No. 9 Red Raiders Edge No. 3 Cowboys in a Thriller
The game lived up to the hype as the No. 9 Texas Tech Red Raiders (33-16, 12-7) traveled to Stillwater, Oklahoma to take on the No. 3 Oklahoma State Cowboys (34-15, 13-6) in the first game of a weekend series that could have everything to do with the Big 12 regular-season title.
Tech held on for a 7-6 victory in a game that had its share of crazy plays as the final out was recorded via a classic pickle play between third base and home plate while the Red Raiders were clinging to a one-run lead.
Tech's Cole Stilwell was the player who made the final tag, but he also led the way offensively. He went 2-2 from the plate and earned three walks. His fourth-inning grand slam gave the Red Raiders an early 5-2 lead. It was the sixth grand slam for the program this season.
The win keeps the Red Raiders in the hunt for the Big 12 regular-season title with just five games left. The loss means Oklahoma State dropped a game in the standings to both Tech and Oklahoma, while TCU is just a half-game back.
Kurt Wilson ignited the Tech offense in the fourth with a lead-off triple, his team-best fifth of the year. Owen Washburn followed with a double that scored Wilson. Kelly drew a walk and Easton Murrell was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Stilwell's bases-clearing blast.
Oklahoma State scored one in the seventh that cut the lead to 6-5, but in the eighth, Tech scored an insurance run off a wild pitch to extend the Tech lead to 7-5. It was a needed run too, as the Cowboys scored one in the home half of the ninth for a final of 7-6.
Next up for the Red Raiders is Game 2 of the weekend series in Stillwater on Saturday at 6 p.m.
You can follow Timm Hamm on Twitter at @IndyCarTim
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