April 13, 2002

Box Score

LAWRENCE, Kan. - Senior shortstop Gera Alvarez and senior catcher Willie Durazo delivered RBI singles in the top of the 10th inning to give the Texas Tech Red Raiders a 5-2 win over Kansas on Saturday afternoon at Hoglund Ballpark.

The win moves Texas Tech to 26-26 on the season and 9-11 in the Big 12 while Kansas falls to 16-16 on the year and 3-11 in the league.

Kansas designated hitter Kevin Wheeler gave the Jayhawks a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second when he hit a solo home run over the right-center field fence.

Texas Tech Senior Nick Blankenship set a new Big 12 Conference record in the top of the fourth when he picked up his 25th hit-by-pitch of the season from Kansas starter Dan Olson. He surpasses the old record of 24 set by Billy Gasparino of Oklahoma State in 1999. The Red Raiders had the bases loaded in the inning with just one out but Kansas was able to get out of the inning on fly out double play to center field by Willie Durazo. Kansas center fielder Jason Appuhn turned the double play with a perfect throw to the plate getting Jon Slack coming home from third.

Texas Tech had runners in scoring position in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings but was unable to generate any offense behind them leaving the runners stranded. Texas Tech got its first two batters on base in the top of the seventh but a double play groundout by Bryon Smith and infield groundout by Jake Brown ended the scoring threat.

Kansas reliever Chris Jones issued leadoff walks to Jon Slack and Scooter Jordan in the top of the eighth before recording his first out when he got Gera Alvarez on a fly out to center field. Jones loaded the bases when he hit Nick Blankenship and then walked Willie Durazo to tie the score at 1-1. Texas Tech took a 2-1 lead when home plate umpire Randy Wetzel called a balk on Jones plating Jordan from third.

Scooter Jordan got a one-out triple to right-center field and Gera Alvarez got an RBI single to left field in the next at-bat to give the Red Raiders a 3-2 lead. Alvarez' single pushed his Big 12 leading hit streak to 23 games. Willie Durazo plated Tech's second run of the inning when he got an RBI single to right center plating Gera Alvarez from second. Tech tacked on one final run in the inning on a base hit by Austin Cranford and a throwing error by Kansas right fielder Matt Tribble that gave Tech a 5-2 lead.

Steve Rowe (6-2) picked up the win in relief as he allowed one run on one hit through three innings of work. Chris Smart (1-3) suffered the loss for Kansas after giving up two earned runs on two hits in two innings.

Texas Tech and Kansas will play the rubber match of the series at noon tomorrow. The game has been moved from 1 p.m. to accommodate Tech's travel plans.