Mountaineers Pummelled, Drop Series to No. 7 Texas Tech

The No. 7 Texas Tech Red Raiders produced 10 runs on 14 hits for a decisive 10-1 victory over the West Virginia Mountaineers in a series-deciding game three Sunday afternoon.

Texas Tech jumped out to the early lead after Easton Murrell drove a line drive into shallow centerfield, and it appeared centerfielder Victor Scott lost track of it as he was charging in to make a play, but the ball bounced by to the wall for a triple. Dru Baker brought him in on a sacrifice fly, giving the Red Raiders a 1-0 advantage.

The Red Raiders tacked on another run in the fourth when Cal Conley hit a leadoff double, Braxton Fulford advanced Conley with a sacrifice fly to centerfield, and Cody Masters plated Conley on a groundball to first.

Mikey Kluska notched the Mountaineers' first hit in the bottom of the inning with a high infield fly ball that confused the first and second basemen and dropped in for a base hit. Then, Hudson Byorick went opposite field with a deep drive off the right field wall for an RBI triple, and the Mountaineers were back within one.

In the fifth, Dru Baker led off the inning with a single, then with two outs, Conley lifted a two-run home run well over the left field wall giving the Red Raiders a 4-1 lead.

Texas Tech broke the game open in the sixth, recording six runs on four hits and extending their lead 10-1, and held to take the series 2-1.

West Virginia is back in action Friday as they take on the Kansas State Wildcats in game one of a three-game series with the first pitch set for 7:00 pm EST.

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