Texas Tech University Athletics
Tech Faces Another Crucial Big 12 Weekend
April 26, 2007 | Baseball
April 26, 2007
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The Texas Tech Red Raiders find themselves in yet another crucial position - needing a Big 12 series win in order to keep their NCAA and Big 12 Tournament hopes alive. Texas Tech will open up a three-game series at third place Missouri on Friday evening at Taylor Stadium in Columbia. First pitch on Friday evening is set for 6:30 p.m. and the series will continue at 2 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. The series will wrap up at 1 p.m. on Sunday afternoon and the series finale will air live on FSN (Midwest and Southwest markets).
After suffering a series sweep at Texas two weeks ago, the Red Raiders answered the challenge last weekend and won a key three-game series at home against Kansas. Tech entered last weekend in ninth place but the series win over Jayhawks pushed Tech up three spots to sixth place. Despite its sixth-place standing in the league, the Red Raiders are just two wins behind the Missouri Tigers who are in third place in the Big 12 with a 9-6 conference mark.
Texas Tech was hoping for a big RPI midweek win this week as the Red Raiders took on TCU in Fort Worth on Wednesday. Tech held a 6-2 lead through six innings but the Horned Frogs rallied for five runs off the Tech bullpen in the bottom of the seventh and went on to defeat the Red Raiders 8-6. Earlier this week, Tech defeated College of the Southwest 9-3 in a Monday afternoon makeup game at Dan Law Field.
Missouri enters the weekend series with a 28-12 overall record after winning a weekend series at Baylor (2-1). The Tigers were supposed to face Kansas on in a non-conference game on Wednesday evening at Kaufman Stadium (home of the KC Royals) in Kansas City but the game was cancelled due to heavy rain.
Tickets for the Missouri series can be purchased through the MU Athletic Ticket Office.
A Look At Missouri The Missouri Tigers enter the weekend series against Texas Tech with a 28-12 overall record and a 9-6 mark in Big 12 Conference play.
The third-place Tigers are led by Tim Jamieson who is in his 13th season at the helm of the Missouri program.
The Tigers, coming off an NCAA Super Regional appearance last season, have compiled a .282 team batting average along with a 3.83 staff ERA. Offensively, the Tigers are led by Evan Frey who tops the squad with a .354 average and totals eight doubles, five triples and 24 RBI. Aaron Senne is the leading power hitter on the team with 10 doubles and two home runs.
On the mound, the Tigers boast one of the top left-handed pitchers in the league in sophomore Rick Zagone. Zagone is a perfect 6-0 on the season with a 4.59 ERA through 68 2/3 innings of work. Kyle Gibson is the top reliever on team with a 5-3 record along with seven saves.
Texas Tech-Missouri Series
Friday night's series opener at Missouri will mark the 35th all-time meeting between the two schools. The all-time series is currently tied at 17-17 and tied at 7-7 in games played in Columbia.
Since the start of the 21st Century, the Tigers lead the Red Raiders 12-9. Texas Tech swept the three-game series last season in Lubbock by scores of 13-1, 5-4 and 3-2.
Looking Ahead
Following the trip to Columbia, Texas Tech will return home for a midweek match-up against the Dallas Baptist Patriots. Tech and DBU will meet at Dan Law Field for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch on Tuesday, May 1. Tech will then take the next six days off from the diamond due to the final exam period and return to action on Tuesday, May 8 at New Mexico.
