LUBBOCK, Texas – A strong start from right-hander Tanner Dodson put the Cal baseball team in position to pick up a series-opening win at No. 11 Texas Tech but three unearned runs in the bottom of the eighth proved decisive as the Bears fell 4-2 at Dan Law Field.
 
For the first seven innings, a pitcher's duel between Dodson and Texas Tech ace Davis Martin kept fans on the edge of their seat. Touching 93 MPH on the radar gun several times, Dodson looked every bit the Friday starter that Cal (2-2) will rely on this season as he limited the Red Raiders to just five hits.
 
Texas Tech (5-1) got the opening it needed in the eighth. A pair of walks to lead off the inning forced Cal to go to its bullpen and, when Orlando Garcia dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners over, a bunt attempt by Orlando Garcia ended up with an errant throw into left field that scored two runs. A double play later in the inning scored another run and the Red Raiders took a 4-1 lead into the ninth.
 
Cal made one final effort to stay alive as Tyrus Greene doubled over the right fielder's head to lead off the inning and eventually scored on a two-out RBI single by Ripken Reyes. Texas Tech reliever Jacob Patterson shut the door from there though, getting a strikeout to end the game with the potential tying run at the plate.
 
The Bears certainly had their share of chances to force another outcome but went 2 for 13 with runners in scoring position and left nine runners on base. Cal outhit Texas Tech 10-5 with Reyes, Denis Karas and Greene each collecting two hits along the way. Dodson wound up allowing just one earned run and struck out five, walked two and scattered five hits in his second start of the season.
 
"We left a number of runners on base. We had those two-out, RBI situation at-bats and we just didn't get the hit. I think we'll relax down into those at-bats as guys get experience and get out there more often," Cal head coach David Esquer said. "We just showed a little inexperience as far as relaxing in the moment. We played a good ballgame against a really good team. Tanner pitched good, our defense gave way a little bit and we our youth showed in the eighth when we turned that double play instead of throwing the guy out at home plate. That was just a young reaction by a young first baseman that won't happen again but when you score a run in the ninth, it looks a little bigger when you're chasing three runs vs. two."
 
The Bears and Red Raiders return to action on Saturday with a pair of games beginning at 10 a.m. (PT). The second game of the doubleheader is scheduled for 2 p.m. (PT) and both will be streamed live through the Texas Tech website. Cal and Texas Tech wrap up their series on Sunday at 10 a.m. in a game that was moved up one hour from the original 11 a.m. start time. The finale can also be streamed live, courtesy of Texas Tech.