March 4, 2009

Final Stats |  Notes

RIVERSIDE, Calif. - UC-Riverside erased a 4-3 Texas Tech lead with five unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth and held off a late rally in the ninth to post a 9-8 win over the Red Raiders on Tuesday evening at Riverside Sports Complex.

The loss is Tech's fourth-straight as the Red Raiders drop to 5-5 on the season while UC-Riverside improves to 7-2.

A fielding error by freshman reliever Ben Flora on a routine bunt with two outs in the bottom of the sixth opened the floodgates for the Highlanders. Following the error, the second of what would be four on the night, the Highlanders strung together a pair of hits and pair of walks and scored five unearned runs to take an 8-4 lead.

Trailing 9-4 in the top of the ninth, Tech came roaring back as the Red Raiders scored four runs to pull within one and had the go-ahead run at the plate in Mason Macnoll. Macnoll, however, struckout to end the game and the Red Raiders current losing skid moved to four games.

UC-Riverside drew blood early in the game as the Highlanders jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Second baseman Bryan Horst got the inning going with a one-out single to left and then scored on an RBI double by Michael Hur. Highlander third baseman Ryan Goetz laid down a perfect bunt down the first base line and that allowed Hur to score all the way from second as Tech starter Robbie Kilcrease tried to make the out at first.

Trailing 3-0 in the top of the fifth, the Red Raider bats finally came to life. Freshman center fielder Kengray Fleming laid down a perfect one-out bunt sacrifice that moved Tech runners to second and third for junior shortstop Joey Kenworthy. Kenworthy then delivered with a clutch two-RBI double down the right field line plate the first two runs of the night for the Red Raiders. Senior first baseman Chris Richburg ended his long hitless streak with an RBI single up the middle that scored Kenworthy from second and tied the game at 3-3

Lorenzo Douglas (0-1) suffered the loss for Texas Tech as he gave up two unearned runs in 1 1/3 innings of relief work. Matt Larkins (1-0) picked up the win in relief for UC-Riverside while Joseph Kelly notched his third save.

Texas Tech returns to action on Thursday morning when the Red Raiders face UC-Riverside in the first game of the 2009 Palm Springs Invitational. First pitch is set for 10 a.m.