Oladipo's two wins highlight first day of Corky/Crofoot Shootout

Texas Tech's Gabriel Oladipo won the discus and the hammer throw on Friday's first day of the Corky/Crofoot Shootout, the Red Raiders' last regular-season home track and field meet.

Oladipo won the discus with a mark of 188 feet, 6 inches, then turned around and took the hammer with a throw of 193-5. The graduate student from Fort Bend Hightower went into Friday ranked No. 14 in NCAA Division I in the discus with a season best of 193-4, achieved April 1 in the Masked Rider Open.

Lubbock Christian University's Bryce Spencer took second in Friday's discus event with a mark of 175-2, followed by Tech's Jacob Mechler (170-5) and Konner Wood (166-2).

In the hammer, North Texas' Chris Samaniego threw 190-6 for second, followed by Abilene Christian's Tyler Richardson (182-11) and LCU's Spencer (182-6).

Abilene Christian's Annina Brandenburg threw 191-2 for first place in the women's discus. Tech's Seasons Usual (182-4) and Kayli Johnson (166-5) got second and third.

Usual and Brandenburg are ranked third and fourth in Division I this season with season bests of 195-2 and 191-3, respectively.

The discus and hammer throws were the only two events on Friday's schedule in the two-day meet. All other events are Saturday, beginning with distance runs at 8 a.m.

The Red Raiders' seniors will be recognized during a ceremony at 2:30 p.m. The bulk of the meet unfolds thereafter with remaining field events scheduled from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and remaining running events from 5 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.

Softball

Mia Scott singled and scored on McKenzie Parker's RBI groundout in the top of the seventh inning, lifting No. 17 Texas to a 5-4 victory against Texas Tech in Friday's opener of a three-game Big 12 series at Rocky Johnson Field.

Tech (22-24, 5-11) managed only three hits off Hailey Dolcini (15-7), who struck out 14. The senior transfer from Fresno State tied her season high.

Tech hit a pair of two-run homers, however, Payton Jackson giving the Red Raiders a 2-0 lead in the first inning and Riley Love forging a 4-4 tie with her shot in the fifth.

Texas (33-15-1, 8-5) snapped a three-game losing streak after getting swept last week at No Oklahoma State. Janae Jefferson and Mary Iakopo hit solo homers for the Longhorns, and Iakopo put UT ahead 4-2 with a two-run single in the fifth.

Olivia Rains (1-7), who pitched three innings in relief, took the loss.

The two teams rescheduled Sunday's series finale as part of a doubleheader at noon Saturday. Tech graduate student Molly Grumbo and fifth-year senior Maddie Westmoreland will be honored in a senior-day ceremony about 20 minutes before the first game.

The National Weather Service forecast calls for a 60- to 70-percent chance of rain on Sunday afternoon, during the time when the series finale was originally scheduled.

The series ends the regular season for the Red Raiders. Texas still has a series left next weekend against Baylor.

Baseball

Texas Tech special assistant and former Red Raiders pitching coach Ray Hayward is in need of a heart transplant, those close to him posted in a journal entry Thursday on caringbridge.org.

Hayward, a former Major League pitcher, turned 61 on Wednesday.

The caringbridge post by Haley Burks said Hayward underwent heart surgery March 21 in what was thought to be a minor procedure, but "severe complications" followed.

"He has fought several battles since that day," Burks wrote, "but in true Ray fashion has faced each head on and made significant progress. Ray is fully aware of all that has transpired over the last 6 weeks and has maintained a great attitude in spite of it all. None of us are surprised by the progress he's made, but he has shocked all the doctors and nurses and continues to do so with every milestone he meets."

The post said a heart transplant has been determined to be the best treatment option.

"He is still with the assistance of some machines to help his heart function efficiently," Burks wrote. "Ray is working hard every day to get stronger and healthy enough to undergo the surgery ahead of him."

Hayward is in his 10th season on the Tech staff and fifth as special assistant. He was an original member of Tim Tadlock's staff, hired in June 2012.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Gabriel Oladipo's discus, hammer wins highlight first day of Corky/Crofoot Shootout