Texas Tech 4, (#10) Texas A&M 3

Friday, April 3

Lubbock, Texas

6:30 PM

Texas A&M

19-10, 6-4

Texas Tech

13-18, 5-5

Texas A&M

Texas Tech

Apr 03, 2009 | Baseball

Box Score

By: Texas A&M Athletics

April 3, 2009

Final Stats

LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas A&M had the tying run at third base in each of the final three innings but was unable to capitalize as the 10th-ranked Aggies dropped the series opener to Texas Tech, 4-3, before 2,641 fans Friday night at Dan Law Field.

A&M left 12 men on base on the night, nine in scoring position, as the Aggies (19-10, 6-4 Big 12) saw their season-high six-game win streak snapped. The Red Raiders improved to 13-18 and 5-5.

"We definitely had our opportunities and weren't able to take care of them, and that's the bottom line," A&M coach Rob Childress said. "They made pitches when they had to. That was the story of the night--Tech's ability to make pitches with runners in scoring position and our inability to get the big hit."

The evening began as a potential high-scoring affair, but quickly settled down. Five of the combined seven runs on the night were scored in the first inning.

A&M pitcher Brooks Raley put the Aggies on the board with one out in the first, as he lifted a 1-1 pitch deep into left field that carried out just inside the foul pole. The long ball was the first of his career and staked A&M to an early 1-0 lead.

After Caleb Shofner followed the Raley round-tripper with a single to left center, Luke Anders lined a base hit in front of Tech left fielder Michael Reed. The ball skipped off the field turf, off Reed's body and into left center, allowing Shofner to score on the miscue and make the score 2-0.

The Red Raiders answered off Raley in the bottom half of the inning. After an error put the lead batter on, back-to-back doubles tied the game, and an ensuing single by Chris Richburg gave Texas Tech its first lead of the night at 3-2.

Following the base hit, however, the Aggie sophomore settled in on the mound and retired 12 of the next 14 Tech batters--with the two that did reach base erased on a double play and pickoff, respectively. Texas Tech would finally touch Raley for another run in the sixth, as Richburg drove a two-out double to deep center field that scored Taylor Ashby to make the score 4-2.

Kyle Colligan would get the run back for A&M in the seventh, launching his fourth home run of the year--and 31st of his career--over the fence in left.

The Aggies would get the tying run to third with two outs in the eighth. A great two-out, 11-pitch at-bat by freshman Brodie Greene to third base. Colligan followed with a chopper up the middle, but the throw to first by shortstop Joey Kenworthy beat the A&M center fielder by a half step to preserve the Red Raider lead.

A&M again threatened in the ninth, with a lead error and a single putting the first two men on against Tech closer Chad Bettis. After a fly-ball out, another error loaded the bases, but the Red Raiders were able to turn a double play on a grounder to short by a step to end the threat and seal the victory.

Brooks Raley (5-1) suffered his first loss of the season. He went six complete and gave up six hits and four runs (three earned) while fanning four and not walking a batter. Ross Hales and Nick Fleece combined to allow a pair of hits and fan three in two shutout innings of work.

Robert Kilcrease (2-0) earned his second win of the season after 1 1/3 innings of no-hit relief. Chad Bettis picked up his team-leading fifth save of the year after allowing five hits and a run over three innings.

Tech senior Brian Cloud lasted 4 2/3 innings in his first career start, allowing five hits, two runs (one earned) and three walks while striking out four.

Three Aggies--Shofner, Anders and Brodie Greene--posted two hits apiece. Richburg went 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs to pace Tech.

The series continues Saturday with first pitch set for 6:30 p.m. Junior Alex Wilson (2-3, 3.41 ERA) will face off against Texas Tech senior right-hander AJ Ramos (3-1, 2.83). Fans can listen to the game on WTAW-AM 1620 or online free of charge at aggieathletics.com and radioaggieland.com.

POSTGAME NOTES

• A&M now leads the all-time series with Texas Tech, 87-53...the teams have each won 20 games in the Big 12 era (1997-present).

• Brooks Raley solo home run in the first inning was the first of his career...he became the 13th different Aggie to hit a home run this season.

• Raley has now reached safely (hit or walk) in all 26 games in which he's had a plate appearance this season.

• Kyle Colligan seventh-inning home run extended his Big 12 hit streak to 17 games, which ranks third on the school's all-time charts...the long ball also extended his current streak to a season-high nine games.

• Colligan's home run was also the 31st of his career, tying him for sixth all-time on the A&M chart with fellow senior Luke Anders.

• Game-time temperature was 82 degrees with clear skies and winds blowing from right to left at 26 miles per hour (gusting to 39).

POSTGAME QUOTES

HEAD COACH Brooks Raley) "We got off to a great start, and after the first inning it looked like it would be a 15-13 game. But both pitchers settled down and settled in. I felt like Brooks competed extremely well, and even when he doesn't have his best stuff he's going to keep you in every game."

(on getting to Tech closer Chad Bettis) "He's got outstanding stuff. I felt like we'd have an opportunity to get to him in the ninth just from a pitch count standpoint and what we did to him in the eighth. We took a lot of pitches from him, and maybe that will pay off later in the weekend."