LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech baseball overcame a 4-1 deficit to defeat Gonzaga 8-4 in Friday’s season opener at Rip Griffin Park.

The No. 24 Red Raiders turned to Brendan Girton out of the bullpen after starter Kyle Robinson allowed three earned runs on five hits in just two innings.

Girton gave up one hit in six scoreless innings allowing the offense the chance to chip away at the Bulldogs’ lead.

“His stuff was really good,” head coach Tim Tadlock said. “There’s a reason we said what we said before the series. It’s just really hard to pick. It’s just a tough decision, and I’m really glad he was down there today because he picked us up.”

The Texas Tech offense, which featured six new bats in the opening-day lineup, would even things up in the bottom of the third inning. Senior transfer Nolan Hester led off with a base hit up the middle, and freshman Gage Harrelson followed by reaching on an error. Junior transfer Austin Green would hit a 418-foot home run off the scoreboard to tie the score up at 4-4.

Texas Tech would take the lead for good in the fifth inning. After Ty Coleman reach on a hit by pitch, Texas transfer Gavin Kash hit his first home run to give the Red Raiders a 6-4 lead.

Kash would drive in his third run of the game on a sacrifice fly in the seventh, and the Red Raiders’ final run came in the eighth on a Hester double to right center that scored freshman Tracer Lopez.

Newcomers accounted for nine of the Red Raiders’ ten hits, seven of the eight runs scored, and all runs batted in.

The series continues on Saturday at 1 p.m. Lefthander Mason Molina is scheduled to start for the Red Raiders.