Preview: Road series at Baylor on deck for No. 9 Tech

No. 9 TEXAS TECH at BAYLOR

Waco, Texas | Baylor Ballpark

April 29-May 1, 2022

Texas Tech Game Notes (PDF) | Baylor Game Notes (PDF)

STARTERS

Texas Tech travels to Waco this weekend for the first time since 2018 for a three-game series versus Baylor. The two programs will square off for the 176th time on Friday, which for Texas Tech, is its’ second-longest running series behind TCU. Under head coach Tim Tadlock, Tech has won five of eight series versus the Bears dating back to 2013, but one thing Tadlock has not done nor any of his predecessors have done, is sweep Baylor in Waco. Three wins this weekend would clinch a spot in the Big 12 Championship tournament.

Coverage will be provided via Big 12 Now on ESPN+. John Morris will have the call, alongside former Baylor Bear Richard Cunningham providing the analysis, from inside Baylor Ballpark. 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 Geoff Haxton will have the call alongside analyst, Jamie Lent.

TEXAS TECH IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS

• D1Baseball: No. 9
• Baseball America: 15
• NCBWA: No. 11
• Collegiate Baseball: NR
• USA Coaches: No. 13
• Perfect Game: No. 15

PROJECTED PITCHING MATCHUPS

• Friday, April 29: RHP Andrew Morris (3.70 ERA, 5-0) vs. RHP Jake Jackson (8.92 ERA, 3-3)
• Saturday, April 30: RHP Brandon Birdsell (2.17 ERA, 6-2) vs. LHP Kobe Andrade (4.50 ERA, 3-2)
• Sunday, May 1: TBA vs. RHP Blake Helton (5.40 ERA, 0-1)

LAST TIME VS. BAYLOR

In the first round of the 2021 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship in Oklahoma City, Tech jumped out to an early lead and got a terrific start from Mason Montgomery to secure an 11-4 victory over Baylor the last time the two squared off. In the 2021 series in Lubbock, the Bears won the Sunday rubber match to become the first team to leave Lubbock with a series win since 2018, and remain the last team to leave Lubbock with a series win.

BACK ON THE ROAD FOR A WHILE

Tech has seven-straight road games, with a bye weekend built in on May 6-8 – coinciding with final exams that span, May 5-10 – before returning home to host the Sooners, May 19-21. The 2022 Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship is next on the slate, which will be hosted at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, May 25-29. For info on attending and tickets, visit Big12Sports.com.

BIRDSELL HONORED FOR STANDOUT PERFORMANCE

Texas Tech junior right-hander Brandon Birdsell was named the Big 12 Co-Pitcher of the Week, the league announced on Monday. It is Birdsell’s second Pitcher of the Week award of the 2022 season. Birdsell tossed an eight-inning complete game in the Red Raiders’ dominant 12-2 run-rule (8) victory against West Virginia in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader. The junior did not allow an earned run, limited the Mountaineers to four hits, and struck out nine while walking just one batter. The start marked the longest outing of his Texas Tech career.  

HOME vs. AWAY

It’s no secret there’s something special about Rip Griffin Park where the Red Raiders are 20-3, below is a side by side comparison of some things working at home versus on the road:

SCOUTING – BAYLOR

• Baylor enters the weekend 21-20 and is one of three Big 12 programs sitting under .500 at 4-11 (.267).
• The Bears last played Tuesday, defeating Incarnate Word, 8-7.
• A look at Baylor’s 2022 start to Big 12 play:

  • Big 12 Series #1: Lost 2-of-3 at home to TCU.
  • Big 12 Series #2: Lost 2-of-3 at Oklahoma.
  • Big 12 Series #3: Swept at West Virginia.
  • Big 12 Series #4: Won 2-of-3 at Kansas.
  • Big 12 Series #5: Swept at Texas.

• Baylor is near the top of the NCAA in turning double plays, tied for second in the nation with 44.
• Baylor allows 9.51 hits per game, which ranks No. 136th in the nation in hits allowed per game.
• In a vote of the league’s head coaches, Baylor was selected to finish fifth in the 2022 Preseason Big 12 Baseball Coaches Poll. 
• Outfielder Jared McKenzie was the Bears’ one honoree on the Big 12 preseason team.

TEXAS TECH-BAYLOR SERIES HISTORY

• Friday’s meeting will be the 176th all-time between the two programs.
• The series dates back to 1928 as Tech holds a 91-84 lead all-time.
• The Baylor series is the second-most played for the Red Raiders, trailing the TCU series.
• In games played in Waco, the Bears lead the series 50-30.
• Under Tadlock, the Red Raiders have won five of eight series against the Bears.
• Under Tadlock, the Red Raiders are 17-11 against the Bears.
• Tech’s last series win in Waco came in 2016.
• Tech has never swept Baylor in Waco.
• The last time Tech swept Baylor was in 2015, in Lubbock.

THIS-N-THAT

• The Red Raiders are 9-12 in road and neutral games while 20-3 in home games this season.
• Texas Tech went 22-5 in the months of February and March but is 7-10 in April. 
• Tech has scored six runs or more in 29 of 44 games this season.

  • TTU is 26-3 in those games. Those three losses have come in the month of April. Tech fell for the first time on April 6 vs. Grand Canyon after entering the ninth inning trailing 8-2 and scoring five in a comeback that fell short, 8-7. It happened again in a 14-9 loss last time out versus Oklahoma in Amarillo, and in the loss to New Mexico last time out via a 3-run walk-off home run. 

• Tech has scored in double-digits 16 times out of 44 games.

  • TTU is 15-1 in those games. Tech lost with double-digit scoring for the first time at UNM. 

• Tech is fourth in the NCAA in runs scored with 398. UNLV is first with 421 while Virginia is second with 409 and Georgia Tech is third with 406.
• In the NCAA, Jace Jung ranks No. 1 in walks (47) and No. 5 in walks/per game (1.07).
• In the NCAA, Jace Jung ranks No. 5 in runs scored (55), No. 10 in on-base % (.516), and No. 17 in doubles (17).
• In the NCAA, Brandon Birdsell ranks No. 14 in strikeouts per nine innings (13.67) and No. 18 in strikeouts (82).
• In the NCAA, Kurt Wilson ranks 17 in RBIs (53).

  –TECH–