Hopson & Custer Lead Red Raiders to 8-6 Win Over Seattle

Washingtonians Lea Hopson and Cara Custer showed their friends and family what they learned being Texans as they led the Texas Tech softball team to an 8-6 victory over the University of Seattle Wednesday.

Hopson, from Sequim, Washington, was an integral part of the Red Raider (16-15) offense with lead-off singles in the five-run second inning, as well as the two-run sixth and a run-scoring base hit in the seventh. She finished 3-for-5 at the plate, and also stole her seventh base of the season.

Custer, from Tacoma (9-8), picked up the win for Tech in the pitching circle going seven innings giving up four  runs, three earned, on five hits with one walk and five strikeouts. It was Custer’s fourth consecutive complete game performance.

Ashley Fultz, hit a solo-home run in the second, and Brittany Warnecke clouted a two-run shot in the sixth. Fultz now has a team-high five homers and Warnecke has four.

Tech has hit seven home runs in the last three contests.

Devin Thomey went 2-for-3 with two doubles and drove in two runs. It was the 14^th straight game in which Thomey has reached base safely. Thomey’s streak is the longest of the seaon for any Red Raider.

Kierra Miles also went 2-for-4 at the plate for her 10th multiple-hit game this season and her fifth in the past six games. She is 7-for-10 in Tech's last three games combined.

Starter Mandie Sugita (6-5) took the loss for the Red Hawks after allowing seven runs, two of which that were earned, off seven hits and four strikeouts over six full innings. Alyssa Reuble gave up one run off four hits in her one inning of relief.

The Red Raiders continue their trip to the Great Northwest on Thursday evening as Tech will face No. 18 Washington in a 7 p.m.  doubleheader at the Husky Softball Stadium.