Series Details:
Dates: Thursday, March 24th – Saturday, March 26th
Good Guys: Texas Tech Red Raiders (13-7, 2-1)
Bad Guys: Oklahoma Sooners (11-10-1, 0-0)
Location: Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park | Lubbock, Texas
Game Notes: Preview | PDF
TV/Stream: Thursday – FOX Sports Southwest Plus | Saturday-Sunday – TexasTech.TV
Radio/Stream: Broadcast Affiliates
The Sooners are 7th in batting average, hitting .258 as a team, while Texas Tech is 2nd overall. I think that’s been bumped up a bit since last week because that’s what happens when you score 14 runs in a game. I think a lot of the problems with the pitching in that game was wind related and would guess that you won’t see the same results of the ball flying out of the park unless the wind is blowing out. Oklahoma is 3rd in the Big 12 with a team ERA of 3.33, while Texas Tech is now over 4, at 4.02. Giving 11 runs will do that. Much like last week, I think Texas Tech needs to win this series, take at least 2 of 3 and it would be great to sweep this series.
LAJ’s Krista Pirtle talked with head coach Tim Tadlock and he talked about a handful of things, including the starting pitching as well as the Oklahoma starters and the Texas Tech offense. Here’s the bit about the offense:
“We’ll be in the cage pretty much all day (Wednesday), or I will,” Smith said. “We’ll get in the cage, work with the coaches, work off the machine. We just have to have good at bats whenever they come, especially against (Alec) Hansen and (Jake) Elliott. They pitched pretty good against us (last year). We just have to go out there and do our thing.”
Stats
| Avg | .291 | .258 |
| OBP | .387 | .367 |
| SLG | .435 | .393 |
| ERA | 4.02 | 3.33 |
| OAvg | .266 | .239 |
| SO/9 | 7.29 | 7.46 |
| BB/9 | 3.56 | 4.40 |
| FLD% | .970 | .978 |
Probable Starters:
Game 1: Friday, March 24th @ 6:30 pm
Texas Tech Starting Pitcher: RHP Davis Martin (2-0, 2.18)
Oklahoma Starting Pitcher: RHP Alec Hansen (0-3, 6.05)
Final Score & Box Score: Texas Tech 5, Oklahoma 0 (Recap)
There is no link to a box score right now (the current link on the recap goes to the New Mexico win earlier this week), but there’s a bit of a box score on the recap. Davis Martin pitched 6 innings, allowing just 3 hits, no walks, 7 strikeouts and no earned runs. Hayden Howard pitched the final 3 frames, allowing just 1 hit, walked 2 and struck out 5. That moves Martin to 3-0 on the year and don’t be surprised if Martin is up for another conference award.
The offense was mainly a result of the Oklahoma starter having a heck of a first inning as he only lasted 0.2 as he allowed 3 hits, 3 walks and Texas Tech walked home a couple of runs in that first inning and the Red Raiders never looked back. Orlando Garcia had the only multi-hit game of the evening and it was one of those games where this wasn’t about an explosive offensive out-put, but a bunch of guys getting on base, whether it be a walk or a hit there and making it happen.
Game 2: Saturday, March 25th @ 6:30 pm
Texas Tech Starting Pitcher: LHP Steven Gingery (1-1, 4.40)
Oklahoma Starting Pitcher: RHP Chris Andritsos (3-1, 2.05)
Final Score & Box Score: Texas Tech 6, Oklahoma 1 (recap | box score)
Well, Martin Davis may share conference newcomer honors with fellow freshman Steven Gingery as he was fantastic as well, going 7.0 innings, giving up just 3 hits, 1 run, walking 2 and striking out 6 on what was a very efficient day for Gingery, throwing 55 of his 93 pitches for strikes. Robert Dugger would pitch the final 2 frames, giving up 2 hits, no runs and striking out 2 while throwing 18 of his 27 for strikes.
The Texas Tech offense would get on the board in the first inning, a Michael Davis walk followed by a Tanner Gardner double would score Davis. In the second, true freshman catcher Matt Bernstein would double, with Orlando Garcia singling to move Bernstein to third and a Michael Davis single would score Bernstein. Texas Tech’s big inning would happen in the 5th, where the Red Raiders would score 3 runs on just 2 hits that happened with just 1 out, a Gardner single and a Corey Raley bunt with Eric Gutierrez and Tyler Neslony both walking and walking in two runs, Gardner and Raley, and a Bernstein groundout that scored Gutierrez. A Stephen Smith home run in the 6th would cap off the offense. Smith, Garnder and Raley each had two hits on the day.
Game 3: Sunday, March 26th @ 2:00 pm
Texas Tech Starting Pitcher: RHP Ty Harpenau (0-0, 4.50)
Oklahoma Starting Pitcher: TBA
Final Score & Box Score: Texas Tech 13, Oklahoma 7 (Recap | Box Score)
This game started off terribly wrong, with starter Ty Harpenau lasting just 1.1 innings, allowing 5 runs, all earned, walking 1, striking out 1. Then, Eden Chandler came in to relieve Harpeneau and didn’t record an out, and promptly gave up 2 hits and another run. Parker Mushinski did finally get Texas Tech out of the inning and recorded 1 out in the second before Hayden Howard stepped on the mound and pitched really well, going 3.2 innings, now allowing a run and giving up 1 hit, walking 1 and striking out 2. Ryan Moseley pitched the final 3 innings, allowing just a walk, walking 3 and striking out 1 to earn the save.
Texas Tech actually had the bases loaded in the bottom of the first inning and it’s a bit scary to think what could have happened if Texas Tech would have plated more than just 1 run. Either way, this Texas Tech offense wasn’t going to be denied, as they found themselves down 6-1 in the bottom of the third and they never looked back. Texas Tech would score 5 in the 3rd, 4 in the 4th, and 3 in the 5th inning. Tanner Gardner continues to absolutely crush the ball, he was 3-4 with 2 runs scored an an RBI, Michael Davis was 2-5 with 2 runs scored, Corey Raley was 2-2 with 3 runs and 3 RBI, while the bottom of the lineup produced big time as well. Tyler Neslony was 1-2 with 2 RBI, Ryan Long was 1-4 with 3 RBI and Orlando Garcia was 2-4 with 2 RBI. The bottom of the lineup essentially pushed all of the guys that got on base across home plate.
And stick around for the highlights, where Ryan Long made a terrific diving grab to nearly complete a triple play. Missed it by a hair.