LUBBOCK, Texas (TTU) – No. 2 Texas Tech defeated Iowa State (20-11, 3-4) 9-1 in five innings on Friday night. This was the first game at newly named Tracy Sellers Field and the Red Raiders (32-2, 9-1) delivered with a nice run-rule win to take game one of the series.
Red Raider fans were treated to a historic night as they witnessed the first game at the newly named Tracy Sellers Field, Kaitlyn Terry tying the program record for consecutive games with a hit (21), a single-season program record 21st run-rule win and a postgame ceremony which featured the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) awarding the first golden ticket – symbolizing that the athlete has been drafted for the upcoming year – of the season to NiJaree Canady.
Canady, along with her golden ticket, earned her 13th win of the season as she allowed just one earned run on two hits while striking out eight batters. Mia Williams and Lagi Quiroga recorded multiple hits, Williams going 2-for-3 with a pair of singles as Quiroga went 2-for-2 with the game-winning two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth.
Desirae Spearman and Jackie Lis hit home runs as well as Tech sits at 69 on the season now, just five away from the single-season program record set in 2023. Terry recorded an RBI double in the second inning to continue her hitting streak. Taylor Pannell recorded a hit and came around to score while Mihyia Davis added an RBI on a hard groundout in the second inning.
How it Happened:
The Red Raiders got an early break in the first inning after as Terry reached on a one-out walk and came around to score after Jasmyn Burns put a ball in play which caused an error and allowed the heady Terry to come around score on the mistake. After going three-up, three-down in the first inning, the Cyclones responded with a solo homer to tie the game in the top of the second – one of just two hits for Iowa State on the day.
Davis drove in a run on a hard groundout to shortstop and Terry delivered clutch two-out RBI on a double in the gap to give Tech a 3-1 lead going into the third. Iowa State looked to have some two-out magic of its own cooking with a two one after a walk and single, but a spectacular diving catch by left fielder Spearman in foul territory closed the door on that and returned the momentum into the Red Raiders dugout.
Spearman made her presence known at the plate as well, as she worked a 12-pitch at bat which ended in a 282-foot home run that pushed Tech’s lead to 5-1. Canady delivered another shutout inning which gave Tech a chance to end the game in run-rule fashion. Williams reached on a single and Lis brought her home on a high-flying homer to right field which had some help from the West Texas wind. Pannell reached in the next at-bat on a single through the left side which set up Quiroga for a walk-off run-rule homer to give the Red Raiders the first game of the series.
UP NEXT: Tech continues the series tomorrow at 2 p.m. at Tracy Sellers Field.
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