El PASO, Texas – Caitlyn Brockway and Rylan Dooner combined for four RBI, but Texas Tech edged out the UTEP softball team 5-4 at Helen of Troy Field in the Dr. Diana Natalicio Memorial Tournament Friday night.
In the bottom of the second inning, Ajia Richard drew a walk and advanced to second on Rylan Dooner’s single to the pitcher. Caitlyn Brockway cleaned up the field with a homer over left field to give UTEP a 3-0 lead. Texas Tech responded with three runs in the next two innings to even out the game.
UTEP juiced up the bases in the bottom of the fifth with Savannah Favre in scoring position. Favre led off with a single over to the left and was placed on third courtesy of Peyton Angulo’s double to center field.
With one out, Ashlynn Allen strolled over to first, and Rylan Dooner followed with a 4-pitch count to plate Favre, 4-3. In the sixth, Texas Tech’s Kailey Wyckoff stepped up to the plate and sent a long ball over center field to tie up the game, 4-4, and Ellie Bailey’s seventh inning lead-off homerun gave the Red Raiders the lead for the first time in the game.
The Miners found themselves in scoring position in their last offensive inning but were left stranded as Texas Tech closed out the game with a 5-4 win.
UTEP will take on Texas Tech again at 7 p.m. following its Santa Clara matchup at 4 p.m. MT on Saturday, Feb. 18 on day three of the Dr. Natalicio Memorial Tournament.
