April 15, 1999

Up Next: Texas Tech (28-23) vs. Nebraska (20-13)
Saturday, April 17, 1999
Nebraska Softball complex
Noon/2:00 p.m.

Tough Roadtrip Ahead for Red Raiders
For the Texas Tech softball team, a Big 12 Championship will require a stop in both Lincoln, Nebraska and Ames, Iowa. But for the Red Raiders, a little bit of travel goes unoticed as the team has played just eight games at home this season. The Raiders will travel to Lincoln on Saturday where they will face-off against the defending Big 12 Champion Cornhuskers. On Sunday, the team will travel north to play the Cyclones of Iowa State in a doubleheader beginning at noon.

On the Huskers
After winning both the Big 12 regular season and postseason championships in 1998, the Nebraska Cornhuskers will bring a 4-4 conference record to the table this weekend when they face-off against Texas Tech. Although the Huskers lost their most dominant offensive class last season, they are now relying on underclassmen to carry the load. Leading the offensive attack for the Huskers is junior Jennifer Lizama who carries a .383 batting average while connecting on 36 hits on 94 at-bats this season. Following in a close second is former Red Raider Ellen Middleton. Middleton is averaging .311 at the plate while slapping 28 hits on 90 at-bats.

On the mound for Nebraska is Jenny Voss (1.18 ERA), Leigh Ann Walker (2.30), and Lori Tachannen (2.40 ERA).

TEXAS TECH
VS. IOWA STATE (13-23)
SOUTHWEST ATHLETIC COMPLEX
NOON/2:00 P.M.

On the Cyclones The Iowa State Cyclones have had a rough going thus far in the conference race after compiling an 0-6 record. The Cyclones are being led by Erin Woods who currently has a .310 batting average with 36 hits on 116 at-bats this season. Leading the pitching for the Cyclones is Mandy Loushin who totals a 3.13 ERA on the season.

Iowa State is coached by Ruth Crowe who is in her third year with the Cyclone program.

Last Time Out The Texas Tech Red Raiders enjoyed a 3-1 weekend that included a two-game sweep of #24 Missouri and a 4-1 decision over Kansas. The Red Raiders came from behind in the first game against Missouri to win 4-3. In the second game, Kim Martinez hit a homerun bomb to lead the team to a 6-2 victory. On Sunday, Tech fell to Kansas 1-4 in game one but turned the score around in game two to win 4-1.

Raiders put on homerun derby...... The Red Raiders put on an impressive offensive showing this past weekend against the University of Missouri. The team combined for 20 hits and 10 runs. Among the 20 hits were four homeruns by Kim Martinez, Lauren Warner, Paula Workman and Tamara Harrington. In game-one of the doubleheader, Tech was down 0-2 when Tamara Harrington and Paula Workman answered with back-to-back homeruns.

Harshman enjoys big weekend... Head Coach Renee Gillispie knew that she was going to need some immediate help from her new recruits this season but what she didn't know was how important her incoming freshmen would be. Eva Harshman, a freshmen from Helotes (John Marshall High, San Antonio) has been an impact player for the Red Raiders this season. She has made 46 appearances and started in 43 games in left field, right field and second base.

At the plate, Harshman is averaging .238 while slapping 29 hits on the season. Against Kansas, Harshman made a spectacular play to finish off a 4-1 victory over the Jayhawks. With one out in the top of the seventh, Harshman caught a foul fly in left field and proceeded to throw out the runner going home from third base to get the last two outs of the game.