Texas Tech Baseball Beats UT 2-1 In Big 12 Opener

The Texas Tech baseball team opened Big 12 play with a thrilling 2-1 victory in Austin on Friday Night.

Tim Tadlock’s Texas Tech baseball team is proving that it is one of the most well-rounded squads in the nation.  On Friday night, the Red Raiders were forced to rely on their pitching staff to carry them to a 2-1 win over the No. 21 Texas Longhorns.

For most of the season, Tech’s offense has been lethal.  Entering the Big 12 opener, the Red Raiders had averaged just under seven runs per game.

But an old-fashioned pitchers’ duel broke out at Disch-Faulk Field and Texas Tech was up to the task.

Starter Davis Martin turned in arguably his best outing of the season, especially given the importance of the game.  The sophomore held the Longhorns to a lone run on two hits in 6.1 innings of work.  He struck out six hitters as he kept the Horns bats off balance all night long.

Davis was supported by 2 2/3 innings of fantastic relief from the bullpen.  If there has been one area of concern for the Texas Tech baseball team this year, it would be the performance of the relievers.

In recent weeks, the Tech bullpen has surrendered late leads to LSU and UTSA while making fans a bit nervous in other contests.  Walks have been an issue for the powerful arms Tadlock has turned to late in games.

But Friday, the relievers came up huge.  Junior Parker Mushinski and freshman John McMillon combined to keep Texas off the scoreboard in the last three innings to preserve a hard-fought victory.

Both had to work their way out of trouble.  In the bottom of the seventh, Mushinski entered the game with the tying run on base but got a pop out and a strikeout to preserve the lead.

In the eighth, Texas had the tying run at third base when Mushinski got out of the jam by inducing a grounder to second base.

In the bottom of the ninth, McMillon walked his first hitter of the night to put runners on the corner with two out.  Fortunately, he was able to get the next batter to strike out and end the game.

Offensively, Texas Tech did just enough.  Junior Michael Davis got Tech on the board first with an opposite field homer in the third inning.

After Texas tied the game with a solo shot in the bottom of the inning, Tech answered in the top of the seventh.  Senior Hunter Hargrove scored from first base on a screaming double into the right field corner by Michael Berglund.  That would be all that Texas Tech needed on the night.

As David Collier, sports director for “Red Raider Nation” pointed out prior to the game, winning on the road has been almost impossible for Texas Tech in Big 12 play in any sport this season.

This victory was huge for the Red Raiders in that it was over the hated Longhorns and because it was a rare victory in the state capital where Tech often struggles regardless of the sport.  More importantly though, it set the Red Raiders up with two opportunities to clinch the series over their rivals by winning either today or tomorrow.

The two teams return to the diamond this afternoon at 4 pm Central.  If form holds in the rotation, sophomore Steven Gingery will take the hill for Tech.

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He has been the best pitcher on the staff for Tadlock this season.  In four starts, the California native has a sparkling 1.47 ERA.

He has pitched at least seven innings in all four starts allowing no more than two runs in any game.  He will look to give Texas Tech the series victory by emulating what he saw his fellow hurlers do on the bump Friday night.

One interesting observation from the game was the presence of Texas Tech fans in attendance in Austin.  As you can see from the game highlights posted above, the Red Raider faithful were so loud during the game that the announcers on the Longhorn Network remarked about the number of Red Raiders in the stands.

Maybe the Tech fans were in town for a nice spring break trip to Austin.  Or maybe they realize that this is a special team and they want to be part of what has the looks of a great ride this season.

Next: 5 Reasons Tech Will Make 2018 NCAA Tournament

Keep checking in with Wreck ‘Em Red for coverage of the Texas Tech baseball team all season long.