The Associated Press | June 7, 2014

Tech takes Game 1

Lubbock Super Regional: Sadberry makes Red Raiders happy

LUBBOCK, Texas -- Chris Sadberry struck out a career-high eight Saturday, and Texas Tech held off the College of Charleston 1-0 in the opener of an NCAA Super Regional.

Sadberry worked a career-best eight innings as the Red Raiders (44-19) improved to 32-4 at home and took the lead in the best-of-three series.

''I just spotted up my pitches,'' Sadberry, a junior left-hander, said. ''I wanted to go out there with an attitude to attack the hitters with the fastball and work the other pitches off that.''

DI BASEBALL SUPER REGIONALS
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Vander Voort: UVa. shows it is built to win
Kroll: Welcome to the new La La Land
Prezioso: Vanderbilt's experience key in Game 3 win
Vander Voort: Virginia puts everything together in Game 2
Kroll: La.-Lafayette wins in many ways
Hill: The road ends for Kennesaw State
Prezioso: Quantrill comes through for Stanford
Higgins: Texas earns 35th CWS berth, heads to Omaha
Vander Voort: Maryland capitalizes on chances
Hill: Rally, hometown crowd sparks Louisville
Higgins: Longhorns' Payton parties in Austin
Prezioso: Vandy takes advantage of Stanford miscues
Five things to watch: Texas Tech-College of Charleston
Five things to watch: Pepperdine-TCU
Five things to watch: Maryland-Virginia
Five things to watch: Mississippi-Louisiana-Lafayette
Five things to watch: UC Irvine-Oklahoma State
Five things to watch: Stanford-Vanderbilt
Five things to watch: Houston-Texas
Five things to watch: Kennesaw State-Louisville
How they fared in regionals \| Ten things to know
Super Regional teams \| Host sites, schedule
Social Media: #RoadToOmaha \| Twitter
Brackets: Interactive Printable
Scoreboard Highlights Postseason Stats

Texas Tech got its third shutout in the past four games to move one win from reaching the College World Series for the first time.

''Chris was really solid,'' Texas Tech head coach Tim Tadlock said. ''And it seemed like we caught some breaks throughout the game. It's not often you win a game 1-0 in college baseball.''

Jonny Drozd worked the ninth and retired the side in order.

Game 2 is Sunday.

''Sadberry did a great job for them,'' College of Charleston head coach Monte Lee said. ''He pitched like a No. 1 pitcher is supposed to pitch in the first game of a Super Regional. He didn't give us a lot, and we didn't take advantage when we had the chance.''

Tech scored in the third inning when Stephen Smith singled to center with one out and stole second. The Red Raiders had a hit-and-run on, and Bryant Burleson swung through the pitch, but Smith stole the base when neither middle infielder covered the bag for the Cougars.

One out later, Tyler Neslony hit a line drive to right-center that skipped past right fielder Brandon Glazer and rolled to the wall. Neslony was credited with an RBI triple.

''It caught me in between,'' Glazer said. ''I thought I'd have a play on it off the bat, but then I had to slow up because I knew I couldn't get to it.''

Taylor Clarke, a 10-game winner for the Cougars, gave up only five hits and walked one in his eight innings.

''Everything was working pretty well after the first inning,'' Clarke said. ''My nerves settled and I felt like I pitched better after that.''

Texas Tech twice threw out Glazer at the plate -- on a fielder's choice by shortstop Tim Proudfoot in the third and by Sadberry on an infield chopper in the eighth.

''The second one was run on contact,'' Glazer said. ''He hit it and I ran home. The first one I hesitated, and that was a bad decision on my part.''

Lee added: ''That was a tough loss for us. Clarke was outstanding and did everything he needed to do to help us win the game. We failed to execute when we needed to.''