ALBUQUERQUE – The #9 Red Raiders (27-13) looked to get right against the New Mexico Lobos (15-21) in a midweek tilt on the road Tuesday. Texas Tech jumped out to a 6-0 lead after the top of the third and a 9-3 lead after the top of the sixth, but UNM chipped away and ultimately walked off Texas Tech with a three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth.
The Red Raiders are now on a five-game losing streak, tying the longest skid of the Tim Tadlock era when they dropped five in a row April 25- May 1, 2015, to OSU (x2), Grand Canyon (x2), and Texas. Tech has not lost more than five in a row since dropping nine straight in 2013.
Andrew Devine got the start but it was quickly apparent that Head Coach Tim Tadlock’s plan was to make it a Johnny All-Staff kind of day. Seven Red Raiders took the bump and all turned in one inning of work with the exception of Josh Sanders who finished two frames. Of those seven, Devine, Kyle Robinson, and Austin Becker each hung a zero on the board for the Lobos, all surrendering two hits or less.
Brandon Beckel gave up 1 run on 1 hit but issued Tech’s only two walks of the day. Colin Clark (3), Sanders (2), and Trendan Parish (5) combined to surrender 10 runs (9 earned) on 16 hits with Parish giving up the final four runs and earning the loss to fall to 2-1 on the season.
Parker Kelly was the only Red Raider with a multi-hit game in the weekend series at TCU. Tuesday the offense was reawakened as everyone in the starting lineup reached safely.
Ty Coleman (2-5, 2B, 2RBI), Jace Jung (2-4, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, BB), Ryan Brome (2-5, 2 2B, RBI, R), and Kurt Wilson (3-5, 3B, RBI, 3R) all had multi-hit outings. Hudson White pounded a two-run bomb in the second to extend Tech’s early lead to 3-0, he finished with three RBI after a sac fly in the third.
Brome’s day was even more impressive considering it was his second start of the season, both of which have come on the road, as he fills the void left by Owen Washburn who has been out since plowing face-first into a padded outfield wall pole in Fort Worth. Brome RBI double in the top of the ninth inning gave Tech the insurance of a 10-7 lead heading into the ninth.
Big time swing by @rbrome55 😤
The RBI double gives us a 10-7 lead in the T9 pic.twitter.com/vUDYZIq90C
— Texas Tech Baseball (@TTU_Baseball) April 19, 2022
The Red Raiders were outhit 21-13 by the Lobos, pushing Tech’s record in 2022 when outhit by their opponent to 3-11. Those three wins came against Texas (x2) and against Dallas Baptist in Lubbock. Texas Tech has played significantly better in front of their home crowd posting an 18-1 record at home compared to a 9-12 record on the road or at a neutral site.
Texas Tech carried a 10-7 lead into the bottom of the ninth, but a leadoff double, one-out RBI single, and a double to follow brought the winning run to the plate and third-baseman Jeffrey David capped his day with a three-run show to right field to win it. David finished 4-6, HR, 3RBI after singles in the first, fourth, and sixth innings.
The Red Raiders will return home to Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park to host the West Virginia Mountaineers (22-12, 6-3) whose winning percentage is tied with TCU (25-12, 10-5) for second place in the Big 12 Conference. Oklahoma State currently leads the conference with a 10-3 record. The live stream will be available on the Big 12 Now on ESPN+ with the radio call available on Double T 97.3 FM and in their listening area, as well as through The Varsity Network App. First pitch for the Friday game, which will be Military Appreciation Day, will be at 6:30 pm.
TTU40 box score