Kash and Harrelson Help No. 18 Tech Roll Gardner-Webb, 29-3

LUBBOCK, Texas – A pair of All-Americans in 2023 looked the part in Saturday’s 29-3 Texas Tech Baseball victory in front of a sold-out crowd at Rip Griffin Park at Dan Law Field.

On a picture-perfect day in the Hub City (temperatures exceeded 75 degrees), Tech was led by first baseman Gavin Kash and outfielder Gage Harrelson in the victory.

After hitting below .200 (.194) over the season’s first 30 at-bats, Kash broke out to the tune of five extra-base hits on Saturday afternoon to power his 18th-ranked Texas Tech (8-2) team to a series-clinching victory.

The Sour Lake native nearly raised his average a full-point during the win, as the first baseman went 5-for-8 with a school record four doubles, a 483-foot home run to dead center and six RBIs. Kash exits the date batting .282.

Not to be lost in the win was Harrelson’s performance, as the Georgian reached base in all-six at-bats, going 4-for-4 with five runs scored, four RBIs and his first home run of the season.

After a dramatic 10-7 victory for Texas Tech over Gardner-Webb (2-8) Friday night, Saturday’s contest lacked drama, as the Tech used a 13-run nearly 60 minute-long bottom of the second to cruise to its fifth straight win and an eighth ‘W’ in nine games. The victory comes less than 10 days after the Red Raiders exploded for a school-record 32 runs in a 32-5 win over Texas Southern last Friday.

A trio of freshmen also shined in the victory, as Travis Sanders, Mac Heuer and Davis Rivers all made big impacts.

In his first career start, Sanders went a causal 3-for-5 with three doubles, three runs scored and two RBIs, while Heuer went five strong innings of one-run ball to earn his first career victory.

Entering the game as a pinch-hitter for starter Dylan Maxcey, Rivers hit his first career bomb, a towering three-run blast into the Red Raiders bullpen.

As he has all season, sophomore Damian Bravo also producing, going 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBIs. Bravo is now hitting .585 through the seasons first 10 games with 11 extra-base hits, 19 runs scored and 19 runs driven in.

In total, the Red Raiders hit 21-for-44 (.477) on Saturday with 11 doubles, four home runs and 21 free passes (14 walks, seven hit batters).

On the mound, the Red Raiders also had a strong day as Heuer, Taber Fast and Coe went a combined seven innings of one-run ball with zero walks. Coe and Fast needed just nine and seven pitches respectively to toss their scoreless frames.

Including the 13-run second, Tech produced five crooked numbers (three-plus runs) in the victory including a combined 12 runs in the fourth-through-sixth.

With just two games remaining until Big 12 play arrives next weekend (Sunday vs. GWU, Tuesday at New Mexico) the Red Raiders are now hitting .378 as a team and are outscoring opponents 143-51 overall this season and 107-24 at home. The Red Raiders have now scored at least 10 runs in seven of the last eight games and all five home games.

UP NEXT:
The Red Raiders look for their second-straight sweep Sunday afternoon in the series-finale against the Bulldogs, as Jack Washburn is slated for the start on the mound.

First pitch from Rip Griffin Park is set for 2 p.m.

–TECH–

Release Provided By Andrew Stern Texas Tech Athletics