Texas Tech University Athletics
Red Raiders Prepare For Crucial Series With Oklahoma
April 25, 2002 | Baseball
April 25, 2002
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RED RAIDERS HOST OKLAHOMA
The Texas Tech Red Raiders return to conference play this weekend after a week long hiatus from the rigorous Big 12 schedule. Texas Tech is 31-16 on the season and is currently riding a six-game win streak that dates back to a win over Kansas on April 13. The Red Raiders went 4-0 this past week with a win over border rival New Mexico on Tuesday night and a three-game sweep of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi over the weekend. Texas Tech has a mark of 10-11 in the Big 12 which places the team in seventh place in the league standings.
The Red Raiders will host an Oklahoma team that comes to Lubbock with an overall record of 24-17 after dropping a 7-5 decision to Arizona State on Wednesday night at the Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City. Oklahoma also escaped Big 12 play last weekend and earned a three-game sweep of instate rival Oral Roberts. The Soon-ers have a Big 12 record of 8-7 after dropping its last Big 12 series to Texas 2-1 and currently occupy sixth place in the league standings.
Friday night has been designated as "Operation Sellout" by the Texas Tech Athletic Department as Tech hopes to sell out Dan Law Field for the first time since April 15, 2000 when the Red Raiders hosted the Texas Longhorns. One lucky fan in attendance on Friday night will win the use of a luxury suite at the Ballpark In Arlington for the upcoming 2002 Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Tournament being held May 22-26. The Texas Tech Federal Credit Union (series sponsor) and the Texas Tech Alumni Association will also host a cookout for 300 graduating seniors in the grass area located just inside the main gate of Dan Law. The Tech Hecklers will also be recognized prior to the start of Friday's game for their numerous contributions to the Texas Tech baseball program.
TEXAS TECH AT A GLANCE
- Texas Tech is currently in the middle of a 13-game homestand as the Red Raiders will play their last 13 games of the season at Dan Law Field. The 13 game homestand to end the season is the longest in school history. Texas Tech is currently 4-0.
- Senior shortstop Gera Alvarez currently has a 28-game hitting streak and needs one hit in Friday's game to tie the Keith Ginter's school record of 29 games.
- Texas Tech and Baylor are the only two schools in the Big 12 to have already played 21 league games.
- Texas Tech has 52 home runs on the season which is second best behind Oklahoma State and just ahead of Oklahoma's 51.
THE LAST TIME OUT
Tech Earns Series Sweep With 8-2 Win Over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Red Raiders now on six-game win streak
LUBBOCK, Texas. - Junior left fielder Scooter Jordan went 3-for-4 with two runs scored an RBI to lead Texas Tech to an 8-2 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Sunday afternoon giving the Red Raiders the series sweep.
With the win, Texas Tech improves to 31-16 overall while Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to 16-28 on the year. Junior center fielder Jon Slack got the Red Raiders going early when he led off the game with a solo home run that sailed over the right field wall. Texas Tech tacked three more runs in the inning on RBI singles by Gera Alvarez and Nick Blankenship an RBI triple by freshman Madison Edwards. Alvarez' single in the first inning gave senior San Diego native a 28-game hitting streak which is the second longest in school history. Alavarez will be in position to tie the record of 29 games (set by Keith Ginter 1997) on Friday night in the first game against Oklahoma. The Islanders plated their first run of the game in the top of the third when catcher Borque led off the frame with a solo home run over the right field fence. Texas Tech extended its lead to 7-1 in the bottom of the third when Scooter Jordan drove in a run on a triple to right center and then scored on a wild pitch by reliever Lance Kral.
Junior Dusty Buck (5-1) picked up his fifth win of the season as he allowed just four and two earned runs in six innings of work. Eric Martanovic (3-3) suffered the loss the Islanders after giving up five earned runs on nine hits. Texas Tech will take the next four days off to prepare for a three-game home series with the Oklahoma Sooners beginning at 7 p.m. on Friday night.
