February 14, 1999

ARLINGTON, Texas - The Texas Tech softball team went into Sunday's consolation bracket at the UTA Tournament looking to improve on a dismal 2-5 season record. After three straight wins over Arkansas, #4 Oklahoma State and Northwestern University, the Red Raiders not only improved to 5-5 on the season and seemed to have returned to old form.

For the past seven games, Tech had been plagued by costly errors and a poor batting average. The Red Raiders improved in both categories as Tech committed seven errors and had 39 hits combined in all three of Sunday's matchups.

In game one of consolation play Sunday morning, Tech defeated old SWC foe Arkansas, 6-5, after Kim Martinez hit a two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning to tie the score at 5. Junior catcher Shauna Briggs answered Martinez's offensive punch as she hit a home run at the next at-bat to put Tech ahead 6-5.

The second game pitted Tech against conference rival and fourth-ranked Oklahoma State. Tech jumped out to an early 5-0 lead in the third inning and never looked back as the Raiders stunned Oklahoma State by a final of 11-3.

In the consolation final, Tech faced Big 10 foe Northwestern University. Northwestern defeated Northeast Louisiana, 4-2, to reach the consolation title game. Once again, Texas Tech's batters lit up the evening sky as Tech pounded out 11 runs on four hits with two outs remaining in the second inning. After stifling defense and four more runs in the next four innings, the game was called by Northwestern Head Coach Sharon Drysdale. Tech won the game by a final of 15-2.