Feb. 3, 2007

Box Score |  Notes

LUBBOCK, Texas - Doug Thennis' first hit of the game couldn't have come at a better time as his RBI single in the bottom of the 11th inning lifted Texas Tech to a 4-3 win over Stephen F. Austin on Saturday afternoon at Dan Law Field.

The win extended Texas Tech's season opening win streak to eight games as the Red Raiders have not lost a season opener since the 1998 season.

With one out in the bottom of the 11th inning, sophomore first baseman James Leverton reached on a walk and then moved into scoring position after freshman Taylor Ashby drew a walk in the next at-bat. Junior third baseman Doug Thennis came up with his first hit of the game when he hit a slow roller through the right side, allowing Leverton to score the winning run.

For the first four innings of the ballgame, it was a classic pitcher's dual between SFA's Eric Lehmann and Tech's Colt Hynes. Lehman pitched 5 2/3 innings of no-hit baseball before Roger Kieschnick broke up his no-hitter attempt with a two-out single in the sixth. Hynes held the Lumberjacks to just one hit over the first four innings before being replaced in the seventh.

SFA third baseman Chris Smith plated the first run of the game in the top of the fifth when he hit a solo home to left center field. The Lumberjacks added to their 1-0 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth. First baseman Steven Hill laced an RBI double in the frame before Smith followed up with this second RBI of the afternoon with an RBI double down the left field line.

The Texas Tech bats came to life in the bottom half of the seventh as senior shortstop Kyle Martin and junior left fielder Geoff Byrns belted back-to-back home runs to pull Texas Tech within one (3-2).

In the bottom of the eighth, Byrns added his team-leading second RBI of the afternoon when he reached on a fielder's choice that plated Kieschnick from third. Kieschnick singled to lead off the frame and then moved to second on a balk call from the first base umpire. Matt Smith hit a fly ball to right field and that allowed Kieschnick to move to third and set up RBI opportunity for Byrns.

Sophomore right-hander AJ Ramos picked up the win for Tech as he pitched three innings of no-hit relief to improve to 1-0 on the year. Richard Folmar was charged with the loss for SFA as he gave up on one run on one hit in 2/3 of an inning in relief.

Texas Tech and SFA will conclude the two-game series on Sunday afternoon. First pitch at Dan Law Field is set for 1 p.m.