Texas Tech University Athletics
Baseball Prepares For Iowa State
April 06, 2000 | Baseball
April 6, 2000
Texas Tech (20-16, 9-6) at Iowa State (8-22, 2-10)
Saturday, April 8 - Noon (DH)
Sunday, April 9 - 1:00 p.m.
Cap Timm Field - Ames, Iowa
A QUICK LOOK AT TEXAS TECH
The Texas Tech Red Raiders travel to Ames, Iowa for a three-game set against Iowa State this weekend. The two schools will play a noon doubleheader on Saturday and a 1 p.m. game Sunday. The Red Raiders have won four of five and seven of the last 10 games. They notched their second straight Big 12 sweep at Dan Law Field by defeating Kansas State last weekend. Tech won the first game on Saturday 19-7 in seven innings and swept the Sunday doubleheader with identical 9-2 scores. The first conference sweep in Lubbock was 3/17-19 against Baylor. Texas Tech is four games over .500 for the first time since 3/11 at Texas A&M (13-9).
Head Coach Larry Hays moved into eighth place among all-time coaches Sunday morning in Tech's 9-2 win over the Wildcats. Hays, in his 30th season, passed former UT-Pan American coach Al Ogletree with his 1,218th career victory in the first game of Sunday's doubleheader. He has totaled 1,219 wins and is ranked fourth in victories among active coaches.
After the Iowa State series, the Red Raiders will play a five-game homestand at Dan Law Field. Opening the homestand will be West Texas A&M on April 12 at 3 p.m. The Texas Longhorns will come to Lubbock for a three-game series on April 14-16. The fifth game of the homestand will be Southwest Texas State on April 18 at 2:30 p.m.
AT THE PLATE
Through 36 games, the Red Raiders have outscored opponents 327-254 ... Tech is averaging 9.1 runs and 11.1 hits per game ... they have reached the double-figure mark in runs 16 times this season, but just once in the last seven games ... as a team, Texas Tech is hitting .316 with 88 doubles, 13 triples, 36 home runs and 283 RBI ... Tech hitters have walked 217 times (6.0 BB per game) while opponents have walked 128 times ... with runners in scoring position, they are hitting .320 (143-447) and are averaging 8.6 runners left on base per game (310 in 36 games) ... when runners are on base, the team is batting .343 (234-682) and when the bases are empty the average drops to .283 (164-579) ... the Red Raiders are hitting .330 (73-221) against lefties while going 325-1,040 (.312) against right-handers ... Tech pinch hitters are 15-40 (.375) ... the lineup has notched 29 sacrifice flys in 2000 ... the 1988 team set the school record with 34 ... Texas Tech has hit four grand slams and 12 Red Raiders have hit a home run ... in the Kansas State series: batted .392 (40-102) and outscored the Wildcats 37-11 ... tallied eight doubles, two triples and three home runs ... the 19 runs on Saturday was the most since scoring 20 on 2/13 vs. USC as was the six doubles (7 vs. USC) ... three home runs on Saturday was the most since hitting three on 3/18 vs. Baylor ... Cory Sellars' grand slam was the first since 2/22 when Chaz Eiguren hit one at New Mexico.
ON THE MOUND
The Tech pitching staff owns a 6.32 ERA (218 ER/310.2 IP) in 36 games this year ... in Big 12 games, the staff holds a 1.4:1 (92 SO/67 BB) strikeout-to-walk ratio while in non-conference games, the rate is 2.2:1 (137 SO/61 BB) ... Red Raider pitchers are averaging 6.6 strikeouts per 9.0 IP (229 SO/310.2 IP) and own a 1.8:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio (229 SO/128 BB) ... starting pitchers have walked 72 batters in 177.0 IP (3.7 BB per 9.0 IP) and the bullpen is averaging 6.7 strikeouts per 9.0 IP (100 SO/133.2 IP) ... opponents are hitting .315 (401-1,275) with 32 home runs, 15 triples and 79 doubles ... Tech pitchers have hit at least one batter in 24 games this year and at one point, hit a batter in 10 straight games (2/18-3/4) ... the Red Raider staff has not hit a batter in six of the last nine games ... in the Kansas State series: used just five pitchers ... allowed less than four runs in back-to-back games for the first time this season ... posted a 3.96 ERA (11 ER/25.0 IP) on 25 hits ... didn't allow a home run after giving up six in the previous four games.
A TALE OF TWO TEAMS
At the friendly confines of Dan Law Field, Texas Tech posts a record of 17-5, but on the road the Red Raiders are 3-11 ... Tech's fielding percentage on the road is .969 (15 E/488 TC) compared to a .963 mark (33 E/881 TC) at home ... in Lubbock, the pitching staff is averaging 7.0 strikeouts per 9.0 IP (154 SO/197.0 IP) ... away from home, the staff averages 5.9 strikeouts per 9.0 IP (75 SO/113.2 IP) ... designated hitter Chaz Eiguren is hitting .420 (37-88) at Dan Law Field, but is 18-55 (.327) on the road ... pitcher J.J. Newman's ERA at home is 5.27 (24 ER/41.0 IP) and on the road it is 12.96 (12 ER/8.1 IP).
MOVING UP THE CHARTS
Texas Tech head coach Larry Hays became the ninth coach in NCAA Division I history to tally 1,200 career wins on Feb. 2 with a 14-3 victory over West Texas A&M. In his 30th season, Hays is one of only four active NCAA Division I skippers to reach the 1,200-victory plateau. Last weekend, Coach Hays moved into eighth place among all-time coaches in career victories ahead of Al Olgetree.
Coach Hays is Texas Tech's all-time winningest coach. He has led the Red Raiders to three conference championships and posted winning seasons in 12 of his 13 years. The Red Raiders have put together a streak of seven straight 40-plus win seasons and five NCAA Regional appearances under Hays. In 1998, he guided Tech to the Big 12 Tournament Championship with just seven pitchers.
He was named 1997 Big 12 Coach of the Year after the Red Raiders won the conference title with a 23-7 Big 12 mark. Texas Tech also claimed the No. 1 ranking in collegiate baseball for several weeks, the first time a Red Raider sport was ranked No. 1 in school history. In the summer of 1997, he was an assistant coach for the USA National Team. In 1995, Texas Tech set a school record with 51 wins and advanced to the Midwest I NCAA Region championship game.
In 29 full seasons at the collegiate level, Coach Hays has led teams to 12 league titles and guided his 1983 Lubbock Christian University team to the NAIA national championship.
FOR THE RECORD
- Texas Tech Head Coach Larry Hays moved into eighth place among all-time winningest coaches with his 1,219th victory on Sunday vs. Kansas State ... he is also fourth in victories among active coaches ... ahead of Hays on both lists is Wichita State's Gene Stephenson at 1,239 victories.
- Mark Austry has moved into 13th on the career games played list with 147 ... ahead of Austry is David Lindstrom (1994-96) with 149 games.
- Brennan Burns needs just one double to move into a tie for 17th place with 29.
- Marco Cunningham has moved into eighth place on the stolen base list with 49 in his career ... he needs four more to pass Mike Kinney (1992-93) and move into the seventh spot ... Cunningham is tied for 17th in doubles with 29 and tied for 16th with 114 runs.
- Miles Durham is tied for 16th all-time in stolen bases with 35.
- Chaz Eiguren's career batting average of .367 puts him in a tie for ninth all-time and his .624 slugging percentage is ranked 12th.
- Brandon Roberson is fifth all-time with a 2.34 ERA and second all-time with 10 saves.
- Kevin Tracey moved into a tie for 14th with his eighth complete game ... is also tied for eighth with three career saves ... Tracey ranks 16th with 50 walks and 13th with 69 earned runs.
TEXAS TECH ON THE AIR
For the eighth consecutive season, the entire Texas Tech baseball schedule will be broadcasted live on the Red Raider Baseball Network. Voice of Texas Tech Baseball Sam Stephens will handle the play-by-play duties. Stephens has a 20-minute pregame show and interviews players and coaches following each game. Games will be carried on Texas Tech's hometown station, KXTQ-950 AM as well as Texas Tech's official website www.texastech.com.
COACH HAYS ON THE AIR
Coach Hays' morning radio show will run on Thursday mornings on KKAM-1340 AM. Coach Hays will talk with Tech basketball broadcaster Jack Dale from 8-9 a.m. starting March 16.
The 1998 season marked the debut of The Larry Hays' Show, coach Hays' weekly television show. In its third season, the show will air on Sunday nights through May 14. It will be broadcasted on ABC-affiliate KAMC at 11:00 p.m. and CBS-affilate KLBK at 11:30 p.m. Hays is one of just seven collegiate coaches to have a weekly television show.
ROBERSON AND ACKERMAN TO SIT OUT REMAINDER OF SEASON
Right-handed starting pitchers Brandon Roberson and Chaz Ackerman have decided to sit out the remainder of the 2000 season.
Roberson, Texas Tech's opening day starter, injured his right elbow in his first start of the season on February 2 against West Texas A&M. He was slated to be Texas Tech's number one starter after being named first team All-Big 12 and setting the single-season school save record last season.
Ackerman, a junior-college transfer from Connor J.C., has been diagnosed with a microfracture in his right elbow. He injured the arm in his third start on 2/13 vs. USC.
Texas Tech will appeal to the Big 12 Conference for a medical redshirt on both player's behalf. According to the NCAA, a student-athlete may be granted an additional year of competition for reasons of "hardship." Hardship is defined as an incapacity resulting from an injury that has occurred under the following conditions: (1) The injury occurs prior to the completion of the first half of the playing season that concludes with the NCAA championship in that sport. (2) The injury occurs when the student-athlete has not participated in more than two contests or dates of competition or 20 percent of the institution's completed contests or dates of competition in his sport.
EIGUREN NAMED BIG 12 PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Texas Tech senior Chaz Eiguren was named Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week by a select panel of media covering Big 12 baseball for games played Feb. 21-27. The designated hitter blasted five home runs and 16 RBI in Tech's four games that week. He was 13-21 (.619) at the plate and owned a 1.381 slugging percentage with 29 bases in 21 official trips. Eiguren tied an NCAA record last Tuesday with two home runs in the same inning. Against New Mexico, he hit a two-run homer and a grand slam in the Red Raiders' 10-run fifth inning. In his next at bat, the Broomfield, Colorado native sent a solo shot over the right-center field wall. For the game, he went 4-6 with three home runs and seven RBI.
In three games against Missouri, Eiguren hit .600 (9-15) with two home runs, a double and nine RBI. In Friday night's extra-inning loss, he tied the game with at three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth. His final home run of the week came in the first inning on Sunday when he hit a two-run homer to put Tech up 2-0. Eiguren tallied three hits in all three games as he went 3-6 on Friday with five RBI, 3-4 on Saturday and 3-5 with four RBI on Sunday. Eiguren is the first Texas Tech Big 12 Player of the Week since Jon Weber was honored for the week of Feb. 1 last year. Shane Wright and Kevin Tracey were named conference Pitchers of the Week on Feb. 22 and Mar. 8, respectively.
BIG 12 ON THE TUBE
On Feb. 29, Regional Sports Networks, LLC., announced the debut of the COLLEGE SPORTS Southwest network beginning April 1, 2000. The network will cater to the members of the Big 12 Conference and will be on Cox Cable affiliates throughout Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas. It will provide coverage of more than 31 live conference baseball and softball games in addition to live and replay coverage of the 2000 Big 12 Phillips 66 baseball tournament from Oklahoma City.
The first live telecast was March 31 when Texas played at Oklahoma. Texas Tech will be featured April 21-23 when they play at Kansas.
In addition to the COLLEGE SPORTS package, FOX Sports Net will broadcast a number of Big 12 baseball games for the four consecutive season. Texas Tech opened the FOX Sports broadcast season on March 19 in Lubbock. The games will be a regional broadcast on FOX Sports Southwest, Midwest and Rocky Mountain. The Big 12 Tournament Championship game will be nationally broadcasted on May 12.
NEW ADDITIONS
Texas Tech baseball welcomes 17 new players and two new assistant coaches to the program this season. In July, Larry Hays hired Daren Hays and Britt Smith.
Daren Hays returns to Texas Tech after serving as the head coach at Lubbock Christian the past eight seasons. He spent the 1991 season as a Tech assistant where he was the hitting coach. While at LCU, Coach Hays compiled a 356-163 record and became the first LCU coach to win 300 games in just seven seasons. He will work with Red Raider outfielders and hitters.
Britt Smith also comes to Texas Tech from Lubbock Christian where he was the pitching coach last year. Prior to LCU, Smith played and coached at West Texas A&M. He played all nine positions for the Buffalos. Coach Smith has assisted three other former assistants of Larry Hays - Jimmy Shankle (former LCU head coach), Todd Howey (Tech grad and current West Texas A&M head coach) and Daren Hays. He will work with the Texas Tech pitching staff.
Coach Hays will look to replace All-Americans Josh Bard and Shane Wright with 17 newcomers (seven pitchers). Of those 17 new faces, there are 13 transfers and four true freshman.
PRESEASON HONORS
RHP Brandon Roberson was named preseason third team All-American by Collegiate Baseball. The senior right-hander was Texas Tech's opening day starter. Roberson was named first team All-Big 12 last year after setting the single season school save record (10) in 1999.
The Dallas Morning News picked the Red Raiders third in a preseason Big 12 poll and named outfielder Marco Cunningham and designated hitter Chaz Eiguren to the all-conference team.
Outfielder Miles Durham was cited by Baseball America as one of the top 100 in the college class of 2000. Durham was ranked 58th by the magazine's writers and major league scouting directors. He was drafted in the seventh round of the 1997 draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
THE SCHEDULE
The 2000 baseball schedule features a number of teams ranked up and down the preseason top 25 polls. Tech plays six teams in the preseason Collegiate Baseball poll, three in Baseball America and six in the Baseball Weekly/ESPN poll.
Red Raider opponents in the preseason polls posted a 255-131 (.661) overall record in 1999. Texas Tech will host Southern California (2/11-13), Baylor (3/17-19) and Texas (4/14-16) at Dan Law Field. The Red Raiders go on the road to visit Long Beach State, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State.
Red Raiders vs. Cyclones
The Series
Texas Tech leads the all-time series 8-1. The two schools played each other for the first time in 1997 in the first year of Big 12 play. This will be the Red Raiders second trip to Ames to play the Cyclones. Tech has outsccored Iowa State 97-26 in the nine all-time meetings.
Overall Tech leads 8-1
1st meeting 3/15/97
in Lubbock Tech leads 6-0
in Ames Tech leads 2-1
Last 5 meetings vs. ISU 4-1
Last Tech win 12-2, 4/4/99
Last ISU win 10-7, 4/18/98
Biggest Tech win 14-0, 3/15/97
Biggest Tech loss 10-7, 4/18/98
A Quick Look at Iowa State
The Iowa State Cyclones enter the weekend series at 8-22 overall and 2-10 in the Big 12. Last weekend, the Cyclones lost two of three games to Missouri in Ames.
Head Coach Lyle Smith is in his fifth season as head coach at Iowa State and owns a 89-147 record. Smith joined the Cyclone baseball program in 1984 after a three-year stint at Indian Hills Community College.
As a team, Iowa State is hitting .277 with 50 doubles. They are lead by outfielder Aaron Runk with a .360 average and a .474 on-base percentage. Shortstop Rob Conway has hit seven home runs, a triple, eight doubles and knocked in 32 runs while batting .336.
On the mound, the pitching staff owns a 6.62 ERA in 250.1 innings of work. Right-hander Charly Bigwood is tops on the staff with a 3.41 ERA and 2-2 record. Josh Twedt, also a right-hander, has a 3.48 ERA and a 2-2 record. Righ-hander Mike Laesch leads the staff with 30 strikeouts in 43.0 innings pitched.
