Logan Halleman provides spark in Texas Tech softball's region opener

TL;DR

Logan Halleman sparked Texas Tech softball's offense in their Lubbock Regional opener, contributing to a 10-3 victory over Marist. Her pinch-hit infield single and aggressive base running were key to the win.

Key points

Logan Halleman provided a spark for Texas Tech softball
Texas Tech won 10-3 against Marist in the Lubbock Regional opener
Halleman had a pinch-hit infield single and scored a key run
Gerry Glasco praised Halleman's aggressive base running

Mentioned in this story

Logan HallemanGerry Glasco

Texas Tech Red RaidersMarist Red FoxesArizona State Sun Devils

There weren't a ton of positive takeaways from the Texas Tech softball team's loss to Arizona State in last week's Big 12 Conference tournament championship game, but Gerry Glasco found one in Logan Halleman.

Late in the game with the Red Raiders needing a spark, Halleman got a pinch-hitting opportunity and delivered an infield single. It didn't provide the momentum for a comeback then, but Glasco knew in that moment Halleman was going to start the opening game of the Lubbock Regional at Tracy Sellers Field.

Glasco's intuition paid off in a big way. Halleman's bunt single kickstarted Tech's offense in what wound up being a 10-3 win over Marist.

Halleman used that bunt and attempted to steal second. Two poor throws from the Red Foxes later, Halleman scored the tie-breaking run in what was the Red Raiders' way of getting back to basics.

"She was a nightmare on the bases," Glasco said, "and that's what you want out of a speed player. You want to be a nightmare for your opponent. And Logan was a great nightmare. They'll see her in their sleep tonight."

Marist head coach Joe Ausiano said the Red Raiders caught his team off guard by the number of bunts and small ball plays they utilized. Two batters after Halleman's bunt single, Mia Williams — who became the first Red Raider in history with 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a season — pulled off a bunt single of her own to drive in another run.

In a game where Texas Tech scored double-digit runs, just two of them — a two-run home run from Taylor Pannell — came from the long ball. Everything else was generated on the field, be it singles and doubles or stolen bases and bunts.

"You want to keep the scouting report as big as you can," Glasco said, "as broad as you can. I thought it's important to kind of let everybody know we can put pressure on in different ways, and I think you do that as much for your team to see the depth of talent that we have and different ways that we can manufacture runs."