The Texas Tech softball team showed its affinity for pressure situations in an up and down 4-3 victory in extra innings against Iowa State Sunday at Rocky Johnson Field, capping a sweep of the Cyclones.
With the game tied 3-3 in the bottom of the tenth, Tech's Lauren Preston, who was batting .133 on the season in 45 at bats, hit a double to left center that ISU's Courtney Wray mishandled, and Montana Patin rounded third base en route to the winning run.
"Huge day for Lauren Preston to come up in that situation," Tech coach Teresa Wilson said. "She doesn't see a ton of action, but she had an opportunity to put down a bunt, and did it exactly the way we teach it. It's either a base hit or a foul ball, so you don't put it where anybody can field it. She does exactly what she's told, she hits the ball hard in the hole."
The run ended a hard-fought game in which Tech trailed by one run three different times, but the Red Raiders (20-33, 7-9 in Big 12 Conference play) managed to tie it up each time and finished the game with 13 hits.
Freshman pitcher Tye Coats (7-12) gave up two home runs to the Cyclones (26-25, 3-12 in Big 12 play) and got the no decision, but she pitched nine innings, only allowing three runs on five hits.
Tech's Whitney Riley went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Patin added two hits and a RBI, while Jennifer Corkin and Devin Zaragoza each had three hits.
With two outs in the bottom of the seventh and Tech trailing 1-0, Riley hit a solo shot over left center to tie the game 1-1. It was Riley's first home run of the season and seventh of her career.
"I think I had a little bit of luck and a little bit of wind," Riley said.
Tech's momentum would not last long though.
Wray liked the first pitch she saw in the next inning, sending it over the center field wall for her fourth home run of the season, making it 2-1 Cyclones.
After a pair of singles from Zaragoza and Corkin, Iowa State pitcher Rachel Zabriskie hit Elizabeth Eimen with a pitch, loading the bases.
Zabriskie then sent a wild pitch over the catcher's glove, and Zaragoza raced home, beating the tag to tie the game 2-2.
The Cyclones went up 3-2 in the tenth inning after the international tiebreaker rule took effect, which places a runner on second base at the beginning of each remaining inning.
Sarah Losleben (3-3), who picked up the win, relieved Coats in the inning. After a passed ball allowed ISU's Sydni Jones to advance to third, Losleben gave up a RBI single to Amanda Bradberry.
With ISU up 3-2 in the bottom of the tenth and Legler on second base, Patin smacked an RBI double to left center, evening the score for the third time, 3-3.
Wilson said this gut-it-out type of win can go a long way in giving her players confidence in pressure-packed situations, which this game was filled with.
"I mean, the kids just battled hard," she said. "That should show them that you keep fighting no matter what; you're never out of it until it's over."
Tech will squeeze in a quick doubleheader against New Mexico at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. today at Rocky Johnson Field.
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