Texas Tech baseball's Kyle Robinson has career pitching night, Oklahoma State wins anyway
Kyle Robinson was in a zone Saturday night at Stillwater.
The Texas Tech baseball starting pitcher kept Oklahoma State batters guessing throughout his time on the mound, mowing down a high-powered Cowboy battery that hit seven home runs the previous evening.
By the time Robinson came off the mound in the bottom of the seventh, he had a new career-high with 11 strikeouts and the game tied 2-2.
That's where things unraveled. Out of the bullpen, Josh Sanders got the first out, then allowed a single and a go-ahead three-run home run to Carson Benge. Brendan Lysik faired similarly, getting the first out before allowing a solo homer to Aidan Meola and walking the next batter.
Robinson's 119 pitches and new career mark weren't enough to get the job done. Oklahoma State came away with the 9-3 win to ensure a series victory for the Cowboys.
The series finale is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday. The Red Raiders (30-22, 12-17) have lost five straight and nine of the last 10 games.
Texas Tech got off to a much better start than the opening game of the series. A two-out error in the top of the first gave way to Austin Green belting a two-run homer to put the Red Raiders up early.
Colin Bruggemann responded with a two-out hit in the bottom of the frame, ripping a double down the line past a diving Gavin Kash to knot the score.
Robinson and Oklahoma State starter Brian Holiday settled in for a pitcher's duel after that. Holiday finished with 10 strikeouts of his own in 6-1/3 innings, walking one batter.
A single to begin the bottom of the seventh prompted Robinson's exit from the game, which led the Cowboys to a four-run inning that provided a 6-2 cushion.
Tracer Lopez led off the top of the eighth with a solo home run. The Cowboys tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the inning.
Texas Tech struck out 15 times in the game.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Oklahoma State spoils career night from Texas Tech baseball's Robinson
