Tech Opens Final Six-Game Road Swing at No. 19 OSU
Release Provided By Andrew Stern Texas Tech Athletics:
LUBBOCK, Texas – The Texas Tech Red Raiders open the final six-game road trip of the 2024 season this weekend when they head to Stillwater for a weekend series against No. 19 Oklahoma State.
The weekend series against OSU will also be the 10th and final Big 12 series of the season.
Tech and OSU are set for a 6 p.m. first pitch on both Friday and Saturday and a 2 p.m. first pitch on Sunday.
INSIDE THE MATCHUPS:
GAME ONE:
MATCHUP: Texas Tech (30-17 12-12 Big 12) at Oklahoma State (32-16, 15-9 Big 12)
DATE: Friday, May 10, 2024
TIME: 6 p.m.
LOCATION: O’Brate Stadium (Stillwater, Okla.)
PITCHING MATCHUP: LHP Ryan Free (5-1, 4.79 ERA) vs. Sam Garcia (2-2, 4.12 ERA)
GAME TWO:
MATCHUP: Texas Tech (30-17 12-12 Big 12) at Oklahoma State (32-16, 15-9 Big 12)
DATE: Saturday, May 11, 2024
TIME: 6 p.m.
LOCATION: O’Brate Stadium (Stillwater, Okla.)
PITCHING MATCHUP: RHP Kyle Robinson (4-6, 5.09 ERA) vs. Brain Holiday (3-2, 4.50 ERA)
GAME THREE:
MATCHUP: Texas Tech (30-17 12-12 Big 12) at Oklahoma (26-17, 15-6 Big 12)
DATE: Sunday, May 12, 2024
TIME: 2 p.m.
LOCATION: O’Brate Stadium (Stillwater, Okla.)
PITCHING MATCHUP: TBA vs. Carson Benge (2-0, 1.47 ERA)
1-2-3 HEADLINES:
* The Red Raiders close out Big 12 Conference play this weekend when they travel to Stillwater for a three-game series this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Friday’s series opener is set for a 6 p.m start, while Saturday’s game two is also set for a 6 p.m. start. The third and final game of the series is set for 2 p.m. on Sunday.
* The Red Raiders enter the weekend having won nine straight games in Stillwater and 10-of-11 overall against the Cowboys. That began with a three game series sweep in 2016 when Tech defeated OSU 8-4 on Friday, 5-1 on Saturday and 8-2 on Sunday. The three-game sweep started a streak of three-straight sweeps. In 218 the Re Raiders headed to Stillwater to close ou the regular season and won 9-4, 14-6 and 7-3 against the Cowboys. In 2022, the Red Raiders closed out the third straight sweep with victories of 7-6, 9-3 and 6-4 against No. 3 OSU. Only three Red Raiders remain from the team in 2022 that swept OSU: Derek Bridges, Josh Sanders and Owen Washburn.
* Tech enters the weekend seeking to both improve their place in the Big 12 standings as well as clinch a Big 12 Tournament bid. Currently three-games (in the loss column) up on Baylor for the 10th and final Big 12 Tournament spot, the Red Raiders could clinch a berth in the Big 12 tournament with either three wins and a Baylor loss or a pair of wins this weekend and a pair of Baylor losses.
WEEKEND NOTES:
LAST BIG 12 WEEKEND
The Red Raiders weekend series at OSU this weekend will be the 10th and final Big 12 Conference weekend of the 2024 season. The Red Raiders opened Big 12 play with a weekend series at home against Texas (Mar. 8-10) before traveling to Baylor (Mar. 15-17) for three games in Waco. After returning home for a three-game series with BYU (Mar. 21-23), the Red Raiders traveled to Orlando for three games at UCF (Mar. 28-30). April brought a weekend home series with Houston (Apr. 5-7) before traveling to TCU (Apr. 12-14). After a weekend series with WVU (Apr. 19-21) the Red Raiders traveled to Lawrence to face Kansas (Apr. 26-28). The month of May opened with the weekend home series against OU (May 3-5) and will close with the weekend series in Stillwater.
COULD BE LIKE 2014
The last time the Red Raiders were swept in a Big 12 series in the Month of May occurred in the 2014 season when the Red Raiders went to Lawrence and were swept by the Jayhawks. The weekend sweep dropped the Red Raiders to 36-16 overall and 11-10 in Big 12 Conference play. Following the sweep in Lawrence, the Red Raiders defeated DBU in a midweek before closing Big 12 play with a weekend sweep of WVU. Projected on the bubble after going 0-2 in the Big 12 Tournament, the Red Raiders instead earned an at-large bid to the Coral Gables Regional where Tech defeated the host Hurricanes twice to win the regional. After the College of Charleston swept its way through the Gainesville Regional and headed to Lubbock for the first ever home Super Regional. Tech of course swept CofC winning a pair of 1-0 games.
CLOSING IN STILLWATER
For the first time since the 2018 season, the Red Raiders will close their Big 12 season in Stillwater. That season, Tech headed to No. 14 OSU and used a 9-4 Friday night win, a 14-6 Saturday win and a 7-3 Sunday win to close out a series sweep of the Cowboys. That sweep was one of the straight sweeps of Oklahoma State that the Red Raiders have closed out.
SIX STRAIGHT SINCE 2017
The Red Raiders have won straight series overall against OSU (includes the 2019 Super Regionals) dating back to the 2017 season. That stretch started with the sweep in Stillwater in 2018 an continued with a home sweep in 2019 against the Pokes as well as the Game Three Super Regional win in 2019. After the Red Raiders and Cowboys did not play in 2020, Tech won 2/3 from OSU in 2021. After another Stillwater sweep in 2022, the Red Raiders won 2/3 against OSU in 2023. The Red Raiders are 15-3 since 2017 against OSU.
SUCCESS IN STILLY
The Red Raiders enter the weekend having won nine straight games (three straight series sweeps) and 10-of-11 overall in Stillwater dating back to the 2014 season. Tech swept the last three series in Stillwater: 2022, 2018 and 2016. The Red Raiders and Cowboys were set to meet in Stillwater in 2020 before the COVID-19 Pandemic canceled all of Big 12 play.
NEED A SWEEP TO GET BACK TO .500
In order to avoid finishing under .500 in Big 12 play, the Red Raiders must complete a series sweep of the Cowboys this weekend. Tech last finished under .500 in conference play in 2013, the first season of HC Tim Tadlock’s tenure in Lubbock. The Red Raiders enter the weekend at 12-15 in Big 12 play after suffering a sweep last weekend against OU.
NEED A BOUNCEBACK
In Stillwater this weekend, the Red Raiders will look to bounce back after being swept in back-to-back Big 12 weekend series for the first time since the 2008 season when the Red Raiders were swept at Nebraska and at Kansas in consecutive weekends. The Red Raiders six-game conference losing streak marks the longest since that 2008 season when the Red Raiders lost eight straight Big 12 games in the final season of HC Larry Hays’ career.
SWEPT AT HOME? BEEN A MINUTE
The Red Raiders were swept last weekend against No. 22 Oklahoma, marking the first time since the 2007 season that Tech was swept at home (May 11-13) to No. 19 Oklahoma. That stretch spanned 68 series.
OUT OF TEXAS BACK-TO-BACK WEEKENDS
This weekend series at Oklahoma State not only begins a six-game roadtrip it also opens the longest stretch of games that Tech will go without a game in the State of Texas. Following the weekend in Oklahoma at Oklahoma State, the Red Raiders will head to Arizona for a three-game weekend at Arizona State (twice) and against UNLV (one).
KA$H BOMBS
After hitting into tough luck against KU, first baseman Gavin Kash hit three home runs last week. The home runs were his 37th, 38th and 39th home runs all-time and moved him from a tie for ninth all-time into a tie for fifth on the all-time home run list. The Sour Lake native is currently tied with Roger Kieschnick and Jace Jung for fifth all-time on the list. If Kash can hit one more home run he would become the fifth Red Raider to record 40 home runs in a career joining Clint Bryant (44), Josh Bard (43), Joe Dillion (43) and Mike Humphreys (41). Kash needs just five long balls to move into a tie atop the all-time home run list. Last week, Kash caught fire again, going 8-for-19 with four runs scored, six RBIs and three home runs. Kash slugged .947 over that span.
GAGE HAD A GOOD WEEK
After starting last Tuesday night in the win over UTRGV, Harrelson started both Saturday and Sunday afternoon in CF. For the week, Harrelson went 4-for-10 with a pair of runs scored and two walks. Harrelson also stole three bases to regain the team lead in steals. Harrelson’s starts against OU were his first weekend starts since Mar. 29 against UCF. Harrelson also started overall on Tuesday for the first time since Apr. 17 at Arkansas. With his three steals, Harrelson has now stolen 13 bases in just 73 at-bats. Harrelson has yet to be caught in those 13 attempts.
BRAVO. DAMIAN BRAVO.
Damian Bravo has been suburb in his second season in Lubbock, as the Sophomore has hit a team-best .398 in his 43 games played. Bravo leads the Big 12 in average and doubles. Bravo is third in the league in hits (64) and runs scored (49). On Tuesday night Bravo recorded his 20th multiple hit game of the season and scored his 50th and 51st runs of the season. After never having a triple in his career in over 180 at-bats, Bravo recorded the first two triples of his career in the series finale at KU and in the midweek game against UTRGV.
RUNNIN‘ RUNNIN‘
The Red Raiders have clearly been aggressive on the base-paths this season, as the club has now stolen 48 bases in 50 games played. The Red Raiders went until Mar. 23 against BYU without a caught stealing as the Red Raiders went 28 consecutive stolen base attempts with out a caught stealing. Tech has been caught stealing just five times and already have stolen 20 more bases than 2023 (28).
BRIDGES HAS BEEN USED OFTEN
With his appearance Sunday on Senior Day against Oklahoma, Bridges pitched in a game for the 73rd time as a Red Raiders. With that appearance, Bridges passed former Red Raiders John McMillian for seventh all-time on the appearance list. The next time Bridges enters a game to pitch for Tech, he will appear in his 74th career game which will tie the lefty with Brian Cloud for sixth all-time on the list.
SANDY JOINS THE TOP-10
With his appearance last Tuesday against UTRGV, Josh Sanders recorded his 67th career appearance to past Jeff Peck for 10th all-time on the appearance list. Sanders needs just one more appearance to tie former Red Raider Parker Mushinski for ninth all-time in appearances. Sanders appearance on Sunday against OU was the 23rd of his career. The righty needs just five more to crack the single-season appearance list.
NINE IN SEVEN BRINGS SCHOOL RECORD
The Red Raiders slugged a school-record nine home runs in the victory over ACU, as four different Red Raiders hit multiple home runs (Cade McGee, Gavin Kash, TJ Pompey and Drew Woodcox). Tech became the first Big 12 Team since 2019 to sock nine home runs as the four players with multiple home runs are the most by a Big 12 team since at least 2011.
6-4-3 HISTORY
On Friday night against Kansas, the Red Raiders turned seven double plays in nine innings. The Red Raiders turned a double play in every inning except the fourth and ninth. The streak started in the bottom of the first when Ryan Free induced a 4-3 GDP of Jake English in the first. In the second inning, Free ended the inning with a 6-4-3 GDP. In the third Free put the first two outs on the board on a 4-6-3 double play. In the fifth, Free got English to ground into another GDP, this time started by SS Tracer Lopez who flipped to TJ Pompey who then threw to Gavin Kash to complete the 6-4-3 DP. In the sixth, reliever Josh Sanders ended the inning with a 6-3 DP before a line drive DP in the seventh ended another inning. In the eighth, Sanders erased a lead off single for the Red Raiders seventh double play of the game. The seven double plays were a new school record and tied the all-time NCAA mark. It was the fifth time in NCAA history that a team had turned seven double plays .
UP NEXT:
The Red Raiders close out the regular season next Thursday and Friday with a pair of games against Arizona State and a game against UNLV. The weekend begins on Thursday (May 16) with a game against ASU at 8:30 p.m. and concludes with a game against UNLV at 3 p.m. on Friday and vs. Arizona State at 8:30 p.m.
–TECH–