Texas Tech deals Tigers baseball team first conference loss

Texas Tech scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat the Missouri baseball team 3-2 on Saturday in the second game of a three-game series in Lubbock, Texas.

It was the Tigers’ first conference loss of the year and prevented junior Ian Berger from picking up his fourth win after another impressive performance on the mound.

Berger struck out six and allowed one run on four hits in eight innings. He has allowed just two earned runs in 38.1 innings this season and continues to lead the Big 12 with an ERA of 0.47.

After freshman Nick Tepesch relieved Berger and struck out Roger Kieschnick to open the ninth inning, Monk Kreder walked and Jason Seefeld singled. Doug Thennis and Taylor Ashby followed with back-to-back RBI singles to take the come-from-behind win.

Missouri (20-4, 4-1 in the Big 12 Conference) scored first in the top of the first inning. Senior Kurt Calvert singled, stole second and then scored on a single by sophomore Aaron Senne, who increased his team-leading RBI total to 33 on the season. Calvert was 3-for-3, with two stolen bases, and an RBI.

The Tigers loaded the bases in the sixth. Calvert and Senne hit singles and Jacob Priday was hit by a pitch before Trevor Coleman drew a walk to force in Calvert. However, Missouri left the bases loaded.

Texas Tech (13-12, 3-5) scored its first run of the series in the bottom half of the first inning.

“Pitching and defense kept us in the game,” Missouri coach Tim Jamieson said in a release. “But we have to concentrate on what we are doing at the plate and have more quality at-bats. Ian was good and so was Nick, but we needed to give them more than just a one-run lead to work with.”

The finale of the three-game series is set for 1 p.m. Sunday in Lubbock. Sophomore Kyle Gibson (5-0) is set to start for the Tigers.