March 16, 2001

Box Score

MANHATTAN, Kansas - Senior Brandon Roberson pitched nine-inning shutout with nine strikeouts to lead the Texas Tech Red Raiders to a 7-0 win over the Kansas State Wildcats in the opening game of the Big 12 Conference series at Frank Myers Field.

With the win, Texas Tech improves to 17-10 overall and 3-4 in the Big 12 2while Kansas State fell to 6-10 and 1-6 in the league. Texas Tech has now beaten Kansas State five straight times and is 11-1 overall against the Wildcats.

Behind the pitching of senior Brandon Roberson, the Red Raiders were nothing but impressive. Roberson gave up just seven hits on the afternoon and escaped a bases loaded situation with no outs in the bottom of the night to preserve the shutout that was Tech's first since blanking Missouri 13-0 on March 7, 1999.

Texas Tech got on the board in the top of the third when Tony Arnerich hit an RBI single that plated Tyler Carson giving Tech a 1-0 lead. Tech was able to squeeze in one more run in the inning when Tony Arnerich scored off a dropped pop-up by Wildcat third baseman Ty Soto.

Texas Tech seemed destined to carry the 2-0 lead throughout the game as neither team scored over the next four innings. Unfortunately for Kansas State, that 2-0 lead didn't last long. Junior Bryon Smith connected on his second three run home run in the top of the fifth to give Texas Tech a 5-0 lead. The Red Raiders were able to tack on two more runs in the inning to pad the lead 7-0.

Smith led the Texas Tech offense going 2 for 5 at the plate with three RBI and one run scored. Brandon Roberson (4-3) earned the win for Texas Tech while Kevin Melcher (0-1) suffered the loss for Kansas State.

Texas Tech will be searching for the series win on Saturday when the two teams meet in a 2 p.m. match-up at Frank Myers Field.