Record-breaking Texas Tech baseball defense can't hold on to lead against Kansas
A record-breaking defensive night wasn't good enough to help the Texas Tech baseball team come away with the series-opening win against Kansas on Friday.
Ben Hartl got the game-winning, walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth to give the Jayhawks (23-15, 10-9) a 4-3 win over the Red Raiders (29-15, 12-10).
The Red Raiders turned a program-record seven double plays but were undone by five walks issued by relief pitchers Josh Sanders and Parker Hutyra. Tech batters also struck out 10 times in the game.
Good first inning for Red Raiders
The Red Raiders could've used a good start to Friday's opener after the 17-4 drubbing at the hands of New Mexico earlier in the week. Drew Woodcox, and the sun at Hoglund Ballpark, provided one.
With two outs in the top of the first inning, Woodcox hit a tough, sinking ball that left fielder Chase Jans was unable to track in the sun. The ball landed just under his glove, allowing two runs to score.
That was the entirety of the offense for Texas Tech with the Red Raiders maintaining a 2-0 lead through 5½ innings.
Ryan Free lives dangerously
Regular Friday starter Ryan Free spent those first five innings living on the edge. With a 2-0 lead before hitting the mound, Free issued a walk to load the bases but got the strikeout to end the threat.
Kansas tried to get a squeeze play down but Gavin Kash's throw home was in time to get the runner.
The Jayhawks had plenty of chances to get into the score column through five innings but Free got out of the jam each time.
Hartl finally got Kansas on the board with a solo shot to left to make it 2-1. Free exited after getting one out in the sixth. He finished with 5⅓ innings of work, using 83 pitches and giving up seven hits (four of them for extra bases) and struck out two.
Bullpen can't hold the lead
Free may have flirted with disaster, but he avoided it. The same couldn't be said of the bullpen.
Sanders spelled Free and gave up two runs and allowed five hits among the 12 batters he faced in 2⅔ innings. Still, the Red Raiders and Jayhawks were tied 3-3 going to the ninth.
Tech went down in order in the top half and Hutyra walked three batters to set up the game-ending sequence, which saw Hartl rope a bases-loaded single to left field with one out for the win.
What's next?
Game two of the series is Saturday with the first pitch set for 2 p.m. The three-game series will close Sunday at 1 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech baseball can't hold on to lead in opener against Kansas
