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Texas Tech basketball: Jace Jung powers Red Raiders past Bulldogs

By Matthew Conner

OMAHA, NEBRASKA - JUNE 13: A general view of bats during the College World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium on June 13, 2000 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
OMAHA, NEBRASKA - JUNE 13: A general view of bats during the College World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium on June 13, 2000 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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Wednesday night in Lubbock, the Texas Tech baseball team defeated Gonzaga 5-4 thanks to a clutch 2-run RBI double by Jace Jung.

Anyone who thought that the Texas Tech baseball team would have an easy time in this week’s mid-week series was sorely mistaken.  In fact, the Red Raiders flirted with defeat in both games against Gonzaga before pulling each one out by the score of 5-4.

Wednesday’s game followed a similar script to Tuesday’s win in that late in the ballgame, the Red Raiders got a clutch extra-base RBI to claim the lead.  This time though, instead of Nate Rombach playing the role of hero the way he did on Tuesday by driving home three runners on an RBI double in the 7th, it was second baseman Jace Jung who came up big for his team.

With Tech and the Bulldogs tied at 3-3 in the bottom of the 8th two innings after Gonzaga had scored two runs in the top of the 6th to knot the score, Jung drilled a double into the left-center power alley to bring home Parker Kelly and Max Marusak.

The reigning Big 12 Player of the Week went 3-10 in the two-game set with the Zags and continues to be his team’s best hitter.  So far, he’s leading the Red Raiders in all three triple crown categories.  Hitting at a .404 clip, he’s also belted six homers and driven in 23 runs already this season.

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But none of his hits this year have been as clutch as his game-winning RBI double on Wednesday.  However, the Tech bullpen still had to make that lead stand up.

Playing the role of savior out of the pen on Wednesday was Ryan Sublett who picked up the win after tossing three innings of work while allowing just a run on two hits.  He would take the game up to its final out before handing the ball over to Connor Queen who closed the door.  But it was his first at-bat that proved to be his biggest.

Already having plated a pair of runs in the frame, the Zags had the bases loaded with two out when Sublett was summoned from the bullpen by head coach Tim Tadlock in the top of the 6th.  On a 2-2 count, Sublett induced a lineout to first base from GU second-baseman Mason Marenco, who was 0-3 on the night.

Sublett was the second reliever of the game after starter Chase Hampton tossed four innings of one-run ball.  Hampton then gave way to Hayde Key, a freshman who tossed a scoreless fifth before giving up the two Gonzaga runs in the 6th.

Believe it or not but Big 12 play arrives next weekend when the currently undefeated Oklahoma State Cowboys (ranked No. 13 in the nation) come to Lubbock for a three-game series.  Thus, the fact that the Red Raiders had to play a pair of high-intensity games in this mid-week series has to pay dividends.  Fortunately, unlike in the first three games of the year when Tech couldn’t make the winning plays in close games, against the Zags, Tech found some heroes to step up.

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