Texas ousts Tennessee Tech
AUSTIN, Texas — Relying on strong pitching and sufficient hitting, Texas advanced to the College World Series.
Kody Clemens and DJ Petrinsky hit home runs, Matteo Bocchi was effective in a rare appearance as a starting pitcher, and Texas defeated Tennessee Tech 5-2 on Monday to secure one of eight spots in the CWS.
Texas (42-21), under second-year coach David Pierce, returns to the CWS for the first time since 2014.
“It feels awesome,” Pierce said. “We’re not always. A lot of times we’re ugly. But we just figure out how to keep playing. That’s what so special about this group.”
Texas took the super regional series by winning the last two games after losing the first on Saturday.
Clemens hit his 24th home run of the season — one less than the national leader Spencer Torkelson of Arizona State. Clemens has 11 home runs in his last 15 games.
The matchup of starting pitchers seemed to favor Tennessee Tech.
But left-hander Alex Hursey (8-5), the No. 3 starter for Tech (53-12), lasted just three innings, allowing four runs.
Pierce used his No. 3 starter, Blair Henley, in relief on Sunday. So Bocchi (4-1) made only his fourth start of the season and allowed one run in a season-high five innings. Nolan Kingham, the Game 1 starter on Saturday and the sixth pitcher for Texas on Monday, came on in the ninth, walking one to load the bases but inducing Brennon Kaleiwahea to ground out and end the game. Parker Joe Robinson pitched 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief for Texas.
Tech leads the nation with 135 home runs, but the Golden Eagles hit only one in the series. They also lead the nation in batting average but had just five hits on Monday, matching their season-low, after managing only three a day earlier, fewest since 2015.
“I am honestly amazed,” Tech coach Matt Bragga said. “I give credit to them. I think that they really pounded the strike zone. They went after us with fastballs. Our guys were a little late and that doesn’t happen very often with our guys.” › Texas Tech 6, Duke 2 LUBBOCK, Texas — Gabe Holt, Michael Davis and Brian Klein all homered to lead Texas Tech to the College World Series for the third time in five seasons after beating Duke.
The Red Raiders (44-18) went ahead to stay when Davis hit a two-run homer in the fourth to break a 1-1 tie in the deciding game.
Jimmy Herron had three hits and both RBIs for Duke (45-18).
Ty Harpenau (7-2) allowed one run while working three innings in relief for Texas Tech, striking out three and walking one. Dylan Dusek took over with a runner on and no outs in the ninth and finished for his first save.
Matt Dockman (0-1), the third of six Duke pitchers, gave up hits to the only two batters he faced, including Davis’ 12th home run of the season.