LUBBOCK, Texas (Interstat) — Texas Tech built an early eight-run lead and held off a late Dallas Baptist rally for a 9-7 victory Tuesday night at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park.

The Red Raiders improved to 24-24, while the Patriots fell to 28-21. Texas Tech’s Logan Hughes went 2-for-3 with a home run, a double and three RBIs to earn top-star honors. Mac Rose countered for Dallas Baptist with a 2-for-3 night that included two home runs and four RBIs.

Texas Tech jumped on Dallas Baptist starter Schaeffer J in the bottom of the first. After a groundout and a double, Hughes launched a two-run homer to left center, scoring Lopez. Garcia singled, and then Caden Ferraro followed with a two-run homer to left center, giving the Red Raiders a 4-0 lead. The Patriots made a pitching change, bringing in JT Long.

The Red Raiders added four more runs in the second, all unearned after a Dallas Baptist error. Souza reached on an error by the shortstop and advanced to second. After a fielder’s choice, a successful Texas Tech challenge overturned an out call at first, and Ryan stole second. Thompson grounded out to advance Ryan to third, and Lopez singled through the left side to drive him in. Shouse doubled to right center to score Lopez, and after Hughes was hit by a pitch, Garcia doubled to right center, scoring Hughes and Shouse. Dallas Baptist brought in Athan Kroll, who ended the inning by getting Ferraro hit by a pitch and Quintanar to foul out. Texas Tech led 8-0.

Dallas Baptist got on the board in the fourth. Rose homered to right center, cutting the deficit to 8-1. Texas Tech answered in the bottom of the fourth when Shouse singled, Hughes doubled to right center to score Shouse and push the lead to 9-1.

The Patriots began their comeback in the sixth. After Rose walked and Ben Tyron reached on a fielding error by the shortstop, SCHLAEGEL homered to left center, a three-run shot that made it 9-4. In the seventh, Dylan Cupp reached on a throwing error by the third baseman, Pettitte L walked, and Rose homered to left center for three more runs, trimming the margin to 9-7.

Dallas Baptist threatened in the ninth. Pettitte L was hit by a pitch, Jake Ben singled to right, but Rose struck out swinging to end the game.

Pitching played a pivotal role. Dallas Baptist’s Tate Hess delivered 4 scoreless innings, allowing no hits and striking out four. For Texas Tech, Connor Shouse threw 2 innings of one-hit relief, Connor Mohan tossed 2 scoreless innings, Bryce Suiter added 2 innings with one hit and one earned run, and Logan Bevis closed with a scoreless inning, striking out two.

The most important stretch of the game came in the first two innings, when Texas Tech scored eight runs, four in each frame, to seize control. The Red Raiders capitalized on a Dallas Baptist error in the second to plate four unearned runs, building a lead that ultimately proved insurmountable despite the Patriots’ late power surge.

Dallas Baptist opens a three-game series at Western Kentucky on Friday, while Texas Tech hosts BYU for a three-game set beginning Thursday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Dallas Baptist 6, Texas Tech 3, and its ELO system gave Dallas Baptist a 59.00 percent probability to win.