Chris Sadberry strikes out nine, pitches Texas Tech past Col. of Charleston 1-0
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.''
''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.''