LUBBOCK, Texas (NEWS RELEASE) – Texas Tech Baseball used three shutout innings from Parker Hutyra as well as four hits and four RBIs from Damian Bravo to down Houston 15-12 Saturday afternoon at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park.
Battling windy conditions yet again in Lubbock, Texas Tech (23-9, 7-7 Big 12) used an early grand slam from freshman TJ Pompey as well as four hits and four RBIs from Bravo to earn the programs fifth straight win overall, sixth straight home victory and third straight Big 12 win.
Facing an early 2-0 deficit and with the bases loaded and nobody out in the third inning, Tech starter Kyle Robinson used a clutch strikeout and a 6-4-3 double play to hang a zero.
Two batters into the home half of the third, the Red Raiders quickly tied the game at two when Bravo lifted his fourth home run of the season to right-center.
After a pair of outs, Tech used a double from Drew Woodcox and a five-pitch walk from Owen Washburn to place runners on first and second for catcher Dylan Maxcey. Maxcey ripped the final pitch that Houston (16-14, 4-10 Big 12) starter Kyle LaCalameto threw Saturday through the right side for what proved to be the game-winning run.
Following the first of four pitching changes for the Cougars, Tracer Lopez worked his way back from a 1-2 count to walk. The free pass load the bases for Pompey.
With the count even at a ball and a strike, Pompey unloaded on an 85 MPH offering from Alex Solis ripping a 442.4-foot blast over the Cougars bullpen.
The grand slam was the first by a Red Raider this season and gave Tech a 7-2 lead.
Pitching with a comfortable lead for the first time all day, Robinson needed just 11 pitches to navigate a 1-2-3 top of the fourth.
Back at the dish, the Red Raiders used a pair of walks by Bravo and Kevin Bazzell to set the table for Woodcox who singled home both guys to put Tech up 9-2.
A bases loaded walk from Pompey, and a two-RBI single by Kash ran the Red Raiders lead to 12-2 and hung a five-spot in the fourth.
Needing just three outs to secure a victor, Robinson had no problems recording the first two outs of the fifth, before Houston used a double and single to hit off Robinson’s glove for an infield single to pull to within 12-3. The single came after a dropped foul ball error on Kash.
Robinson ultimately allowed back-to-back home runs to the next two batters, to pull the Cougars to within 12-6.
The back-to-back home runs proved to be the end of the line for Robinson who was lifted for Hudson Luce.
Luce entered and coaxed a lazy grounder down the first base line to send the game to the bottom of the fifth with Tech on top 12-6.
After the Red Raiders stranded the first two runners on base in the bottom of the fifth, Houston continued its middle inning charge, using three straight one-out singles to pull to within 12-7.
With runners on first and third and one out, Luce coaxed a grounder to Lopez. The shortstop turned and fired a good throw that was dropped at second base.
The error prolonged the inning and allowed Houston to pull to within 12-9 with the bases loaded and one out.
Needing to stop the bleeding, Tech turned to Hutyra, who coaxed a sac-fly on the first pitch he threw, and ultimately stranded the tying runs on base on a 2-2 strikeout.
After back-to-back walks to open the sixth and a strikeout brought Bravo to the plate, the sophomore split the left-center gap for a two RBI double that put the Red Raiders on top 14-10 heading to the seventh.
Back-to-back strong innings from the freshman Hutyra sent the game to the bottom of the eighth with the Red Raiders on top 14-10.
The two scoreless innings from Hutyra ran his final line to 2.2 innings pitched, as the righty allowed no runs and two hits for his eighth consecutive scoreless appearance. Hutrya punched out three and now has allowed just one run this season in 17.2 innings.
In the bottom of the eighth, a single from Kash and a double from Bravo placed a pair of key insurance runs in scoring position for Bazzell.
On an 0-1 count, the Red Raiders ultimately scored their 15th and final run of the afternoon on a wild pitch.
Houston scratched across two runs against Jack Washburn in the ninth, but the righty got a lazy fly ball to right to nail down the Red Raiders second 15-12 win of the week.
UP NEXT:
The Red Raiders will look for their first Big 12 series sweep of the season on Sunday afternoon and will send freshman Mac Heuer to the bump. First pitch from Rip Griffin Park at Dan Law Field is set for 1 p.m.
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