LUBBOCK, Texas – No. 15 Texas Tech baseball plated four runs in the bottom of the seventh to rally for a 5-2 win and series sweep of No. 16 Oklahoma State on Sunday at Rip Griffin Park.
Sophomore Dylan Neuse launched a three-run home run in the seventh to put Tech ahead 4-2, and the Red Raiders (29-13, 11-7) earned their sixth straight win behind a pitching staff that posted 46 strikeouts of one of the hottest lineups in the country.
The series sweep of the Cowboys (25-16, 10-8) is Tech’s third in the last four years and the first time to do so at home. It’s also Tech’s second-straight series win over a ranked Big 12 team after taking two from No. 18 Baylor last weekend. The Red Raiders have now swept two Top 25 teams this year with No. 22 Michigan the other back in March.
Tech moves into sole possession of second place in the Big 12 standings. It has won five-straight conference games for the first time since 2017.
The pitching staff struck out 17 Friday, 13 Saturday and added 16 more in the finale. Sophomore starter Bryce Bonnin struck out a career-high eight and held the Pokes to one run and four hits as he worked into the fifth.
Junior John McMillon (2-1) was lights out once again in 3.1 innings pitched, posting five strikeouts with his only blemish a solo home run in the sixth. Over his last three appearances, McMillon has tossed 11.0 innings and surrendered just two runs on two hits with 15 strikeouts.
Redshirt freshman Clayton Beeter closed it out in the ninth with three more strikeouts to earn his seventh save of the year.
The Red Raider lineup was held scoreless until the seventh as OSU starter Brett Standlee (2-1) was masterful through six.
Freshman Cole Stilwell was plunked to lead off the seventh and sophomore catcher Braxton Fulford doubled to left, one of two hits on the day for the Lubbock native. Sophomore Gabe Holt delivered an RBI single to get Tech on the board, before Neuse blasted his three-run shot to make it 4-2.
The eighth inning started with two more hit-by-pitches and a sac bunt. A wild pitch brought in an insurance run and allowed Beeter to finish it out.
Neuse led the Red Raiders with a 2-for-5 effort and three RBI, while Fulford had his second multi-hit game of the weekend with a double and run scored. Junior Brian Klein also had a multi-hit game, going 2-for-5, while sophomore Gabe Holt went 1-for-4 and added an RBI.
The Red Raiders will look to continue their winning ways on Tuesday in a midweek matchup with UTRGV (28-14, 14-4 WAC). The game begins a two-game series between the two teams with first pitch on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. on FOX Sports Southwest Plus and on Wednesday at 2 p.m.
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