Preview: Four-game set with Merrimack on tap next

No. 19 TEXAS TECH vs. MERRIMACK COLLEGE

March 4-6, 2022

Texas Tech Game Notes (PDF) | Merrimack Baseball Website

STARTERS

Texas Tech continues its 2022 home schedule this weekend with a four-game set with Merrimack College – a D1 program as of 2020 that plays in the Northeast Conference located in North Andover, Massachusetts, a short 31-hour, 2,039-mile drive between the two teams’ campus addresses (source/Google Maps). Owning one of the top home-field advantages in the nation. Texas Tech looks to continue its home-field dominance where it has won over 75% of its home games since Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park opened in 2012. The Red Raiders own a 240-71 mark since 2012, and are 4-0 at home in 2022. In the friendly confines of Rip Griffin Park, Tech’s offense has produced 33 of its 47 runs, 35 of its 58 hits, seven of its eight doubles and five of its six home runs.

This weekend, John Harris and Mike Gustafson will call the game from inside Rip Griffin Park as coverage will be provided via Big 12 Now on ESPN+. The broadcast can be accessed from any desktop or laptop computer, any personal cellular device and television streaming services using the ESPN app. Registration for the subscription service can be found at ESPNPlus.com.

Texas Tech Sports Network will also broadcast the game over 46 affiliates throughout the state of Texas and New Mexico as Jamie Lent will have the call alongside analyst, Texas Tech baseball alum, Cam Warren, on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, Lent will be joined in the booth by Geoff Haxton. 

TEXAS TECH IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS

• D1Baseball: No. 19
• Baseball America: NR
• NCBWA: No. 21
• Collegiate Baseball: No. 23
• Perfect Game: No. 19

PROJECTED PITCHING MATCHUPS

• Friday, March 4: RHP Andrew Morris (9.00 ERA, 0-0) vs. RHP Timmy Kalantzakos (20.25 ERA, 0-1)
• Saturday, March 5 (DH1): RHP Brandon Birdsell (3.00 ERA, 1-1) vs. RHP Vin Zappulla (0.00 ERA, 1-0)
• Saturday, March 5 (DH2): LHP Mason Molina (3.86 ERA, 0-1) vs. RHP Cedric Gillette (1.50 ERA, 1-0)
• Sunday, March 6: RHP Austin Becker (27.00 ERA, 0-0) vs. RHP Wyatt Villella (1st appearance of ’22)

BIG 12 HONORS

Ty Coleman was selected as the Big 12 Baseball Player of the Week and Newcomer of the Week the conference announced on Monday. The award covers games played Feb. 21-27. In four games, Coleman hit .471 with 11 RBI and two doubles and two home runs, including a go-ahead 3-run blast in the seventh inning to clinch a series sweep for the Red Raiders over Kent State. The junior designated hitter had three multi-hit games, including a 3-for-5 performance with two doubles to open a doubleheader Sunday. He had four RBI in two different games, including Texas Tech’s midweek win against Dallas Baptist. For the week, Coleman had a 1.441 OPS, scored six runs, and four of his eight hits went for extra bases. These are Coleman’s first weekly honors from the Big 12.

STRAIGHT DEALIN’

The Texas Tech pitching staff owns a collective 99 strikeouts through eight games this season. The 99 strikeouts rank tops in the Big 12 and No. 18 in all of Division I baseball. The mark sits at 12.4 strikeouts per inning, and is No. 10 in all of Division I baseball as well. Six different Red Raiders have collected double-digit strikeouts, led by Andrew Morris (16) who is striking batters out at a rate of 16.00 strikeouts per nine innings – ranking No. 1 in the Big 12 and No. 21 in the NCAA. Trendan Parish, Brendan Girton, Chase Hampton and Mason Molina each own 12 while Brandon Birdsell owns 11 strikeouts (Birdsell tossed seven of those in his last start). 

SCOUTING – MERRIMACK COLLEGE

• Merrimack College is located in North Andover, Massachusetts, approximately 30 minutes north of Boston. The enrollment was listed at 4,202 in the fall of 2020. 
• Merrimack baseball joined the Division I ranks in 2020, and they are members of the Northeast Conference (NEC). The 2022 NEC preseason poll voted the following order of finish: 1-Bryant, 2-Central Connecticut, 3-Sacred Heart, 4-Long Island U., 5-Wagner, 6-Merrimack, 7-Mount St. Mary’s and 8-Fairleigh Dickinson.
• Merrimack has played just four games this season, and is 2-2. The Warriors opened their season at a neutral site, Feb. 25, in Port Charlotte, Florida, and played Indiana State (L, 14-2) on Friday, won both games of a doubleheader the next day against St. Bonaventure (5-2, 9-1), and lost to Northeastern in the Sunday finale (L, 11-1).
• Merrimack’s first home game of the 2022 season is March 25 against Sacred Heart.
• Vin Zappulla was named the NEC Pitcher of the Week on March 1. In his outing of game one of Merrimack’s doubleheader against St. Bonaventure, he earned the win in 5.0 IP, two runs scored, but neither were earned, struck out seven and walked one.
• Head Coach Brian Murphy joined Merrimack last September returning to his alma mater after spending the last eight seasons at William & Mary.
• Merrimack finished the 2021 season with a 19-22 record after their first season in Division I was cut short due to the Covid-19 pandemic. During its first two seasons in Division I the Merrimack College baseball team has wins over schools like Michigan State, Oral Roberts, and Boston College.

This-N-That

• Texas Tech is undefeated this season when scoring first (4-0).
• Tech is 6-0 when scoring three runs or better. Tech’s only two losses this season were when scoring 0-2 runs.
• Three of Texas Tech’s six wins came after trailing in the sixth inning.
• Texas Tech has surged in the sixth and seventh innings offensively this season scoring nine runs in the sixth and 10 runs in the seventh over the course of 2022’s six games. 
• Texas Tech is 4-0 this season when having at least one home run.
• Dillon Carter’s leadoff home run in the first game of the Red Raiders’ doubleheader against Kent State on Feb. 27 was the first such occurrence that a game started with a home run since leadoff hitter Gabe Holt went yard to start a game on May 19, 2018 against Oklahoma State.

–TECH–