FINAL STATS

LUBBOCK, Texas – Scott LeJeune and Nick Popescu each had a pair of hits as Texas Tech held off a late Gamecock rally to claim an 11-8 win over Jacksonville State in the final game of the 2010 Red Raider Classic on Sunday.

Freshman right-hander Brandon Petite (1-0) earned the win in relief for Tech as he went 2 1/3 innings allowing three runs on two hits. Kevin Elwell (0-1) took the loss for Jacksonville State after giving up three runs on four hits in two innings of work.

Tech jumped out to the early lead after scoring a pair of runs in the first and then plated seven runs in the third, highlighted by a two-RBI double by Bo Altobelli.

The Gamecocks battled back to score two runs in the fifth inning after Todd Cunningham scored on a wild pitch and Steven Leach had a RBI single to cut the lead to 9-2.

Jax State then scored three runs in the seventh inning to cut the lead 9-5 after Cunningham hit a two-run home run and Daniel Adamson added a RBI single.

Tech scored one in the seventh, but the Gamecocks answered in the eighth inning when Cunningham knocked in his third run of the day with a single up the middle.

The Red Raiders scored their final run in the eighth, before Andrew Edge hit a two-run pinch hit home run in the top of the ninth inning for Jax State, but the Gamecocks could get no closer.

Cunningham finished the day 3-for-4 and drove in three runs, while Adamson added a pair of hits to lead the Gamecocks.

The Gamecocks will open their home schedule on Wednesday against Kennesaw State. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. at Rudy Abbott Field.