Texas Tech softball

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Red Raiders opened the day with a 12-1 victory over North Dakota before falling in the night cap, 7-3, to No. 22 Maryland Saturday at the Maryland Softball Stadium.

Texas Tech (25-8) utilized a seven-run frame to down North Dakota (3-27) in the opening game of the day. The Tech offense was led by Alanna Barraza, who recorded her first multi-home run contest after blasting two. The senior went 3-for-4 with four RBIs and two runs scored in game one.

Game One: Texas Tech 12, North Dakota 1

The Red Raiders struck first in the bottom of the opening frame as Barraza knocked in a pair of runs with a two-out single.

Starter Erna Carlin (2-2) worked a pair of shutout innings to send Tech's offense to the plate in the top of the third. Barraza again struck, this time for two runs, as she blasted a two-run shoot over the deep center-field wall.

North Dakota's lone run came in the bottom of the third as back-to-back hits from Cassie Castaneda and Madison Pederson plated a run.

Tech would capitalize on an Ellie Bailey single and a fielding error to plate a run in the fourth before a seven-run frame in the fifth ended the game via early run-rule.

An Abbie Orrick single and a fielding error scored a run to kick start the fifth. A Makinzy Herzog single and an Arriana Villa double plated a pair to keep the rally alive. After a single from Peyton Blythe, Barraza smashed her second homer of the day.

After entering in the fourth, Kendall Fritz retired the side in the fifth to close out the contest.

Game Two: No. 22 Maryland 7, Texas Tech 3

Villa recorded the Red Raiders first hit of the night with a two-out double in the first but was left stranded.

After the quiet first frame, the Terps utilized a five-run second frame to take the lead once and for all. Michaela Jones led off the inning with a solo shot to kick start the Maryland offense. A pair of no-out doubles and two singles gave the Terps a 4-0 lead. After one-out RBI double, Olivia Rains checked in as Tech's second pitching change and retired the final two batters via strikeout to get Tech out of the frame.

Rains would retire the side in the third, but a single and a pair of passed balls set up Jaeda McFarland for a two-run double to give Maryland a 7-0 lead.

However, the Red Raiders refused to back down. In the top of the sixth, Kailey Wyckoff and Villa ignited the offense with back-to-back singles. After a fly out moved Wyckoff to third, Bailey rocketed a three-run right at the score board in right center to cut the deficit to four.

However, the rally came up short as Tech brought a pair of pinch hitters to plate in the seventh but could not get a base runner on.

Rains tossed 4.2 innings of relief work and scattered just two runs. Herzog (2-2) suffered the loss after allowing four runs and four hits in 1.0 innings of work.

Next Up

The Texas Tech Red Raiders will close out the Maryland in a 10am contest against Bucknell.