Texas Tech Evens Series With a 3-1 Win Over East Carolina on Saturday
Eric Gutierrez’s single in the top half of the 13th inning scored two runs to break a 1-1 tie and lift (5)Texas Tech to a 3-1 game two victory over East Carolina at Rip Griffin Park Saturday evening to extend the Lubbock Super Regional to a third game on Sunday. Gutierrez went just one for six on the day but it was a big one for the Red Raiders.
Magnolia, Texas junior Robert Dugger(6-0) picked up the win for the Red Raiders while Sam Lanier(2-2) took the loss for East Carolina. Eric Tyler, Turner Brown and Dwayna Williams-Sutton had two hits each for the Pirates in the loss.
Texas Tech stranded 15 men on base while all told, ECU left 14 stranded in the 13 inning marathon.
ECU pitcher Jimmy Boyd, who went five and a third innings, held Texas Tech(45-18) scoreless through three innings. But Texas Tech got something going when Tyler Neslony ripped a one out double off the right field wall in the top of the fourth stanza. Zach Davis advanced Neslony to third on a slow grounder to Turner Brown. Zach Davis then zipped a single past Boyd up the middle and Brown’s throw to first base was wide right scoring Neslony to give the Red Raiders a 1-0 lead.
Steven Gingery pitched masterfully for the Red Raiders through five innings including getting out of a major jam with three Pirates aboard in the third. Gingery avoided a potential Pirate run in the bottom of the fourth. ECU’s best chance to score in the fourth came when Eric Tyler’s hit over third base was ruled a foul on a very close call. That got ECU coach Cliff Godwin’s attention who appealed to the third base umpire but to no avail.
Tech threatened again when Neslony walked to lead off the top of the sixth. Boyd was lifted after 71 pitches for Pirate reliever Matt Bridges who made his second appearance in two days after Zach Davis’ bunt advanced Neslony to second base. That brought up Michael Davis who walked to put Raiders on first and second. Tyler Floyd ripped a grounder to third that Eric Tyler initially bobbled, but ultimately threw Floyd out at first advancing Neslony to third. Matt Bridges then struck out Orlando Garcia to put out the fire for ECU(38-22-1) in the Raiders’ half of the sixth.
Gingery was pulled after 75 pitches for Hayden Howard. Two batters into the bottom of the sixth inning he hit Yorgen to open the inning bringing up Williams-Sutton who walked. Howard caught Williams-Sutton sleeping at first and picked him off for the first out. Turner Brown then laced a single to right field that moved Yorgen into scoring position at third, bringing up Travis Watkins who popped out to deep center to score Yorgen to tie the game up at 1-1.
Joe Ingle entered the game in relief of Bridges in the top of the eighth inning. After hitting Zach Davis to put him on first to open the inning, Ingle’s pick off throw to first was tossed wide into the dugout side of Bryce Harman at first base, but Davis tried to stretch it to third base and was thrown out. Ingle then struck out Michael Davis to end the top half of the eighth.
Brady Lloyd entered the game at centerfield for ECU as Ingle walked Tyler Floyd to open the ninth stanza for Texas Tech. Ingle struck out Garcia on a bunt attempt for the first out. Smith grounded out to Ingle at the mound for the second out bringing up Eric Gutierrez who walked on four pitches. Tanner Gardner then came on with Raider runners on first and second. When Gardner laced a grounder to Harman at first base, Harman threw Floyd out in a very close play at the plate to keep ECU alive in the ninth inning.
ECU entered the bottom of the ninth in a 1-1 contest and looking to close the deal, but they were unable to score with a pair of Pirate runners on base, extending the game into extra innings.
After Raley lined out to left field for Texas Tech, Joe Ingle struck Tyler Neslony out on three pitches and got Hunter Hargrove to strike out on six pitches. Dugger struck Williams-Sutton out on a change up in the bottom of the tenth then struck out Turner Brown for the second out. That brought up Travis Watkins who popped out to right field to end the inning.
With Red Raiders on first and second base, Gutierrez who was drafted earlier in the day in the 20th round by the Miami Marlins was robbed of a potential game winning hit when Dwayna Williams-Sutton diving catch kept ECU’s hopes alive.
Dugger walked ECU's Eric Tyler with one out in the bottom of the eleventh. Tyler stole second and then advanced to third as Harman was struck out when the ball was bobbled into centerfield. Wes Phillips then grounded out to the pitcher for the third out to end the eleventh inning.
Entering the twelfth inning, Tech’s Tanner Gardner faced Joe Ingle who pitched five complete innings all told. He struck out Gardner, who had three hits on the day and got Raley to ground out to Harman. Neslony walked but was then thrown out at second on a steal attempt for the third out.
Parker Lamm drilled a single past Garcia at short stop to lead off the bottom of the twelfth frame. Yorgen popped out on a bunt attempt bringing up Williams-Sutton who chased a high fast ball for Dugger’s fifth strikeout. Turner Brown blooped a single into centerfield which moved Lamm to third. Watkins was purposely walked to load the bases for freshman Brady Lloyd who grounded out to end the inning.
Sam Lanier came on for ECU in the top of the 13th where Hargrove and Michael Davis popped out before Tyler Floyd walked. That brought Orlando Garcia to the plate where he singled to center which moved Floyd to third. Smith walked to load the bases for Gutierrez who singled to score two runs and put Tech up 3-1.
Robert Dugger got all three Pirates out in the bottom of the 13th to seal the victory.
Game time for the rubber match in the Lubbock Super Regional is scheduled for 3:04 p.m. on Sunday.
