Sports

Tensions Rise Over Dirty Slide As Controversial Interference Ends Texas Tech Baseball Game

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USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect


The Texas Tech baseball team lost a second straight game to Big 12 rival Oklahoma State on Saturday to fall to 22-21 on the season. That latest defeat ended in controversial fashion.

The Red Raiders were forced to surrender their final out due to an interference call in the bottom of the ninth inning. The tying run was in scoring position.

The ruling was made after a Texas Tech player’s slide was deemed dirty. Tensions boiled over leading to an exchanging of words.

Texas Tech baseball loses to Oklahoma State.

The Cowboys had already won the series opener, 16-6. That game was called early due to run rule. They’d clinch the rivalry set in Game 2.

Texas Tech jumped out to a quick lead, plating two runs in the second frame. They grew that lead to 6-3 ahead of the seventh inning.

From there, it was all Oklahoma State. The Cowboys stormed back with six runs across their next two at-bats. They’d hold off a late rally to win, 9-8.

Texas Tech got its first two runners on base in the final frame. A failed bunt attempt resulted in an out with the tying and winning runs aboard.

Leadoff man Kyeler Thompson stepped into the batter’s box hoping to even the score. He’d hit a groundball to the shortstop, who flipped to third base for a force out.

Baserunner Matt Quintanar slid hard into the bag. The play was ultimately ruled dirty. It resulted in a double play due to interference.

Why was interference called?

The rulebook calls for both the runner and batter to be out in some interference instances.

“In the judgment of the umpire, a base runner willfully and deliberately interferes with… a fielder with the obvious intent to break up a double play, the ball is dead. The umpire shall call the runner out for interference and also call out the batter-runner because of the action of the runner.”

-Baseball Academy

The chances of a double play were slim. The third baseman was not making a play to second or first base. The play likely would’ve ended with the force out, leaving a runner at second and first with two outs.

The ruling ended Texas Tech’s threat. The Red Raiders lost by a run. Oklahoma State baseball players confronted the baserunner after the slide.

Texas Tech will look to avoid the sweep on Sunday.