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For Immediate Release: May 11, 2002 ALVAREZ’
HOMER LIFTS TECH OVER BRONCS
LUBBOCK,
TX –Shortstop Gera Alvarez hit a two-run homer with one out in the
bottom of the ninth to lift 22nd-ranked Texas Tech to a 6-4
victory over The University of Texas-Pan American in their baseball game
at Dan Law Field Saturday night. Alvarez
hit his game-winning blast off Texas-Pan American senior relief pitcher
Jacob Pierce (Longview, TX/Longview HS/Navarro JC) over the left field
fence. Pierce
relieved UTPA starter Frank James (Sr. Elgin, TX/Elgin HS/Navarro JC) to
begin the ninth. He struck out center fielder Jon Slack and gave up a
single to right fielder Madison Edwards before Alvarez came to the
plate. UTPA
had tied the score in the top of the eighth. With two out, junior
designated hitter Skip Weast (Inola, OK/Inola HS/Crowder JC) reached on
Alvarez’ throwing error and moved to second on a single by freshman
catcher Matt Eichel (Grapevine, TX/Grapevine HS). Freshman first baseman
Chris Jones (Colleyville, TX/Colleyville HS) walked to load the bases.
Red Raider closer Steve Rowe then entered the gamer to face freshman
center fielder John Lopez (Mission, TX/Mission HS), but Lopez walked to
score Weast and tie the game. The
Broncs scored their first three runs in the fifth. Weast singled, and,
one out later, Jones walked. Lopez’ infield hit to third base loaded
the bases. Junior second baseman Jerome McCoy (Fort Worth, TX/Eastern
Hills HS/Northeast Texas CC) doubled to left-center to drive in two
runs, and freshman shortstop Marco Garza (Mission, TX/Sharyland HS)
singled to right to drive home another. Texas
Tech scored three runs in the first. Slack reached on Garza’s error,
Edwards was hit by a pitch, and Alvarez singled Slack home. One out
later, catcher Willie Durazo singled home Edwards, and a single by
second baseman Bryon Smith brought in the third Red Raider run.
Smith’s sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the third made it 4-0. Rowe,
who pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings, earned the victory, improving to
7-2. Pierce took the loss and fell to 1-4. The
Broncs dropped to 15-37 with the defeat, while Texas Tech improved to
36-16. The teams will conclude their three-game series Sunday afternoon
at 12:00 noon. BASETEXASTECH2051102 |