Flashes Battle but Drop Opener to Red Raiders, 10-7

Saturday, February 26

Lubbock, TX

3 p.m ET/ 2 p.m. CT

Kent State University

1-3

Texas Tech University

3-2

Kent State

Texas Tech

Photo by: David Dermer

Flashes Battle but Drop Opener to Red Raiders, 10-7

2/26/2022 6:48:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

LUBBOCK, TX- Justin Miknis went 3-4 with a homer and three driven in, Justin Kirby homered as well but Texas Tech rallied in the middle innings to take the opener of the three-game series 10-7.

Miknis parked an 0-1 pitch over the right field wall in the top of the first to score Collin Mathews, who had walked just a batter prior. The Red Raiders answered in the bottom of the first with one of their two four-run innings on the day. Kurt Wilson's three-run homer was the big blow and the host side led 4-2 after one inning.

Justin Kirby made it 4-3 in the road half of the second, driving a low fastball over the left-center field wall. An inning later, Miknis struck again, scoring Kyle Jackson on a sacrifice fly to tie the game. Jackson had doubled and stolen third to give Miknis the rbi opportunity. That helped Richie Dell, who settled in nicely after the first inning. Dell went the first four innings, striking out seven and holding Tech off the scoreboard after the first.

The Flashes took the lead in the sixth when Michael McNamara followed a Miknis double with a ground-rule one of his own, giving Kent State a 5-4 lead. Tech again had the answer, plating four in the bottom of the sixth. A bases-loaded walk and hit-by-pitch and a two-run single put the Red Raiders up 8-5.

Kent State wasn't done just yet. After Texas Tech made it 10-5, another McNamara double put runners on second and third and Mack Timbrook brought the pair in with a single up the middle. The Flashes would get the tying run to the plate, but no further as Texas Tech held off the Golden Flashes' rally.

The two teams are back at it again tomorrow with a straight double header. First pitch for game one is set for 1 p.m. ET/ Noon Central. The games can be seen on ESPN +/ Big-12 Network Now.