Texas Tech baseball sweeps No. 22 Michigan Wolverines

After dropping last weekend’s series to Texas, the Texas Tech baseball team rebounded by sweeping the No. 22 Michigan Wolverines this weekend in Lubbock.

After losing two of three games last weekend in Austin, the Texas Tech baseball team returned to Lubbock and took out its frustrations on the No. 22 Michigan Wolverines. The Red Raiders averaged 9.6 runs per game in the three-game series after scoring just nine runs total in the three-game series against the Longhorns.

Thursday, Tech got an RBI from six different hitters including two each from Brian Klein, Tanner O’Tremba and Cam Warren in an 11-2 win. After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the 4th, Tim Tadlock’s team exploded for six runs in the fifth before scoring one each in the sixth and seventh and three more in the eighth.

And in somewhat of an uncharacteristic showing at the plate, Tech used a small-ball approach as only three of their eleven hits went for extra bases. On the season, Tech has mashed 70 extra-base hits including 24 homers but it was nice to see the Raiders use a different approach to manufacture runs after last weekend’s struggles in Austin when Tech left a small village on the bases as the entire lineup experienced a power shortage.

The Red Raider offense was able to get to Michigan starter Tommy Henry, one of the nation’s best starters, for six runs. The junior south-paw entered the game having allowed only two runs in 35 innings and the seven hits Tech had off of him were the most he has given up all season.

In Friday’s 10-3 win, the Red Raiders offensive outburst came in the sixth to break open a 2-2 game. In that frame, Tech again utilized station-to-station baseball as three singles and a fielder’s choice plated five runs.

Five Tech hitters had multiple hits in game two including Warren who went 3-4. Again, Tech was able to reach double-digits on the scoreboard without the use of the long ball as eight of the Raiders’ 14 hits were singles.

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But Saturday, the home team regained it’s power in an 8-5 win. Cody Masters led off the game with a homer on the first pitch while Josh Jung added a two-run bomb in the third and Warren added a solo shot in the 8th.

But unlike in the two previous games, Tech had to battle for the third win of the series. Trailing 4-1 in the third and 5-4 in the fifth, Tech displayed some resilience against a Wolverine team desperate to avoid the sweep. And again, it was small-ball that was the difference as Tech scored the go-ahead run on a Jung sacrifice fly in the seventh inning before Dylan Neuese added an insurance run on a sac fly of his own later in the inning.

And while the Red Raider bats were hot all weekend, the work of the pitching staff must not be overlooked. Thursday, freshman starter Micah Dallas was fantastic allowing just three hits and one run while striking out seven over five innings in his first collegiate start.

Friday, Caleb Killian had his second-consecutive excellent outing. In six innings, he gave up only two runs (one earned) on five hits while registering five strikeouts. In his last two starts, the junior has given up just one earned run in 13.0 innings while surrendering six hits and fanning ten hitters.

In the series finale, it was the bullpen that was impressive. After starter Erikson Lanning gave up four runs (3 earned) in 2.1 innings of work, five receivers combined to allow just one run over 6.2 innings of work. After picking up five hits off of Lanning, Michigan was only able to collect six off of the Tech bullpen.

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With the sweep, Tech moved to 15-5 overall and 12-1 at home. The Red Raiders have won 12-straight home games after dropping the season opener to Oregon last month. Tadlock and his team will host Stetson for a pair of games on Sunday and Monday before resuming Big 12 play this weekend with a three-game set at Kansas State.

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