Texas Tech Softball, Jayhawks combine for 27 runs as Kansas evens series

LUBBOCK, Texas (NEWS RELEASE) – Both teams put on an offensive clinic in Kanas’s (26-13-1, 11-6) 15-12 win over Texas Tech (25-13, 5-9) on Saturday night. The Big 12 teams combined for 27 runs on 36 hits while also drawing 10 walks.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

Riley Love picked up her second homer in as many games with another two-run shot in the first inning to take an early 2-0 lead.

The Jayhawks responded, however, with a five-run second inning – their second of the series – to take a 5-2 lead going into the third.

Kansas added one more run in the top of the third and Tech brought it within one as they pushed across three runs thanks to a moonshot home run by Abbie Orrick which was followed up later by a Kennedy Crites single.

Orrick again delivered in the next inning, pushing across a run on a single up the middle to make it a 6-6 game.

The fifth was the only one that saw neither team put up a run but they made up for it in the sixth as the Jayhawks scored four in the top of the inning followed by a three-run inning from Tech.

Maddy Wright got an RBI with the bases loaded as she grounded out but was able to score Raegan Jennings from third. Crites again got a clutch hit, scoring two runs on a shot up the middle to tie her career high for RBIs in a game with three.

Kansas came into the seventh with a 10-9 lead and added to it with a two-run homer.

Tech didn’t go down quietly as Arriana Villa led off the inning with a double and Love pushed her over to third with a deep fly ball to center field. A sharp groundout off the bat of Jennings scored Villa.

Orrick delivered another hit as she finished the day 4-for-4 with three RBIs and eventually came around to score – along with Demi Elder – on a single in the gap by Wright which tied the game at 12-12 and forced extra innings.

The Jayhawks then put up three runs in the top of the eighth with a three-run homer – their fourth homer of the evening.

Tech had an opportunity to extend the game further with Kailey Wyckoff on third and Love on second after getting on base by way of hit by pitch and a walk, respectively. Jennings hit a ball foul towards the Tech dugout, but a phenomenal catch by the Kansas third baseman reaching over the fence ended the game.

MILESTONES:

This is the first time that a Tech game has ended with a score of 15-12.

The teams combined 36 hits also set a new single-game record for Tech with the previous being 35 combined hits against Oklahoma State back in 2016.

Every player who recorded a plate appearance reached base safely at least once tonight.

Abbie Orrick’s four-hit performance marks the second time this season that a Tech player has had four hits and the second time in her career with the last being in 2022 against Kansas. Orrick also set a new career high for home runs in a season with seven.

Four Red Raiders recorded career-highs in at-bats including Villa, Crites, Wyckoff and Jennings.

Villa is up to 12 doubles this season, setting a new career best for her.

Copyright 2024 KCBD. All rights reserved.