No. 24 Tech Drops Weekend Series at Baylor

WACO, Texas – No. 24 Texas Tech Baseball dropped Saturday’s suspended game 5-1 to Baylor before falling 7-2 in the series finale later Sunday afternoon at Baylor Ballpark.

Battling humid, wet and thick air, the potent Texas Tech (14-6, 2-4 Big 12) offense managed just five runs over the three-game series, as the Red Raiders managed just 16 hits on the weekend (seven Friday, four in game two and five in game three) and two extra-base hits.

After getting a Friday night shutout win over Baylor (7-12, 2-4 Big 12), Tech battled the weather and the Bears, as after an almost three-hour delay on Saturday, the middle game of the weekend set was suspended in the top of the fourth inning with the Bears leading 5-0.

In the continuation of the suspended game, Tech tried to erase the 5-0 hole it faced after freshman Mac Heuer allowed a first inning two-run home run to Wesley Jordan and three-run blast to Mason Greer in the second.

Baylor received 3.2 one-hit innings from its starter, Collin McKinney, before the game was suspended due to weather. McKinney punched out five and allowed a pair of walks in addition to the one base hit before the game was suspended with two outs in the top of the fourth.

Once play resumed early Sunday afternoon, the Red Raiders used a lead-off single from Tracer Lopez as well as a stolen base and throwing error to place a pair on the corners for Gavin Kash.

Looking to bring the Red Raiders back into the game, Kash put a good swing on an 0-1 offering from Baylor reliever RJ Ruais for a line drive sac-fly. The run brought Tech to within 5-1.

The run was all Tech was able to muster off Ruias as the reliever went 3.1 innings to earn the victory.

In the loss, Tech did get five scoreless innings from its bullpen, highlighted by a pair of scoreless innings from Derek Bridges and an inning-and-a-third from Max Huffling. Southern Miss transfer Isaiah Rhodes looked good in his first action since Mar. 2, as the righty needed just 13 pitches to fire his zero. The final Red Raider reliever on the night was freshman Parker Hutyra who struck out two of the three batters he faced.

Looking for the series victory, the Red Raiders turned to junior Jack Washburn in game three.

Washburn needed just nine pitches to get through a scoreless first, before allowing a run on a pair of singles.

The Red Raiders got their first hit of the ballgame on a Dylan Maxcey single to lead-off the third. Maxcey ultimately advanced to second on a ground out, but Baylors lefty, Green, used a strikeout and a foul out to strand the tying run in scoring position.

In the third, Baylor loaded the bases with one out, but Washburn limited the damage, only allowing a sac-fly in the frame.

The game remained 2-0 Baylor until the fifth, when Baylor used a pair of singles and double to pull ahead 3-0.

The final single prompted a pitching change, as the Red Raiders summoned Trendan Parish from the bullpen. Parish picked off a runner at first and ultimately struck out a batter on a 3-2 count to escape without further damage.

Parish threw 1.2 scoreless innings in the series finale allowing just a pair of walks. The righty struck out two.

One pitch into the seventh, the game once again went into a weather delay, as this time the delay lasted one hour and 26 minutes.

The delay forced a pitching change from Baylor, as righty Stephen Sepulveda replaced Green. Green ultimately went six-plus innings allowing no runs, two hits and just one walk.

Sepulveda lost third baseman Cade McGee to a single on a 1-2 count, setting the table for the Red Raiders to get on the board. McGee advanced to second on a wild pitch and to third on a groundout.

With McGee standing on third, TJ Pompey worked his way back from an 0-2 count to lift a 3-2 sac-fly that plated McGee.

In a 3-1 game, the Red Raiders turned to lefty Ryan Free who allowed a pair of singles and a hit batter to load the bases with nobody out.

All three runners ended up coming around to score as Baylor scored four runs to take a 7-1 lead into the eighth.

In the eighth, outfielder Drew Woodcox hit his fourth home run of the season, a no-doubt 430-foot shot to left center to plate the Red Raiders final run of the night.

UP NEXT:
The Red Raiders return to action on Tuesday night when the Wildcats of Abilene Christian visit Lubbock. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.

–TECH–

Release Provided By Andrew Stern Texas Tech Athletics