LUBBOCK, Texas – Sacramento State took a 3-1 lead into the ninth inning and was one out away from victory before Cory Raley doubled home two runs and scored on an ensuing single from Tyler Neslony to rally #5 Texas Tech to a 4-3 win in the first of a four-game series Wednesday night.

After winning two games in walk off fashion last week, Sacramento State (6-3) was on the other side of a walk off on Wednesday in its first road game of the season. In the midst of a 14-game homestand to open the season Texas Tech (9-1) had been 0-for-10 in the game with runners in scoring position before the game-tying and game-winning hits.

Having arrived in Lubbock just four hours before the first pitch, the Hornets took a 3-0 lead into the seventh inning behind some timely hitting and a gutty performance from senior starter Brennan Leitao. The ace didn't have his usual impeccable control, walking four batters and hitting one, but battled through seven innings allowing just one run on three hits with two strikeouts.

Texas Tech left two runners on base in both the first and second innings, and in the third the Hornets pushed across a pair of runs. With two outs and a runner on second, senior Kyle Moses singled up the middle to score sophomore Gunner Pollman. Moses moved to second on a wild pitch and freshman Vinny Esposito drove him home with a single as the visitors scored two in the inning but would leave the bases loaded.

Both pitchers settled down into the sixth inning. In the bottom of the sixth Hornet junior Nathan Lukes led off the inning with a triple down the right field line. Junior Chris Lewis brought him home on an RBI groundout to push the Sacramento State lead to 3-0.

The only blemish on the stat line for Leitao came in the seventh inning when Texas Tech shortstop Tim Proudfoot rode a strong breeze out to right field for a solo home run. Leitao would finish the inning and sophomore Justin Dillon came on and worked around a one-out double in a scoreless eighth.

After the Red Raiders got a leadoff single in the bottom of the ninth Dillon struck out Proudfoot and after another single got a second strikeout in the inning to move the Hornets one out away from victory. With runners on first and second, Raley turned on a 2-1 pitch and drove a ball just inside the left field line and into the corner to double home both runners. After an intentional walk Neslony singled up the middle to bring in Raley with the winning run.

Texas Tech had just four hits through the first eight innings but had four in the ninth to pick up the win. Dominic Moreno earned the win after throwing three scoreless innings of relief with five strikeouts. Moreno and starter Cameron Smith combined for 12 strikeouts in the game; the Hornets had not struck out more than seven times in a game so far this season.

Lukes went 3-for-4 to move his batting average up to .486 with a .537 on-base percentage. His triple on Wednesday was the eighth of his career, moving him into a tie for fourth place in program history in career triples and just one three-bagger shy of equaling the record. Esposito was 2-for-4 while Raley and Neslony each had two hits for Texas Tech.

The second game of the series is schedule for 1 p.m. Pacific time on Thursday. Forecasted freezing temperatures and snow may prevent the teams from playing Thursday and/or Friday. Follow @hornetsports on twitter or Sacramento State Athletics on facebook for updates on any schedule changes.