Mizzou drops series finale at Texas Tech, 15-11

Monday, March 31, 2008

Red Raiders take series after rallying in final three innings

LUBBOCK, Texas -- Texas Tech scored 11 runs over the final three innings to take a 15-11 win over Mizzou on Sunday in Lubbock, Texas. Doug Thennis hit a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth to give the Red Raiders the series victory.

Texas Tech scored three times in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game at seven. Mizzou answered with a four-run top of the eighth inning, but Tech would score twice in the bottom of the eighth, then put six runs across the plate in the ninth.

After scoring a combined three runs in the first two games of the series, the Tigers put four runs on the board before the first out of the game was recorded. Sophomore Greg Folia led off with a single and junior Austin Holt walked. After a passed ball advanced the runners, both would score when sophomore Aaron Senne reached on an error. Senior Jacob Priday doubled and junior Ryan Lollis followed with a single to drive in Senne and Lollis.

Mizzou extended the lead to five with a run in the second inning, before Texas Tech scored three times in the bottom of the third inning.

Senne drove in his team-leading 34th run of the year in the fourth, as he singled in Folgia. In the fifth, Lollis led off the inning with a double and scored on a double by sophomore Trevor Coleman.

The Red Raiders then scored once in the bottom of the fifth, then rallied for three runs in the seventh to tie the game.

Mizzou answered the three-run seventh by plating four runs in the eighth innings to pull back ahead. The inning started with back-to-back doubles by senior Lee Fischer and Folgia, with Fischer scoring on Folgia's hit. Later in the eighth, the Tigers got four-straight two-out hits, including RBI hits by Priday, Lollis and senior Dan Pietroburgo.

Tech scored two in the bottom of the eighth and had the bases loaded before freshman Tyler Clark came out of the bullpen and struck out James Leverton and Tanner Rindels to end the inning with the Tigers still holding a two-run advantage.

In the ninth, the Red Raiders scored twice on a triple by Willie Rueda and then ended the game on Thennis' third home run of the year.

Missouri will open a five-game homestand with a pair of midweek games starting with Western Illinois visiting Taylor Stadium at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

The Tigers will then take on Lincoln at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

NOTES -- Sikeston's Jacob Priday continues to have a stellar senior season. His .365 batting average is second on the team and his 28 RBIs and five home runs are also second on the team.

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: