Preview & Series Thread: Houston Baptist vs. Texas Tech

Series Details

Good Guys: #10 Texas Tech Red Raiders (0-3, 0-0)
Bad Guys: Houston Baptist Huskies (1-2, 0-0)
When to Watch: Friday, February 26th – Sunday, February 28th
Where to Watch: Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park | Lubbock, Texas
How to Listen: 97.3 FM | Affiliates | TuneIn App
Series Notes: Preview | PDF
Live Stats: SideArmStats
Weather: WeatherUnderground

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Official Site Preview:

For just the second time in 13 years, Tech began its season away from home. The Red Raiders (0-3) took part in a clash of six top-10 teams at the inaugural State Farm College Baseball Showdown at Globe Life Field in Arlington. Despite coming up short, all three games featured one-run battles into the ninth inning.

Houston Baptist (1-2) comes to Lubbock after opening its campaign with a three-game series at Rice. The Huskies started the year with an extra-inning win over the Owls before dropping the next two contests late.

Last year, the two clubs kicked off the season with a pair of matchups in what was a four-game opening weekend. Tech earned a 5-1 win on Opening Day behind stellar pitching performances from Clayton Beeter and Micah Dallas. The Red Raiders then erupted for a 24-3 run-rule win Saturday, highlighted by three home runs and seven RBI from Nate Rombach.

Dinger Derby Podcast – From Arlington to Hosting the Huskies | Dinger Derby:

It’s Episode 45 of Dinger Derby, and Keith recaps what went down at the State Farm College Baseball Showdown and looks ahead to the home opening series against the Houston Baptist Huskies.

Team Stats

Texas Tech Houston Baptist
Avg 0.214 0.278
SLG% 0.357 0.320
OB% 0.408 0.330
ERA 3.36 5.19
WHIP 1.88 1.58
SO/9 9.69 5.19
BB/9 3.62 727
FLD% 0.977 0.952

Game 1 | Friday, February 26th

First Pitch: 2:00 p.m.
Television: ESPN+
Texas Tech Probable Starter: RHP Brandon Birdsell (0-0, 13.50)
Houston Baptist Probable Starter: RHP Tyler Zarella (0-0, 7.20)
Final Score: Texas Tech 18, Houston Baptist 3
Winning Pitcher: Brandon Birdsell (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: T. Zarella (0-1)
Key Hitters: 2B Jace Jung 3-4 (2 HR), 2 R, 4 RBI; DH Cole Stilwell 2-4 (1 HR), 2 R, 4 RBI; 1B/C Nate Rombach 3-4 (1 HR), 3 R, 3 RBI
Key Pitchers: Brandon Birdsell 4.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO; Nick Gorby 1.2 IP, 2 BB, 1 SO
Links: Recap | Box Score

The offensive fireworks came early and often for No. 10 Texas Tech baseball in its home opener as the Red Raiders went yard six times and racked up 21 hits on their way to an 18-3 run-rule victory over Houston Baptist Friday afternoon at Rip Griffin Park.

Tech (1-3) homered in four consecutive innings from the second to the fifth, and all nine Red Raider starters scored a run as Tech jumped emphatically into the win column in its first home game since March 8 last season.


Game 2 | Saturday, February 27th

First Pitch: 2:00 p.m.
Television: ESPN+
Texas Tech Probable Starter: LHP Patrick Monteverde (0-0, 0.00)
Houston Baptist Probable Starter: RHP Jacob Coats (0-0, 5.40)
Final Score: Texas Tech 8, Houston Baptist 1
Winning Pitcher: Patrick Monteverde (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: Jacob Coats (0-1)
Key Hitters: SS Cal Conely 3-5, 1 R, 1 RBI; 1B Nate Rombach 2-4, 1 R, 2 RBI; DH Cody Masters 2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI
Key Pitchers: Patrick Monteverde 7.0 IP, 2 H, 9 SO; Brendan Gifton 2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 3 SO
Links: Recap | Box Score

Left-hander Patrick Monteverde tossed seven shutout innings and racked up nine strikeouts as No. 10 Texas Tech baseball clinched the series against Houston Baptist with an 8-1 victory Saturday afternoon at Rip Griffin Park.

After putting an offensive explosion on Friday, Monteverde stole the show on Saturday as the graduate transfer allowed just two base runners in an efficient 7.0 innings of work. The Red Raiders opened up a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning and added a run in the sixth, two in the seventh and two more in the eighth to cruise to their second consecutive win.


Game 3 | Sunday, February 28th

First Pitch: 1:00 p.m.
Television: ESPN+
Texas Tech Probable Starter: LHP Mason Montgomery (0-0, 2.25)
Houston Baptist Probable Starter: LHP Austin Spinney (0-0, 0.00)
Final Score: Texas Tech 11, Houston Baptist 2
Winning Pitcher: Mason Montgomery (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: Austin Spinney (0-1)
Key Hitters: CF Dylan Neuse 2-4, 2 R, 3 RBI; RF Kurt Wilson 1-3, 2 R, 2 RBI; C Nate Rombach 1-2 (HR), 1 R, 2 RBI
Key Pitchers: Mason Montgomery 5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO; Connor Queen 2.0 IP 3 H, 1 ER, 1 SO; Ryan Sublette 1.0 IP, 2 S(
Links: Recap | Box Score

Mason Montgomery (1-0) delivered his second consecutive strong start to open the year, allowing one run on two hits over 5.0 innings, and an eight-run fourth inning gave the Red Raiders (3-3) all the run support it needed to close out the Huskies (1-5).

HBU grabbed its only lead of the series on a solo home run in the top of the fourth, but the lead was short-lived as Kurt Wilson’s two-run double ignited Tech’s biggest inning of the season.

Tech got its first two men aboard, and a fielder’s choice off the bat of Cal Conley ended up being thrown into the outfield, allowing Dylan Neuse to score and tie the game at 1-1. Wilson immediately followed with his two-bagger to the gap, and Parker Kelly made it 4-1 with an RBI single. Tech went on to add four two-out RBI from a Jace Jung single, a Dylan Neuse two-run triple and a Cole Stilwell single.

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