the ballpark, but we also have guys that can go up and have good at-bats, and that is what you need. You have to get guys on and put some pressure on the defense. That is how we take our opportunity."
Tracer Lopez knocked home the first of three runs that would score on a 1-0 pitch followed by Nolen Hester also connecting on a 1-0 pitch that tied the game, 9-9. Gage Harrelson was nearly the hero that drove home the game-winning run, but a strong defensive play limited a sharply hit ball to an infield single, holding Lopez on third base but loaded the bases.
First-team All-Big 12 selection Kevin Bazzell was due up next. Despite facing a poor 0-for-9 start to the tournament, he stepped to the plate and the rest is history.
"As it started getting closer, I realized now there's a real shot for me to come up in this situation," said Bazzell. "For the other guys to get it to that spot, is a really big deal. I mean Hester is the one who should really be up here. You know, he tied the game and I'm just really excited. It was an awesome feeling for sure."
The Red Raiders out-hit Oklahoma 17 to nine. It was the most hits in a game for Tech since its 20 hits that scored 20 runs versus TCU on March 31.
Up Next
Texas Tech will have Friday off before Saturday's semifinal against the winner of Oklahoma versus Oklahoma State on Friday.
"It's a lot of fun watching them," said head coach Tim Tadlock. "I mean we've told these guys that throughout the whole year. We've got the ability, a lot of tools on our roster. That being said, all the respect in the world for Oklahoma and their whole staff. They went to [Will] Carsten there late, and those guys can really pitch, and to come back against those guys says a lot about just the grittiness of our guys, how tough they are."
By virtue of winning the first two games in the tournament, the first time in the Tadlock era and the first time overall since 1998, Texas Tech will have Friday off and await the winner of an elimination contest between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State on Friday at 6:30 p.m.
After clawing back from a 5-0 deficit against OU, and closing the gap to 5-4 using a four-run bottom of the fourth, the Red Raiders found themselves in a hole again, trailing 9-5 after the top of the sixth.
Junior relief arm Josh Sanders steadied a turbulent day on the mound for the Red Raiders. Tech walked nine batters prior to taking over, six came from starter Taber Fast and three more from Bo Blessie; six of those free bases turned into runs scored for the Sooners. With Sanders on the mound, he retired the side in order in the seventh, eighth and ninth allowing the offense to make its late push.
"Sanders was outstanding," said Tadlock. "[Ryan] Free came in and got us out of an inning right before that but without him doing that, you definitely don't have the opportunity to come back and win the game."
Dylan Maxcey, who had already produced a pair of doubles, gave Texas Tech life in the bottom of the seventh, smacking a two-out two-run home run to cut the Oklahoma lead in half to 9-7. Hudson White extended the inning on the previous at-bat, recording a two-out base hit.
Despite owning a 0-14 record when trailing after the eighth inning this season, the Red Raiders were not to be denied this time when it mattered most. Down to their last out, but baserunners on first and second base, a barrage of four consecutive base hits would ensue.
"We were never out of it," said Maxcey. "We have guys that can hit it out of the ballpark, but we also have guys that can go up and have good at-bats, and that is what you need. You have to get guys on and put some pressure on the defense. That is how we take our opportunity."
Tracer Lopez knocked home the first of three runs that would score on a 1-0 pitch followed by Nolen Hester also connecting on a 1-0 pitch that tied the game, 9-9. Gage Harrelson was nearly the hero that drove home the game-winning run, but a strong defensive play limited a sharply hit ball to an infield single, holding Lopez on third base but loaded the bases.
First-team All-Big 12 selection Kevin Bazzell was due up next. Despite facing a poor 0-for-9 start to the tournament, he stepped to the plate and the rest is history.
"As it started getting closer, I realized now there's a real shot for me to come up in this situation," said Bazzell. "For the other guys to get it to that spot, is a really big deal. I mean Hester is the one who should really be up here. You know, he tied the game and I'm just really excited. It was an awesome feeling for sure."
The Red Raiders out-hit Oklahoma 17 to nine. It was the most hits in a game for Tech since its 20 hits that scored 20 runs versus TCU on March 31.
Up Next
Texas Tech will have Friday off before Saturday's semifinal against the winner of Oklahoma versus Oklahoma State on Friday.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Sanders, Josh (3-1)
L: Douthit, B. (4-6)
Batting:
2B: Mackenzie,A. 1 ; Clark, W. 1
RBI: Madron, B. 2 ; Harris, D. 1 ; Mackenzie,A. 2 ; Clark, W. 1
SH: Harris, D. 1 ; Carmichael,E 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Spikerman,J. 2 ; Pettis, K. 2 ; Madron, B. 1 ; Mackenzie,A. 1 ; Clark, W. 1 ; Nicklaus, J. 2
SB: Spikerman,J. 1 ; Clark, W. 1 ; Nicklaus, J. 1
CS: Spikerman,J. 1
HBP: Harris, D. 1
Batting:
2B: Green, Austin 1 ; Maxcey, Dylan 2
HR: Maxcey, Dylan 1
RBI: Hester, Nolen 2 ; Harrelson, Gage 1 ; Bazzell, Kevin 1 ; Vooletich, Zac 1 ; Maxcey, Dylan 2 ; Lopez, Tracer 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Green, Austin 1 ; Kash, Gavin 1 ; Vooletich, Zac 1 ; White, Hudson 3 ; Maxcey, Dylan 2 ; Lopez, Tracer 2
HBP: Hester, Nolen 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
0
H
3
RBI
2
AB
6
R
0
H
3
RBI
1
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
1
AB
5
R
2
H
3
RBI
2
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