Sports / Red Raiders / Softball

13 - 12:33am

Despite youth, Red Raiders still in position for postseason

Shanon Hays scoured the field a couple of weekends ago when his Texas Tech softball team took on top-ranked Oklahoma. He saw five freshmen in the five infield positions: Sydnie Tapia, Samantha Camello, Brooke Scott, Gretchen Aucoin and Lexie Elkins. The Red Raiders were swept in the series, which came in the midst of a nine-game Big 12 Conference losing streak, but Hays had no regrets tossing his youngsters into the fire. “Sometimes you have to pay your dues,” Hays said earlier this week, succinctly summing up some of the struggles Tech has faced this season.

Longhorns complete sweep of Tech softball Sunday; Red Raiders in danger of missing postseason for first time since 2009 04/29/13 - 12:20am

Despite strong pitching, Tech drops series finale, 4-1

A three-game sweep at the hands of Texas didn’t completely shatter the Texas Tech softball team’s postseason hopes, but it puts the pressure on the Red Raiders with one series left in the regular season. Tech suffered its second straight 4-1 loss to the No. 7 Longhorns on Sunday at Rocky Johnson Field, displaying the same problems that have plagued it all season.

Senior stalwart Mikey Kenney will go down as one of Texas Tech softball's all-time greats 04/26/13 - 12:55am

Kenney is one of five seniors hoping to close out Tech's home slate with a strong showing against No. 6 Texas

Shanon Hays doesn’t want to envision a Texas Tech softball lineup without center fielder Mikey Kenney. The good news for the fourth-year coach is he doesn’t have to for another few weeks. Kenney, who will go down in the Tech record books as one of the top hitters in program history, is one of five seniors playing in her final home series this weekend. The Red Raiders (29-21, 3-9 in Big 12 Conference play) host No. 6 Texas (39-6, 9-2) in a three-game series, beginning with a 7 p.m. game today at Rocky Johnson Field.

Tech softball heads north for series against Iowa State 04/19/13 - 12:34am

Red Raiders have lost past eight games overall

Compiled by Tommy Magelssen

Sooners sweep Texas Tech softball after winning Sunday slugfest 04/15/13 - 12:32am

Katibeth King homers twice for Red Raiders

The Texas Tech softball team saved its best offensive performance of the weekend for Sunday afternoon. But so did Oklahoma. The Sooners jumped out early and weathered two home runs by Katibeth King to defeat Tech, 13-7, at Rocky Johnson Field, sweeping the Big 12 Conference series and sending the Red Raiders to their eighth straight loss. Tech coach Shanon Hays was encouraged by the seven-run output — Tech had five total runs in the past seven games — but he said it would have been “real encouraging” to grab a win.

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Top-ranked Oklahoma blanks Texas Tech softball as Red Raiders' losing streak reaches seven 04/14/13 - 12:30pm

The Red Raiders were beaten by Keilani Ricketts’ arm Friday night. On Saturday, it was her bat. The Oklahoma star swatted two home runs as the No. 1 Sooners soundly defeated the Texas Tech softball team, 6-0, at Rocky Johnson Field. “We knew that they were going to come out with their ace pitcher,” said Ricketts, who no-hit Tech in the first game of the three-game series, “but we just didn’t want to get complacent from yesterday. Texas Tech is always a hard win to get here, so we we’re definitely trying to come out and stay on the momentum that we had from yesterday.”

Superstition is the way: Tech softball players, coaches discuss hitting routines, breaking out of slumps 04/12/13 - 10:40am

Red Raiders hope bats wake up in time for weekend series with No. 1 Oklahoma

Aly Sartini flipped her cap sideways. She moved it to the back. She shifted the bill forward again. Nothing worked. The Texas Tech associate head coach wasn’t sending signs to the field or trying to keep the sun out of her eyes Sunday when the Red Raiders played Kansas. She was trying to wake up the bats. “Anything to just try to spark something,” said Sartini, who is famous in the Tech clubhouse for her superstitions, which she refers to as her “Qi” (commonly pronounced as CHEE). She isn’t alone.

Late high school baseball/softball roundup: Rivas tosses perfect game for Monterey 04/11/13 - 12:43am

Baseball

Alysia Rivas pitched a five-inning perfect game for Monterey softball on Tuesday in a 26-0 romp against Hereford in District 4-4A play. Rivas struck out seven en route to the run-rule victory. Kaylee Scheffel hit a three-run double as part of a 13-run third inning, finishing the game with five RBIs. Two innings earlier, Gwen Stephenson cleared the bases with a double of her own to start the rout. Alexis Vines tripled and drove in five runs for Monterey (16-9, 5-2 in District 4-4A play), which continues league play at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Lubbock High.

Texas Tech roundup: Red Raider tennis drops Big 12 opener; softball no-hit by Kansas 04/08/13 - 12:24am

Despite pushing No. 15 Baylor to three sets in three singles matches Sunday afternoon, the No. 38 Texas Tech men’s tennis team lost to the Bears, 6-1, at McLeod Tennis Center. After Baylor took the doubles point — thanks to triumphs by Patrick Pradella and Roberto Mayin against Jeff Bryan and Felipe Soares, 8-5, and Tony Lupieri and Julian Lentz against Raphael Pfister and Hugo Dojas, 8-3 — Tech tied the match at 1 when Dojas defeated Maytin, 6-2, 6-2, in the No 6 singles spot.

Kansas blanks Texas Tech softball as Red Raider offense continues to struggle 04/07/13 - 1:50pm

Texas Tech softball coach Shanon Hays knows exactly what happened to his team Saturday against Kansas during the Red Raiders’ 3-0 loss. “Three runs here at home should be enough for us to put our offense together and get a win,” Hays said, “but we got to blame that one on our ‘O.’” Tech extended its season-worst losing streak to four games with the same problems that haunted the Red Raiders during the first three games of the skid. The Red Raiders didn’t advance runners in key situations, stranded eight players on base and scattered only four hits Saturday.