Texas Tech Rallies Past Baylor to Win Series

LUBBOCK, TX – Texas Tech erased a pair of early deficits and held on late to defeat Baylor 9-8 Sunday afternoon at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park, clinching its first Big 12 series win since the opening weekend of conference play.

Senior Robin Villeneuve went 4-for-4 with a home run and an RBI, while fellow senior Jack Cebert tossed four key innings of relief to earn the win for the Red Raiders (11-21, 7-8 Big 12), who rallied from a 5-0 hole after two innings and a 7-5 deficit in the fifth.

It marked Villeneuve’s second straight standout performance, following a 3-for-5 effort in Friday’s series opener. The designated hitter capped a Red Raider comeback in the fourth with a solo home run to tie the game at 5-5.

After Baylor (22-13, 6-9) retook the lead in the fifth on an RBI single by Travis Sanders and a run-scoring groundout by JJ Kennet, Texas Tech responded with a four-run fifth. Villeneuve and Logan Hughes led off with singles before Antonelli Savattere brought home a run with a single through the right side.

Back-to-back walks from Baylor reliever Grayson Murray, including a bases-loaded free pass to Dylan Maxcey, tied the game again before Kendyl Johnson beat out a potential double play to plate the go-ahead run. Hughes added a sacrifice fly in the sixth to give Tech a 9-7 advantage.

Cebert (4-0) earned his second win of the weekend after tossing four innings of one-run relief. He retired Baylor in order in the sixth, escaped a jam in the seventh by allowing just one run, and worked around a one-out error in the eighth.

Baylor threatened in the ninth with back-to-back two-out singles from Sanders and Ty Johnson, but Tracer Lopez fielded a grounder to first to secure the final out and the Red Raiders’ first series win since sweeping Houston in the Big 12 opener.

Starter Lukas Pirko allowed five runs in 1 2/3 innings, while Zach Crotchfelt provided two innings of relief to bridge the gap to Cebert.

Sanders finished with his eighth hit of the weekend for the Bears, who dropped their third straight Big 12 series.

UP NEXT:
Texas Tech travels to Arizona State for a three-game series beginning Thursday at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. First pitch is set for 8:30 p.m. CT (6:30 p.m. MST).