Texas Tech Red Raider Baseball Rallies Past No. 24 UTSA with Explosive Sixth Inning
For five innings on Wednesday night, it seemed the Texas Tech Red Raiders were destined for a quiet evening at the plate. But in a display of raw power that has become the hallmark of the program, the Red Raiders erased a 4–1 deficit. They did it with a staggering seven-run explosion in the sixth inning. The offensive barrage propelled Texas Tech to a 10–5 victory over the No. 24 UTSA Roadrunners at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park. And with that, they improved the team’s overall record to 11–5.
Texas Tech's Sixth-Inning Power Surge Changes Everything
The sixth inning will be remembered as the moment the momentum shifted entirely. Entering the frame trailing by three, the Red Raiders leaned on the longball to dismantle the UTSA lead. In a rare feat of consecutive power, Texas Tech launched three two-run home runs in a single inning.
Top-25 Dub ✅#WreckEm | @7BCommercial pic.twitter.com/v3vgUbPQVa
— Texas Tech Baseball (@TTU_Baseball) March 12, 2026
Connor Shouse started the home run parade with an opposite-field blast that gave him his second and third RBIs of the night and cut the lead to 4–3. Moments later, Robin Villeneuve sent a 420-foot laser clanging off the scoreboard to give Tech its first lead of the night at 6–4.
Not to be outdone, AJ Goytia capped the rally by greeting a new UTSA pitcher with a 430-foot moonshot to the video board. That's the first home run of his collegiate career, extending the lead to 8–4.
While the home runs grabbed the headlines, the rally was sparked by a series of high-pressure at-bats. Tracer Lopez ignited the crowd by leading off the sixth with a triple down the left-field line.
The inning also featured a six-minute and 24-second video review, the longest in the history of Rip Griffin Park. Logan Hughes hit a sharp ball down the first-base line that clipped the bag and bounced to first baseman Caden Miller. He dove to smother it and fed James Hubbard, covering the bag. Hubbard was unable to beat Hughes to first, and after the lengthy review, the call stood that Hughes had reached first safely, keeping the rally alive.
With runners in scoring position, Ferraro grounded a slow roller to second base for a productive out that allowed Hughes to score from third and advanced Garcia to third base. Villeneuve’s blast, a 420-foot shot that clanged off the scoreboard. It was his team-leading sixth home run of the season and gave Texas Tech a 6–4 advantage.
Let's Now See How They Got the Seventh-Inning Insurance Runs
In the seventh, Logan Hughes showcased his elite discipline by drawing his team-leading 20th walk of the season after winning an eight-pitch battle. Through the first 16 games, Hughes’ on-base percentage has climbed to a remarkable .532.
Following the walk, consecutive singles by Garcia and Ferraro loaded the bases for Villeneuve once again. The first baseman delivered a sharp two-run single back up the middle, scoring both Hughes and Garcia to stretch the lead to 10–4.
While the offense provided the fireworks, the bullpen provided the foundation for the comeback. Sophomore Will Jordan earned his second win of the season after tossing a scoreless sixth inning. Jordan has been a model of consistency for the Red Raiders, lowering his ERA to a stingy 1.29 through his first seven innings of work this year while striking out two more batters.
Left-hander Ryan Free followed with a crucial shutdown inning in the seventh. UTSA attempted to claw back into the game later when Josh Arquette delivered an RBI single after a pair of walks, trimming the deficit to 10–5.
The Red Raiders then turned to Jesse Rusinek to secure the final outs. After walking the first batter he faced, Rusinek quickly regained control by inducing a 6-4-3 double play to end the threat. Returning to the mound in the ninth inning, Rusinek was dominant. He struck out the side to seal the 10–5 victory.
On the pitching side, the Brock native holds a 3.18 ERA with opponents hitting just .158 against him, striking out six batters in 5.2 innings of work.
With the non-conference portion of the schedule winding down, the Red Raiders now turn their focus to the start of Big 12 Conference play. The Kansas Jayhawks will arrive in Lubbock this weekend for a three-game series at Rip Griffin Park.
The Big 12 opener is scheduled for Friday at 6:30 p.m. A series win against the Jayhawks would allow Texas Tech to match its entire home win total from the 2025 season (12) before the end of March.
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Shayni Maitra is a sports girl through and through writing about everything from locker room drama to game-day legends in the NFL and NBA. She’s covered the action for outlets like College Sports Network, Sportskeeda, EssentiallySports, NB Media, and PinkVilla, blending sharp takes with a deep love for storytelling. Whether it’s college football rivalries, Olympic gold-chasers, or the off-field chaos that keeps Twitter alive, Shayni brings the heat with heart—and just the right amount of humor.