Feb. 22, 2004

Box Score

LUBBOCK, Texas - Junior shortstop Cameron Blair went 4-for-7 with four RBI and the Red Raider offense pounded out 21 hits leading Texas Tech to a 19-3 win over Northern Illinois on Sunday afternoon at Dan Law Field.

Hays Postgame(225k)

The victory gives the Red Raiders the series win 2-1 and pushes Tech's non-conference home streak to 87. Texas Tech (7-2) has won or tied 87 consecutive non-conference home series since 1989.

Northern Illinois (1-2) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI double from Rob Marconi. Marconi's double scored Josh Owens who got on base with a single to center field earlier in the inning.

Junior shortstop Cameron Blair got the Red Raiders rolling early as he hit a solo home run over the left field wall on just the second pitch from Husky starter Nick Hall. Blair's home run tied the game at 1-1. Tech tacked on three more runs in the inning on two hits and two Husky defensive errors.

After allowing Northern Illinois to score a single run in the top of the second, Tech blew things open by scoring two in the second and three in the third to take a 9-2 lead.

Tech hurler Steve Gooch kept the Northern Illinois offense in check as he held them to just seven hits over six innings while striking out seven.

The Red Raiders scored in every inning but the fifth and were led offensively by Blair who went 4-for-7 with three runs scored and four RBI. Junior first baseman Josh Brady was 4-for-6 at the plate with two runs scored and two RBI. Tech's entire starting lineup registered at least one hit on the afternoon and four players had multiple hit games.

Steve Gooch picked up the win for Texas Tech and improved to 2-0 on the year while Nick Hall took the loss for Northern Illinois. Hall gave up seven hits and six earned runs in just two innings of work.

Texas Tech is scheduled to return to action on Tuesday against Dallas Baptist at 3 p.m., however, weather may force a postponement. For the latest information on Tuesday's game and anything related to Red Raider baseball, please log on to www.texastech.com.