Feb. 2, 2002

Box Score

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Junior Chris Phillips recorded a career-high nine strikeouts and the Red Raider offense exploded for 20 hits as Texas Tech improved to a perfect 4-0 on the season by dropping New Mexico 13-4 in the first game of a three-game series on Saturday afternoon in Albuquerque, N.M.

Texas Tech took the first lead of the game as senior left fielder Austin Cranford hit an RBI single to center field scoring junior Jon Slack from second. Tech's 1-0 lead wouldn't last through the first inning as New Mexico loaded the bases with two outs and took a 2-1 lead off a two-run error by Red Raider shortstop Gera Alvarez.

Senior Nick Blankenship regained the lead for the Red Raiders in the top of the third inning when he hit a line drive single to left field scoring Scooter Jordan and Jon Slack.

The Texas Tech offense exploded in the top of the fifth inning scoring five runs on eight hits off of Lobo starter James Vermilyea who had held Tech to just two hits in the first four innings of the game. Junior Joel Buchenauer led off the inning with a single to right field while Scooter Jordan and Jon Slack loaded the bases on bunt singles. Austin Cranford started the bleeding in the inning as he hit a shot to right field scoring two runs while pushing Tech's lead to 5-2. Nick Blankenship and Bryon Smith each tallied RBI singles in the inning giving Tech an 8-2 lead heading into the bottom of the half of the inning.

New Mexico got a solo home run in the bottom half of the fifth inning when Chris Alexander hit a long ball over the left-center field wall pulling the Lobos to within five.

Joel Buchenauer led off the top of the sixth with a triple to right field making him the first Red Raider player to hit a triple in the young 2002 season. Scooter Jordan drove Buchenauer home with his second hit of the game, an RBI single to right field. The inning was highlighted by Jon Slack's solo home run over the right-center field wall. The home run was the first of his career at Texas Tech and pushed the Red Raider lead to 10-3.

Nick Blankenship hit his third home run of the season in the top of the ninth when he belted a three-run shot over the left field wall. Bryon Smith got his fourth hit of the game in the next at-bat giving Texas Tech a 20-hit ball game for the first time since the 2000 season when the Red Raiders recorded 22 hits in a 20-5 win over West Texas A&M. The four-hit game was also the first of Smith's Texas Tech career.

Chris Phillips (1-0) pitched the eighth complete game of his career at Texas Tech placing him in a tie for 10th place on the all-time complete game list. James Vermilyea (0-2) suffered the loss for New Mexico after giving up eight earned runs in 4 2/3 innings of work.

Texas Tech and New Mexico will tangle at 2 p.m. (CT) in the second game of the three-game series on Sunday afternoon at Lobo Field. The series wraps up on Monday afternoon with a 2 p.m. start time.