Red Raider Hardball | Texas Tech Takes Series From Baylor

Texas Tech Red Raiders (14-7, 2-1) vs. Baylor Bears (13-7, 1-2)

*Click on the score for boxscore.

Winning a Road Series

The Red Raiders won their first opening road series since 1997 with a 2-1 series win against Baylor. There is a quick game against Dallas Baptist in Dallas and then host Nebraska at Dan Law this weekend. As far as the Dallas Baptist game, the LAJ has your starters:

Freshman right-hander David Paiz (3-0, 4.97 ERA) gets the start for the Red Raiders. He’ll be opposed by Patriots staff ace Jared Stafford, who is 3-1 with a 2.35 ERA.

The Nebraska series is the same weekend as the Red-Black spring football game.

Back to the Baylor series, if there was one thing that kept Texas Tech out of the NCAA Tournament last year, it was that the Red Raiders couldn't win on the road and were pretty good at home. It's nice to get a series win on the road, and it was a series that almost was swept had Texas Tech been able to come back in that Saturday game. 

Accolades

Congrats to 1B Stephen Hagen, Player of the Week, and OF Andre Wheeler, Newcomer of the Week, for nabbing two of the three weekly awards this week by the Big 12.

Boxscore Thoughts

• Boxscore Game 1 | P Jamen Parten probably had the best start of any of the starting pitchers. David Paiz and Zach Fowler pitched 2.0 innings of one-hit ball, but closer John Neely, who got the win, gave up 2 runs in his 2.0 innings of work, both earned. At the plate, RF/2B Jamodrick McGruder (2-5; 1 RBI), DH/P David Paiz (2-5; 1 RBI), LF Andre Wheeler (2-3; 1 RBI) and 3B Reid Redman (2-3; 1 RBI) all had two hits. The interesting thing here is that Paiz, a true freshman, is the starting pitcher and the designated hitter. Wheeler is another true freshman. I should also point you to this YouTube clip and the game-saving catch of CF Barrett Barnes.
• Boxscore Game 2 | True freshman P Tre Masek got the start, but it was pretty darned rough (3.0 IP; 5 H; 8 R; 4 ER; 4 BB; 1 SO). I'm also guessing by looking at Masek's line that the defense didn't help him and he didn't help himself as he 4 walks. The bullpen was an absolute mess. The only relief pitcher that did much of anything was Aaron Corwin (1.2 IP; 0 ER; 1 BB; 0 SO). The absolute incredible thing about all of this was that Texas Tech was down 4-13 going into the top of the 9th inning and Texas Tech rallied for 9 runs. That rally came up short, but the Red Raiders were so close to sweeping this series. 1B Stephen Hagen (5-6; 2 RBI; 1 HR) was on fire while C Bo Altobelli (4-6; 3 RBI) and 2B Jamodrick McGruder (3-5; 3 RBI) each had 3 runs batted in.
• Boxscore Game 3 | Starting P Robbie Kilcrease was the only pitcher to give up a run (5.1 IP; 8 H; 6 R; 5 ER; 2 BB; 2 SO) and the bullpen was lights out. Neely gets his second win of the series in relief and pitched the 9th inning, while Ben Flora and Duke von Schamann pitched a hitless 10th inning. And this was really another come-back victory as Texas Tech scored one run in the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings to eentually put this away. And if you were ever concerned about the offense, don't be. It's pretty danged impressive. CF Barrett Barnes (3-6; 1 RBI), RF David Paiz (2-2; 1 RBI), 1B Stephen Hagen (2-5; 1 RBI), C Bo Altobelli (2-5; 1 RBI), LF/RF Andre Wheeler (3-6; 3 RBI) and 3B Reid Redman (3-5; 1 RBI) all had good days at the plate.