Texas Tech was able to get to West Virginia starter Aidan Major early and often in game one on Friday night.
Major surrendered six runs in three innings, as WVU’s seven-game Big 12 wining streak was snapped as they lost 15-2 to the Red Raiders on Friday from Rip Griffin Park in Lubbock, Texas.
Major started the night off in a bad way, walking TTU leadoff batter Gavin Kash on four pitches. After a strikeout, TTU’s Kevin Bazzell singled, putting runners on first and second with one out. Kash and Bazzell would successfully execute a double steal, but the throw from Logan Sauve got by WVU third baseman Ellis Garcia.
It rolled to the warning track and Bazzell scored from first on the play, as they led 2-0 after the first.
Major retired Tech in order in the second, before the third inning was a lot like the first.
Kash doubled to start the inning, and after a walk and a line out, Tech went double, single, ground out, single, plating four more runs and putting the game out of reach before WVU even came to the plate for the second time through their lineup.
Trailing 6-0, Major’s night would be done after just three innings. walking two, giving up six runs on six hits, while striking out five. This was Major’s third straight start where he gave up at least five runs, not making it past five innings in any of those outings.
Texas Tech starting pitcher Ryan Free had the opposite effect that Major had. WVU had been swinging the bat well as of late, but was shut down by Free.
He tossed six innings, with the only blemish being a two-run bomb from Kyle West, traveling 467 feet. Free had six strikeouts, and the Mountaineers compiled only four hits.
The Mountaineers used three more pitchers, as Chase Meyer, Luke Lyman, and Tommy Beam, finished the next five innings. Meyer gave up five runs, while Beam was charged with four.
West ended the night with two of WVU’s four hits, while he also walked.
Game two is set for 3:00 p.m. on Saturday.
